Iborita And The Sniper

Suva. Aug. 3.

rIS is the story of Iborita Tieannang, a stocky, young, square-jawed native of the Gilbert Islands, whom I met to-day as a first-year student of the Central Medical School.

When the Americans were recapturing Tarawa atoll from the Japs, some bitter little battles were fought on Betio and nearby islets; and it was noticed that in one of these operations a considerable number of the United States Marines, who were sent back from the advanced positions, had been shot through the head or shoulders, evidently by snipers.

Iborita, who speaks good English, was advancing beside an American officer, as a guide, and looking for the snipers. Sud denly Iborita, standing close beside the officer, said, out of the side of his mouth, and without any move or gesture: “Up in the tree, sir—up above me.” Then he moved slowly to one side; and there, tied into the top of a coconut palm, hidden in the foliage, was a Jap sniper, fiercely gesticulating to the Gilbertese to keep quiet and say nothing. Iborita had been using his body to shield the American.

The end of that sniper came within seconds: and then the Americans machine-gunned every tree-top. There were no more losses from snipers’ bullets, and the position was quickly secured.

Iborita was one of the young Gilbertese trained at Mr. Holland’s famous school at Tarawa. —R.W.R.