[OT] RE: RP Trees was Re: [OT] Sea Leopard

On Tuesday, April 23, 2002 2:13 PM, Mark Reindl
[SMTP:mreindl@pacbell.net]
wrote:
> There were actually more places suited for tank combat in the Pacific
than
> you might think.  True, places like Guadalcanal and the interior of
the
> Philippines were ill-suited for tank use, but tanks saw plenty of use
(and
to
> a greater or lesser extent, success) on islands such as Iwo Jima
(great
place
> for flame tanks), Saipan, Pelileu, and Okinawa.  IIRC, even Tarawa
(Betio)
> saw limited use of tanks.  They were necessarily used in a great
battle of
> maneuver and speed as they were in Europe, but were ideally suited for
> blasting Japanese bunkers and strongpoints that couldn't be knocked
out
with
> aerial bombs or the arcing fire the battlewagons and cruisers.

If you ever visit Guadalcanal, there are several tank graveyards along
Red
Beach and in other places, where the American amphibious tanks drove
ashore
and were promptly dumped on the beach past the shore-batteries, never to
move again.  Although the current coastline is limited to grasslands and
coconut plantations, at the time it was dense junge down to the waters
edge,
so the short-term firepower and protection allowed the foothold upon the
island that infantry landings alone couldn't have achieved without
heavier
casualties.

Brendan