"Alan Hampton", USMC Sniper, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Tarawa 1943 (Private)

USMC Sniper, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Div. (Private), Tarawa Atoll November 1943 Tarawa is one of the coral atolls which comprise the Gilbert Islands, an archipelago that sprawls across the equator. Roughly triangular in shape, the atoll is a continuous reef consisting of a narrow string of coral sand islands. Tarawa Atoll was raided by the Japanese Navy on Dec10th 1941. Early in August 1943, Admiral Spruance assigned the capture of Tarawa Atoll verbally to the 2d Marine Division