Once underway from Efate, Admiral Hill ordered the various commanders of Task Force 53 to brief the troops on their destination and mission. Tarawa came as a surprise to most of the men. Many had wagered they were heading for Wake Island. On the day before D-Day, General Julian Smith sent a message “to the officers and men of the 2d Division.” In it, the commanding general sought to reassure his men that, unlike the Guadalcanal campaign, the Navy would stay and provide support throughout. The troops listened attentively to these words coming over the loudspeakers: A great offensive to destroy the enemy in the Central Pacific has begun. Our Navy screens our operation and will support our attack tomorrow with the greatest concentration of aerial bombardment and naval gunfire in the history of warfare. It will remain with us until our objective is secured.... Garrison troops are already enroute to relieve us as soon as we have completed our job.... Good luck and God bless you all. As the sun began to set on Task Force 53 on the evening of D-minus-one, it appeared that strategic surprise had indeed been attained. More good news came with the report that the small convoy of LSTs bearing LVT-2s had arrived safely from Samoa and was joining the formation. All the pieces seemed to be coming together. [Illustration: Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 87675 _Col David M. Shoup pictured in the field. The clenched cigar became a trademark._] [Sidebar (page 3): The 2d Marine Division at Tarawa Major General Julian C. Smith’s utmost concern when he assumed command of the 2d Marine Division on 1 May 1943 was the physical condition of the troops. The division had redeployed to New Zealand from Guadalcanal with nearly 13,000 confirmed cases of malaria. Half the division would have to be replaced before the next campaign. The infantry regiments of the 2d Marine Division were the 2d, 6th, and 8th Marines; the artillery regiment was the 10th Marines; and the engineers, pioneers, and Naval Construction Battalion (“Seabees”) were consolidated into the 18th Marines. These were the principal commanders as the division began its intensified training program leading to Operation Galvanic: CO, 2d Marines: Col William M. Marshall CO, 1/2: Maj Wood B. Kyle CO, 2/2: LtCol Herbert R. Amey, Jr. CO, 3/2: Maj John F. Schoettel CO, 6th Marines: Col Maurice G. Holmes CO, 1/6: Maj William K. Jones CO, 2/6: LtCol Raymond L. Murray CO, 3/6: LtCol Kenneth F. McLeod CO, 8th Marines: Col Elmer E. Hall CO, 1/8: Maj Lawrence C. Hays, Jr. CO, 2/8: Maj Henry P. “Jim” Crowe CO, 3/8: Maj Robert H. Ruud CO, 10th Marines: BGen Thomas E. Bourke CO, 18th Marines: Col Cyril W. Martyr