US Marines are dive bombed

2nd January 1943: In the Pacific the US Marines are taking the fight to the Japanese - but another island means another bloody struggle

Marines hit three feet of rough water as they leave their LST to take the beach at Cape Gloucester, New Britain.

Pfc. Kenneth C. Crowley takes cover behind a log

Cpt. William Coffron firing at enemy sniper.

On New Britain, the Marines had landed at Cape Gloucester on the 26th of December. It was the second amphibious landing for the 1st Marines, veterans of Guadalcanal. Now the aim was to take the nearby Japanese airfield, with the ultimate objective of taking the main Japanese base at Rabaul.

The sound was just tremendous causing great pain in the ears. I could feel the fragments from the bomb passing over us hitting trees.