On August 17-18, 1942, 211 men of the US Marine Corps' 2nd Raider Battalion conducted a daring amphibious raid on the Japanese-occupied Makin Island in the South Pacific. This ambitious but flawed operation was intended to divert Japanese reinforcements bound for Guadalcanal, over 1,000 miles to the southwest, in the wake of the US landings there ten days earlier; the Raiders were to destroy the seaplane base and radio station, take prisoners, and collect intelligence.

Formerly CIP.

Machine generated contents note: Origins -- Raiders from out of the sea -- Evans Carlson -- Amphibious experiments -- A role for the Raiders -- The "Gung Ho" philosophy -- A new kind of Marine battalion -- Waiting for a job -- Initial Strategy -- Japan's "islands of mystery" -- The Japanese presence on Makin -- A target for the Raiders -- Concept of the operation -- The Plan -- The Raider company and task organization -- The Makin raid as planned - Operations Order 1-42 -- Japanese dispositions and intelligence -- The Raid -- Rendezvous off Makin -- Landing the landing party -- Onto the offensive -- The fight starts -- Peatross -- At the command post -- Air attacks -- Withdrawal -- Chaos on the beach -- Stranded -- The Raiders' dilemma -- The second day -- Escape from Makin -- Aftermath -- A heroes' welcome -- The Japanese Reaction -- The missing.