US Marine Corps - The Black Vault

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Vangunu Is~and and Wickhum Anchorage.
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(WICKHAM
ANCHORAGE
the Wickham Anchorage Occupation Group, by far the largest of the three
task organizations of the Eastern Task Force. His flagship was the destroyer-
type minesweeper Treuer (DMS-16), chosen because presumably she had
a good surface radar, a scarce commodity in June 1943. There were two
companies of Marines, a battalion of Army troops, a battery of 90-millimeter
anti-aircraft guns, part of a battery of 40-millimeter and 50-caliber anti-
aircraft guns, as well as the Seabees and naval base units to be landed. Two
destroyer-type transports were available to land the Marines.
The Scheme of Maneuver called for the destroyer transports to put the
Marines ashore during darkness at Oleana Bay three miles to the south
south-westward of Wickham Anchorage, and for the Marines to march
overland to make a daylight attack on the Japanese troops, reportedly num-
bering about 100 at Vuru. The Army troops, landing from seven LCIS, would
follow close behind.
Vuru unfortunately lay between Oleana Bay where there was a good
500-yard-wide sandy beach which was not patrolled by the Japanese and
Wickham Anchorage where the staging area base was to be established.
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