Weaponry
Until Japanese invasion of the South Pacific had been confined to the North and west Pacific regions [Pacific Ocean Theatre of War], it was necessary to set up defensive forces at all US military installations, such as airfields, on the many scattered islands of the Pacific. For this reason Aitutaki was occupied by US Army Task Force 8408.
The main weapons brought to the island were light anti-aircraft guns (37mm and .50 calibre). Four 155mm M1 guns were shipped to the island for a brief time midway through 1943. These provided a longer range than the AA guns, for defence against invasion from the sea.
The Japanese invasion never reached the Cook Islands, so after a year on Aitutaki, the artillery units responsible for air defence and their weapons were moved North, closer to the war action. Within a year of occupying Aitutaki, the US reduced their numbers to a "token garrison" of approximately 12 men. Only small-arms-weapons, depicted below, were retained for personal issue.
M1917A1
.50 calibre Browning anti-aircraft machine gun
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M1A2 37mm anti-aircraft gun
African-American artillery unit practicing on board transport ship during passage to Pacific Islands
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155mm M1
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US Army Rifle Model 1903
30-06 Springfield [click image to link]
.30 calibre M1 carbine [click image to link]
Thompson sub-machine gun [click image to link]
.45 M1911 pistol [click image to link]
.45 calibre pistol [click image to link]
