12-259 Garand Picture of the Day - Marines landing at Cape Torokina

[Mark in Rochester]

November 1, 1943 on Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands of the South Pacific.

The 3rd and 9th Marines of the 3rd Marine Division assaulted Cape Torokina along an 8,000-yard front at 0710. Because of the possibility of an immediate Japanese counterattack by air units, the initial assault wave landed 7,500 Marines by 0730. These seized the lightly defended area by 1100, suffering 78 killed in action while virtually annihilating the 270 troops of the Japanese 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment. Marine Raiders also seized Puruata Island just offshore.





Sgt. Robert A. Owens was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for singlehandedly seizing the sole Japanese artillery emplacement shelling the landing force, at the cost of his life, after it had destroyed four landing craft and damaged ten others.



On 1 November 1943, on Bougainville, the landing on the beach at Cape Torokina was strongly resisted by a well-camouflaged 75 millimeter regimental gun. Strategically placed, the gun had already scored direct hits on several of the landing craft and it was seriously threatening the success of the operation. No boats could approach the beach without passing within 150 yards or less from the muzzle, and the gunners could not miss. The emplacement was so situated that it could only be attacked from the front and also in a position whereby rifle fire and grenades could not reach the gun crew.

Sizing up the situation, Sgt Owens decided that the only way to neutralize the gun was to charge it directly from the front. Calling on four volunteers to cover him, he placed them where they could keep adjacent bunkers under fire.

At the moment when he judged he had a fair chance of reaching his objective, the six-feet-three, 232-pound Marine charged right into the very mouth of the still rapidly firing cannon. Entering the emplacement through the fire port, he chased the Japanese out the back where they were cut down by his rifleman. Pursuing them, he in turn was instantly killed. It was discovered that a round had been placed in the chamber and the breech was almost closed at the moment that Sgt Owens came through the fire port.

Over 150 rounds of high-explosive shells were stacked and ready for firing. The enemy had counted heavily on this weapon to stop the Marine landing. They made several determined but fruitless efforts to recapture the piece. MajGen Allen H. Turnage, Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Division, said, "Among many brave acts on the beachhead of Bougainville, no other single act saved the lives of more of his comrades or served to contribute so much to the success of the landings







Robert A OwensDD827-1982

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Pursuing them, he in turn was instantly killed.

Do I read in there "Friendly fire?" If so, all the more tragic...

[Mark in Rochester]

Do I read in there "Friendly fire?" If so, all the more tragic...

He drove the enemy out with a grenade and in turn was hit by one of their grenades as he entered the emplacement - the escaping enemy were cut down by a B.A.R.

[Mark in Rochester]

Another account has Owens being hit several times by rifle fire on his approach to the position

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Humbling.

[Mark in Rochester]

Sergeant Robert Owens, among the first men to land safely, spotted the emplacement from which the gun poured its terrible file. He crawled toward it. He posted four men to pin down the two rifle bunkers which covered the approach to the gun. Then he jumped to his feet and charged. He was hit repeatedly on his way in, but he kept on. He dove straight through the gun port. He killed the gunner and drove the other crewmen out the rear entrance, where they were cut down by his companions. Then Owens sank to the ground dying. His charge had won the Medal of Honor and also had destroyed the most formidable obstacle on the Torokina beaches.

From: Strong Men Armed: The United States Marines Against Japan
Robert Leckie
Page 165-166