The first unit to reach its beach was the 3d Battalion, 2d Marines. At 0910 the tractors of this team crawled up on the coral sand of Red 1, located at the west end of the north side of the island. The first three waves were hit hard by machine gun and antiboat fire, damaging most of the tractors. Company I, upon climbing out of its LVTs, clambered up over the log barricade and began to advance inland on the right half of the beach. At the dividing line between Red 1 and Red 2 there was a Japanese strongpoint and the fire from it was raking the flank of the 3d Battalion. Company K was hit before it could reach the temporary protection of the log barricade. During the next 2 hours the two companies were to lose over half of their men. Meanwhile L Company and the mortar platoon came in as far as they could in their boats. About 500 yards from the beach, the boats ran aground on the reef and the troops were forced to get out and start wading toward the beach. While in the water, this company was hit hard by machine gun and antiboat fire, which caused casualties amounting to over 35 percent.
