At night after landing, the LSTs unload on the shelving tropical shore, disgorging supplies from their
enormous maws. Barrels of fuel tumble down the landing crafts’ ramps into the water, where they are
heaved up to dumps on the sand. The troops work fiercely to get ships unloaded, anxious to be finished
before the enemy planes appear.
During a Lull in battle, a soldier drinks coconut milk, after lopping off husk and shell
with his knife. Parched by fighting in the hot sun, he swallows the milk greedily. Water
is precious to the jungle fighter and he augments his small allotment whenever he can.