On 17 August, 1942, US Marines and Carlson Raiders attacked the local Japanese garrison (est. 160 Japanese troops), and destroyed installations and seaplane bombers on the island of Butaritari (Makin).
In retaliation, Japanese war planes were sent from the Marshall Islands to Makin Butaritari on the 18th August, instructed to bomb the second village from the South anticipating that the 9 Americans were still hiding there. The bombers instead mistakenly bombed Keuea village, the second village from the North and in process killed 48 innocent Keuea villagers.
On Saturday 27th August 2022, a high-level delegation led by the Honourable Minister for Information, Communications and Transport (MICT) Honourable Tekeeua Tarati, Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MTCIC) Honourable Bootii Nauan and the Minister for Education (MoE) Honourable Alex Teabo joined the people of Keuea to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bombing of their village in 1942.
It was a sombre occasion as the commemoration began with a march parade by children and adults of Keuea village, followed by a flag raising ceremony and the singing of both the Kiribati national anthem and the Butaritari song.
Also in attendance was US Embassy Suva, Fiji, Chargé d’Affaires Tony Greubel who joined Honourable Tarati and elders of Keuea in placing their wreaths at the commemoration monument.
The event concluded with traditional Kiribati entertainment and a sumptuous island feast prepared by the village.
Remnants of WWll are still visible throughout Butaritari and the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) is working with local authorities and international partners to preserve and promote the island for battlefield tours.
