Operation Flintlock, Marshall Islands 1944 | Landing at Namur | Easy Red 2 скачать в хорошем качестве

Operation Flintlock, Marshall Islands 1944 | Landing at Namur | Easy Red 2

2/1/1944 The landings on Namur (the northeastern half of Roi-Namur) took place on 1 February 1944, immediately after the capture of Roi. The assault fell to elements of the 24th and 25th Marines, who crossed the narrow lagoon in LVTs under covering fire from naval guns and aircraft. Unlike the flat airfield terrain on Roi, Namur was heavily built-up with dense vegetation, supply dumps, workshops, and numerous reinforced concrete structures. As soon as the first waves hit the beaches, Marines came under fire from surviving Japanese pillboxes and snipers hidden in the debris and foliage. The landing zones were cluttered with shattered buildings and wrecked equipment from the pre-invasion bombardment, slowing the advance and breaking units into smaller groups fighting through choke points. The situation worsened when Marines uncovered a large torpedo-warhead storage bunker, which detonated in a massive explosion, one of the most violent blasts of the entire Marshalls campaign. The explosion killed dozens of Marines, stunned nearby units, and momentarily disrupted the assault plan. Despite the chaos, the landing forces regrouped and pushed inland, fighting from structure to structure as Japanese defenders launched scattered but fierce counterattacks from cellars, trenches, and ruined bunkers. The Marines gradually expanded their beachhead toward the island’s center, securing key junctions and cutting the island in half to isolate resistance. By nightfall on February 1st, they had established a firm foothold on Namur, setting the stage for the brutal, close quarters fighting that would continue into the next day.