The enemy coxswains, however, appeared to be having difficulty coaxing the unwieldy landing craft onto the beach, backing off and trying again and again to land the _Special Naval Landing Force_ men crouched behind the gunwales, which seemed to be deflecting the .30-caliber bullets peppering them. Seizing the moment, Poindexter called for volunteers to pick their way down the rocky beach to the water’s edge, there to lob grenades into the boats. Poindexter organized two teams--Mess Sergeant Gerald Carr and a civilian, Raymond R. “Cap” Rutledge (who had served in the Army in France in World War I), in one, Poindexter and Boatswain’s Mate First Class Barnes in the other. The grenadiers dashed to the water’s edge while the machine guns momentarily held their fire. Barnes, taking cover behind coral heads, remained hidden until the barges ground ashore again. Then, exposing himself to enemy fire, he hurled several grenades toward the Japanese craft, and managed to land at least one inside, killing or wounding many of the troops on board. The valiant efforts of Poindexter and his men, however, stopped the Japanese just momentarily, for soon they began swarming ashore and moving inland. Shortly before the wire communications to Devereux’s command post failed, Poindexter reported the result of his foray. Having seen flares streaking skyward in the murk, Captain Godbold on Peale, meanwhile, sent out two patrols, one to move westward toward the naval air base, and the other to go eastward along the lagoon’s shore. Neither patrol encountered any enemy troops. A half-hour later, Godbold established an outpost at the bridge connecting Peale and Wake. [Illustration: MAP 4 JAPANESE LANDING ON WILKES 0300, 23 DECEMBER, 1941]