Abemama (173.833E 0.489N) is an atoll in the Gilberts group located 75 miles (120 km) southwest of Tarawa. It was the most prosperous of the Gilbert atolls, with unusually fertile soil. The Japanese took control of the island shortly after seizing Tarawa but did not strongly garrison the island.
Abemama was seized by 5 Amphibious Reconnaissance Company (68 Marines and 10 engineers) on 20 November 1943. The weather made for a rough landing, but there were only 25 Japanese troops on the island, and the Marines decided not to wait for the full invasion force for which they were supposed to be scouting the island. With the help of gunfire from submarine Nautilus, which had brought them to the island, the Marines overcame the Japanese resistance by noon on 25 November. Fourteen of the Japanese were killed by naval gunfire and the remainder committed suicide, at the cost of one Marine killed.
The garrison arrived on 26 November 1943 on
transports Harris and President Monroe, and an airfield with an 8000-foot
(2440-meter) runway (O'Hare Field) was completed by 95
Seabees on 17 December 1943. The island was supplied by digging a channel
throught the reef wide enough for
two LSTs.
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2008 by Kent G. Budge. Index