I’m calling my congressman and senators tomorrow, Supporting the troops means more than a yellow ribbon magnet on the side of a car. I was saddened, disgusted, and angred at the disgrace of what has happened to the battlefield and the bodies of these brave men, men who have done more than all 535 clowns in DC ever did for our freedom.

My Father Roscoe Hupp was one of the marines aboard the
Harry Lee that Leon Cooper commanded. He was with
the 1/18 Pioneer Engineer Battalion now deceased He was a Great Marine one of the silent that never spoke of Living Hell our American Marines & Soldiers went through.  God Bless
you Leon Cooper.

I have what is suppose to be a Japanese battle flag from Tarawa. A good friend of mine who died a few years ago was a merchant marine. His name was Bill Riff. His story was that he was there, the troops were on the beach and very low on ammunition. He said that he volunteered to take a small boat full of supplies to the men on the beach. After the battle, he was presented with the battle flag. I’m trying to confirm this story in any way. If there is a a place that has any mention of this event, please contact me! I’d like to give the flag to a museum or at least a memorial for this battle, but I want to make sure that it is what it is from and that my friend’s story pans out. If so, he deserves the recognition. Thank you!

Steven,
My grandfather was a Marine and served in that battle. Leon is not the last. Grandpa is still alive.

It has come to out attention that Legislation has been passed in the Congress to bring these 500 plus Missing Marines home!!

Here! Here!! 89 YEAR OLD LEON COOPER is the last WW 2 VET IN THE BATTLE, and with film maker Steven C Barber are getting a HUGE push from Senator Feinstein and Congressman Waxman who have reached out across the isles to embrace RETURN TO TARAWA, THE LEON COOPER STORY!!

My name is misspelled in the end credits. Please fix this ASAP - it’s Peter JOHN Ross, not Peter Jones Ross.

Touching and well made Documentary - Leon has a lot of heart and determination.
I believe it’s important to remember Hero’s as courageous as these who gave there lives willingly.

Touching and well made Documentary - Leon has a lot of heart and determination.
I believe it’s important to remember Hero’s as courageous as these who gave there lives willingly.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the conquest of it.”

may god help us for the not so brave seem to comand now

Yeah, Leo was USN, his language attributes to it.  History shows our mistakes, but we do what we need to do at the time it needs doing.

Hopefully these actions bring closure to this part of the war.

This is a very insightful documentary.  This is a documentary that honors both the Japanese and the American lives that were lost in the near forgotten part of the war.  Steve Barber and Tamara Henry make brilliant documentaries.

100% accurate film.  I was on Betio November 2008 and I saw the poor condition of the island.  I met John and Molly Brown, walked the (trashy) beaches, went to a very moving ceremony that included Ray Robinson, a Marine of the Battle of Tarawa.  So sad that so many Marines were left behind.  So many people on that small island now that their houses cover the graves of those who freed them from the Japanese.  Congrats to Leon Cooper for this excellent documentary.  Maybe if it could be shown on PBS - Independent Lens - more people could learn about Betio.  Thank you Leon.

Tarawa, was one of those events that those who were not there can’t possibly imagine...how wonderful to have men like Mr. Cooper who doesn’t look at challenges as walls, just looks for a way to climb over them, just as they did on the beaches of Tarawa.  God bless Mr. Cooper and Mr. Barber for stepping up and doing the right thing to correct the dishonor currently on Tarawa.  I hope everyone who watches this will tell 2 more people to watch this great documentary.
WELL DONE Steve keep up the good work you do in film.

Fans of Return to Tarawa: we bring you this film courtesy of Leon Cooper and Steven Barber, but also due to the generosity of Discovery’s Military Channel, which first aired this documentary and continues to bring it to TV viewers. Please show your support for their programming.
Rick Allen, CEO, SnagFilms

So wonderful that this is up for all to see online! Military Channel will be including it in their Memorial Day lineup as well at 8 PM EST on Monday, May 25.

Very impressive and moving.  Congratulations on this project and best of luck to Mr. Cooper as he works for the heroes of Tarawa and their families.  Ed Harris was a perfect narrator.

What a day!! 25 years to the day I landed in Los Angeles, my film, http://WWW.RETURNTOTARAWA.COM can be seen by EVERYONE on the planet earth with a computer!!

What a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!