A Time of Sacrifice: IV

Today Newshounds honor John Joseph Spillane. The choice of Corporal Spillane is notable for two reasons. First, Spillane served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Our obsession with Europe and the campaigns there have caused us to forget that the fighting in the Pacific was consistently more brutal than in the civilized west.

As a result of our preoccupation with Europe, Europeans have come to believe that the horrific Pacific battles were merely a distraction for America. If you doubt this, talk to some Europeans. Tell them about the 3,300 casualties that the 2nd Marine Division suffered during the landings on the tiny island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll. Half of these casualties were suffered on the first day. Then, compare that to the 2,400 casualties that the Big Red One endured during the first day of the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach.

The second reason why Cpl. Spillane makes an inspiring choice is that he was not awarded the Medal of Honor — despite an amazing display of gallantry. Readers of American military history and Medal of Honor Citations are forced to the realization that the gallantry displayed in John Wayne movies was child's play compared to the real thing. This sounds impossible; however, the real stories simply would not be believable in celluloid. During World War II, Korea and Vietnam, uncommon valor truly was common virtue among American fighting men.

Thus, Cpl. Spillane is more of a common example than lone hero. He was one of us who wanted nothing more than to do his part.

Prior to enlisting, John Spillane had been scouted by the Yankees and the Cardinals for his baseball talent. Instead of signing with the big leagues, John Spillane enlisted in the Marine Corps. Instead of playing for the big crowds, Spillane was shipped off to the Pacific where he would participate in the island hopping campaign, and where he would experience the brutal fighting for Tarawa.

In 1943 Betio Island, just 300 acres of sand, was strategically important because the Japanese had constructed an airstrip that ran most of the length of the island. It would be one of the jump off points for the island hopping campaign that would drive the war home to Japan. Tragically for the US Marines, US forces were moving faster than military intelligence could keep up.

The absence of timely reconnaissance would mean that the attacking 2nd Marine Division would be unaware of strong Japanese reinforcements, including a 4 foot sea wall made of coconut logs in addition to a coral reef that lay in the path of the attacking amtracks and Higgins boats.

In the dawn naval bombardment lasting 2 1/2 hours, the US Navy laid down 10 tons of projectiles for every acre of Betio; however, the Marines still faced withering fire as their amtracks and Higgins boats approached shore. Most of the Higgins boats became stranded on the coral reef far from shore, and these boats became targets for Japanese artillery and subsequent suicide attacks. The amtracks that made it through were unable to climb over the sea wall. As these tracked vehicles came up against the wall, Japanese attackers lobbed grenades into the amtracks from behind the wall.

Corporal Spillane was in an amtrack called the Old Lady as it butted up under the Japanese-built wall. Grenades started pouring into the Old Lady where Spillane and his comrades crouched low for safety from heavy machine gun fire:

The first came in hissing and smoking and Corporal Spillane dove for it He trapped it and pegged it in a single, swift, practiced motion. Another. Spillane picked it off in mid-air and hurled it back. There were screams. There were no more machine gun bullets rattling against the Old Lady's sides. Two more smoking grenades end-over-ended into the amtrack, Spillane nailed both and flipped them on the sea wall. The assault troops watched him with fascination. And then the sixth came in and Spillane fielded and threw.

But this one exploded.

Severely wounded, Spillane fell to the floor of the Amtrack. His body had absorbed most of the shrapnel from the grenade, and the former baseball player no longer had a right hand:

But the assault troops had vaulted onto the beach and were scrambling for the sea wall.

Spillane had not only knocked out a machine gun nest, but he had also bought his comrades enough time to get out of their vehicle and onto the beach. He returned to ship in the Old Lady where surgeons amputated what was left of his hand.

Prior to the attack, the Japanese commander — confident of his fortifications — had stated that "a million Americans couldn't take Tarawa in 100 years." Yet, Betio fell to the US Marines in 76 hours. Casualties were extremely high. The Navy and Marines learned much from attack and would improve, but the fighting would remain just as intense throughout the war.

Newshounds salute John Joseph Spillane and the men like him who rose to do the extraordinary in a time of peril.

This Newshound never ceases to be amazed at the bravery of a man who fielded grenades as if they were baseballs. Nevertheless, Spillane's bravery was not unique, although his story is particularly memorable. As the United States crossed the Pacific, ordinary men rose to accomplish the extraordinary.

Acting without regard to their own personal safety, these men paid the price to keep America free. Americans can never repay Corporal Spillane and the innumerable men like him. However, we can try to act in a manner worthy of their sacrifices.

Regardless of the present danger to all, shirkers whine and quibble today about insignificant sacrifices — such as minor airport inconveniences — required for the common safety. America will rise to victory; however, as Americans, we need not countenance the protestations of the few who would demand special consideration while our troops are fighting in the field.

Remember that much of the current quibbling absolutely pales by comparison to the sacrifices made those who have gone before us. Moreover, our forebears appear to be super humans when in fact they were ordinary Americans rising to eliminate the peril of their times. Our generation will join our forebears as we too rise to defeat the enemies of freedom.

Strong Men Armed

Betio: Assault of an Island Fortress

Tarawa on the Web