| Battle of Makin | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign of the Pacific Theater (World War II) | |||||||
 Soldiers of the US Army's 2nd Battalion, 165th Infantry, struggle to shore on Yellow Beach on Butaritari Island. | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States Gilbert and Ellice Islands |
 Japan | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Richmond K. Turner Ralph C. Smith | Seizo Ishikawa | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| 27th Infantry Division | Gilberts Invasion Special Landing Force | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
6,470 soldiers 3 escort carriers 4 old battleships 4 heavy cruisers 16 destroyers 9 transports & landing ships |
400 soldiers 400 Japanese and Korean labourers 3 light tanks 4 anti-tank guns 1 submarine | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
821 killed (755 Navy, 66 Army) 185 wounded 1 escort carrier sunk 1 battleship lightly damaged |
395 killed 17 soldiers captured 129 Korean labourers captured 1 submarine damaged | ||||||
The Battle of Makin was an engagement of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 20 to 24 November 1943 on Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.