Operation Galvanic

Winkler, Clifford Adelbert
MarinesR Private

Clifford Adelbert Winkler, age 18, from McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Allegheny county.

Parents: Fred W. Winkler

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private Clifford Winkler joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Pennsylvania and was a member of Company M, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which took part in the Battle of Tarawa. On November 20, 1943, he was killed in action on the atoll and was buried in Cemetery #11; however, after the war his remains were not located, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private Winkler is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Winkley, Manley Forrest
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Manley Forrest Winkley, age 20, from Indianapolis, Indiana, Marion county.

Parents: Nadia Winkley

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: On June 1, 2013, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC, now DPAA) identified the remains of Private First Class Manley Forrest Winkley, missing from World War II. Private First Class Winkley, who entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Indiana, was a member of the Marine Corps 2nd Division. He was killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa on November 20, 1943, and his remains were buried on Betio Island but could not be identified among those disinterred from the island after the war. In 2012, JPAC teams conducted excavation operations in the Republic of Kiribati where they discovered remains and equipment of American service members who fought on Betio. Using advanced forensic identification techniques, U.S. analysts identified PFC Winkley from among these remains.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Wise, Philip Gordon
Marines Private 1st class

Philip Gordon Wise, age 20, from Akron, Ohio, Summit county.

Spouse: Married

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Philip Gordon Wise entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Ohio and served in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943 during the Battle of Tarawa, and buried in Cemetery #33, but after the war his remains were not located. He is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Wise is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Wright, Richard Gordon
Marines Reserves Private

Richard Gordon Wright, age 22, from Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles. county.

Parents: Henry L. Wright

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private Richard Gordon Wright entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Oklahoma and served in Company K, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa. Private Wright was buried in Cemetery #11 on Tarawa, but after the war his remains were not located and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private Wright is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Yarbrough, James Bryant
Marines Private

James Bryant Yarbrough, age 19, from Noxapater, Mississippi, Winston county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private James Bryant Yarbrough joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Mississippi and was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He served in the Battle of Tarawa, and was killed in action on November 20, 1943. He was buried in Cemetery #33 on Tarawa, but after the war his remains were not recovered and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private Yarbrough is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Yokom, Elmore Frank
Marines Reserves Sergeant

Elmore Frank Yokom, age 23, from Gilette, Wyoming, Campbell county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Sergeant Elmore Frank Yokom, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps in Colorado, was a member of Company M, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa on November 20, 1943, and was buried in Cemetery #33 on Tarawa. However, after the war his remains could not be located and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Sergeant Yokom is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Young, Laurence D.
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Laurence D. Young, age 18, from Strafford, Missouri, Greene county.

Parents: Charita E. Young

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Laurence D. Young entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Missouri and served in Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943 during the Battle of Tarawa and was buried in Cemetery #33, but after the war his remains were not located. He is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Young is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Zazzetti, Joseph Thomas
Marine Reserves Private

Joseph Thomas Zazzetti, age 21, from Chicago Heights, Illinois, Cook county.

Parents: Ida Zazzetti

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private Joseph Zazzetti joined the U.S. Marine Corps in Illinois and was a member of Company C, 2nd Amphibious Tractor Battalion, Second Marine Division. He was killed in action at Tarawa on November 20, 1943. He was buried in Marine Cemetery #33 on Tarawa, but after the war his remains were not located. Today, Private Zazzetti is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Zehetner, Robert Leroy
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Robert Leroy Zehetner, age 19, from Brooksville, Florida, Hernando county.

Parents: Roy Zehetner

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: On July 3, 2018, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified the remains of Private First Class Robert Leroy Zehetner, missing from World War II. Private First Class Zehetner joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Florida and served with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the assault on the Japanese-controlled Betio Island of Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands. His remains were buried at one of the temporary cemeteries on the island. In 1946, the remains buried at these cemeteries were centralized at the Lone Palm Cemetery on Betio, before being repatriated to the U.S. for identification; however, the remains of PFC Zehetner could not be identified at the time. These unidentifiable remains from Betio were buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Hawaii, as “unknowns.” In 2016, DPAA disinterred all Tarawa “unknowns” and used modern forensic techniques that eventually identified PFC Zehetner.

Source: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Zimmerman, Sherman George
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Sherman George Zimmerman, age 22, from Courtland, Minnesota, Nicollet county.

Parents: Albert O. Zimmerman

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Sherman George Zimmerman entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Minnesota and served in Company L, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa and was buried in Cemetery #33, but after the war his remains were not located. He is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Zimmerman is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Load More
Back To Top