Combat· World War II
Florida Island Village Raids
Florida Island was the large island looming over Tulagi and the smaller islets nearby.
Before the main landings, commanders needed to know whether Japanese troops were waiting there who could threaten the assault forces going ashore on the smaller targets. Clearing that doubt was an important first step. Marines handled the job. A company of the 2d Marines scouted the shores of Florida Island ahead of the main landings and found the area clear of the enemy. With Florida confirmed safe, the assault on Tulagi and the nearby islets could go forward without worry about an attack from that direction. Later, as the fighting on the smaller islands ended, a handful of Japanese who survived fled to Florida, and Marines moved through the villages there to make sure no organized enemy force remained.
Podcast episodes on World War II
Record no. 851