The Raid on Makin Island: Carlson’s Raiders Strike Behind Japanese Lines

During the early morning hours of August 17, 1942, more than 200 United States Marine Raiders climbed out of two submarines and entered rubber boats off a small Japanese-held island in the Pacific.

Their mission was to land without warning, destroy the enemy garrison and military installations, gather intelligence and then disappear into the ocean.

The operation became known as the Raid on Makin Island. It was one of America’s earliest offensive ground operations against Japan during World War II—and it nearly ended with the entire Marine force stranded behind enemy lines.

Taking the War to Japan

The first months of the Pacific War had been disastrous for the United States. Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor and captured territory across the Pacific, including Wake Island, Guam and the Philippines.

By the summer of 1942, the United States was finally beginning to strike back.

Marines landed on Guadalcanal on August 7, beginning America’s first major offensive against Japan. Ten days later, the newly created 2nd Marine Raider Battalion attacked Makin Atoll in the Japanese-controlled Gilbert Islands.

The raid was intended to destroy Japanese troops and facilities while creating confusion about America’s plans in the Pacific. Military leaders hoped the attack would cause Japan to divert aircraft, ships and reinforcements away from Guadalcanal.

The mission would also provide the first combat test for the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion.

Carlson’s Raiders

The raiding force was commanded by Lt. Col. Evans Carlson, an unconventional Marine officer who had spent time observing Chinese forces fighting the Japanese before America entered the war.

Carlson adopted several ideas from his experience in China, including small-unit independence, open discussions between leaders and enlisted Marines, and a strong emphasis on cooperation.

He used the expression “Gung Ho,” which he interpreted as meaning “work together.”

Carlson also organized his battalion around small fire teams containing a rifleman, an automatic rifleman and a Marine armed with a submachine gun. This gave each team considerable firepower and allowed it to operate more independently.

The Marine Corps later adopted the fire-team concept throughout its infantry units.

Approximately 220 Raiders were selected for the Makin operation. Carlson’s executive officer was Maj. James Roosevelt, the son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

A Secret Voyage Beneath the Pacific

The Raiders left Pearl Harbor aboard two large submarines: USS Nautilus and USS Argonaut.

Conditions aboard the submarines were extremely uncomfortable. They had not been designed to transport large numbers of troops, and the Marines were packed into hot, cramped compartments with the submarines’ crews, weapons and equipment.

After traveling approximately 2,000 miles, the submarines reached Makin Atoll.

Although commonly called the Raid on Makin Island, the attack actually occurred on Butaritari, the principal island of the atoll. American military reports at the time generally referred to it simply as Makin.

The submarines surfaced several hundred yards offshore during the early morning darkness of August 17. The Marines climbed onto the decks, inflated their rubber boats and prepared to paddle toward the island.

Almost immediately, the plan began to fall apart.

Trouble in the Surf

Rough seas made it difficult to launch the boats and keep them together. Many of the small outboard motors refused to start, while the noise of the surf made it nearly impossible for the Marines to hear orders.

The original plan called for the Raiders to land at two separate beaches. Because of the confusion, Carlson changed the plan and ordered the entire force to land together.

Not every boat received the message.

Lt. Oscar Peatross and 11 Marines continued to their originally assigned beach, landing behind the Japanese positions. Cut off from the main Raider force, Peatross and his men conducted their own attacks throughout the day.

The rest of the Raiders reached shore at approximately 5 a.m. and initially landed without being detected. Surprise was lost when a Marine accidentally fired his weapon.

Japanese troops quickly moved to meet the attack.

The Battle for Makin

The Japanese garrison was smaller than American planners had estimated, but its defenders fought from prepared positions using machine guns and snipers.

Dense vegetation covered much of the narrow island. The terrain made it difficult for the Raiders to locate Japanese positions or maintain contact between units.

Carlson’s Marines advanced across the island while USS Nautilus provided fire support with its powerful six-inch deck guns. The submarine shelled Japanese positions and fired across the island at vessels anchored in the lagoon.

Its gunfire destroyed two Japanese ships, including a transport being used to house enemy troops.

Peatross and his isolated Marines attacked the Japanese from behind, creating additional confusion. Despite being badly outnumbered, the small group destroyed enemy equipment and inflicted numerous casualties before eventually reconnecting with the main force.

Sergeant Clyde Thomason

One of the most heroic Marines at Makin was Sgt. Clyde Thomason.

Thomason repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire while directing his Marines and organizing attacks against Japanese positions. When a sniper pinned down part of his unit, Thomason moved forward, entered the building from which the sniper was firing and killed him at close range.

Thomason was later killed by Japanese machine-gun fire while continuing to lead his Marines.

For his actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He became the first enlisted Marine to receive the nation’s highest military decoration for actions during World War II.

Japanese Aircraft Arrive

Japanese aircraft soon appeared over Makin and began bombing and strafing the island. The Raiders had no fighter protection, leaving them exposed to repeated attacks from the air.

Two Japanese flying boats also attempted to reach the atoll. Raiders armed with .55-caliber Boys antitank rifles opened fire, helping destroy the aircraft before they could deliver reinforcements.

Despite the bombing and strafing, the Japanese air attacks caused surprisingly few Marine casualties.

By the afternoon, the Raiders had killed most of the Japanese garrison. However, Carlson believed that a larger enemy force remained on the island or would soon arrive.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., he ordered his Marines to return to the beach and begin withdrawing to the submarines.

That was when the operation came closest to becoming a disaster.

Trapped on the Beach

The Raiders pushed their rubber boats into the ocean, but the pounding surf overturned many of them.

Marines paddled against the breakers, only to be thrown back onto the beach. Boats filled with water, motors failed and weapons and equipment disappeared into the surf.

Many Marines removed their clothing and equipment to reduce their weight. Some became completely exhausted after repeatedly attempting to reach the submarines.

Only about one-third of the force made it through the surf during the first evacuation attempt.

The remaining Raiders were stranded on the island overnight with wounded Marines, limited equipment and the expectation that Japanese reinforcements could arrive at any moment.

Believing his force might be surrounded, Carlson considered surrendering to protect his wound