| Infantry of the United States 1st Marine Division disembark LVT-4 Amtracs, also known as “Alligators” or “Buffaloes,” of the 3rd Armored Amphibian Battalion in the opening hours of the invasion of Peleliu. Some Amtracs have been hit and are burning behind these 4. In the background, other Marines land in Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP)s and more Amtracs. Photo by Joe Rosenthal (October 9, 1911 – August 20, 2006). The 1st Marine Division had no experience landing across a wide fringing reef. All of their operations had been in a jungle environment. “Considerable training was required in the launching of amphibian tractors and DUKW amphibious trucks from Landing Ship, Tanks (LSTs) at sea, transfer of troops from landing craft to vehicles in deep water, advance in waves across the coral, and quick formation of the land assault once disembarked,” wrote Major Frank O. Hough (June 4, 1899 – May 18, 1958). The 1st Marine Division began receiving the newer LVT(A)-1 or amphibian tank to train with. By the 1st week in August, however, the newer LVT(A)-4 started arriving. The newer vehicle had an M1 75 millimeter (3 inch) pack howitzer mount instead of the 37 millimeter on the LVT(A)-1 model. Of the nearly 900 men in the 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion, about 50 were familiar with the tank. “It would be an insult to the intelligence of a military minded reader to say that the battalion was sufficiently trained and indoctrinated to carry out its mission,” wrote Lieutenant Colonel Kimber H. Boyer (July 19, 1913 – March 20, 1997), 3rd Armored Amphibian Battalion commander. “It can be considered some sort of miracle that the initial phase of the operation was not seriously disrupted.” The LVTs transporting the 1st waves of infantry formed their line of departure about 4,000 yards offshore. The amphibian tanks of the 3rd Armored Amphibian Battalion preceded the LVTs to provide covering fire for them. The ping of bullets ricocheting off the amtracs could be heard from the occupants as they lurched onto the beaches. Some of the tracked vehicles took direct hits. “Arms, legs, heads, guts, and brains went flying,” recalled Private 1st Class Charles Doolittle (August 30, 1920 – November 1, 1998) of the 5th Marines. While the 1st and 5th Marines were slugging it out, the 7th Marines ran into a large number of natural and man-made obstacles on the beach. These obstructions diverted the amtracs to the left, causing confusion, which took time to rectify. A massive antitank ditch was used for a Command Post and provided cover for the advancing infantry. Rosenthal later wrote, “The Peleliu beach was very, very humid…the surface was hard coral ground, not so much sand. The coral scuffed and cut the hard boots we wore as we moved inland. About the third day of the operation, I heard that there would be another assault on the nearby island of Angaur, and so I requested permission to join that attack, which was an Army operation. After several days there, I went back to Peleliu. I must have spent twelve days or two weeks on the island.” | |
| Image Filename | wwii1848.jpg |
| Image Size | 496.08 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 3000 x 2002 |
| Photographer | Joe Rosenthal |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 15, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Peleliu |
| Country | Palaus |
| Archive | |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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