My wife and I stumbled upon a group of Marine's from the Marine Corps League out of Stanton, KY. As a retired Master Gunny I just had to chat with these guys for a while. A few weeks ago I read the book "Voices of the Pacific" and today I was privileged to speak to a fellow Marine (gent in the black hat) that fought on Guadalcanal. 87 years old and sharp as a tack! Semper Fi!
Category: World War II
Mural in Amherst, OH
A while back I submitted a picture regarding a mural painted on the side of s building in my home town of Amherst, Ohio. That first picture was of the famous photo of the second flag raising on Iwo Jima. The same young artist is almost complete a second mural on the same building of a painting of the Vietnam Memorial. The young man is amazingly talented and those murals deserve to be viewed and admired by as many people as possible.
Naval Doctors, Dentists, and Corpsmen
Sgt Grit,
Most Marines today haven't seen the Dental drill used by the Dentist's working the Islands during World War II, and the Dentist's working the Korean War specially during the beginning of the War. The Dentist's drill was pump actuated by the Dentist while he ground on your teeth as can be seen in the picture. My first Dentist after I retired had been an Army Dentist, he told me about getting out of Dental College and going in the Army, then he was set up with several other Dentists and they worked from dawn to dusk on Soldiers going overseas, getting experience. Then he was supplied with a Jeep and trailer and a driver. He landed at Normandy on "D" plus 5, then followed units of his Division across France and Germany. He would go to the unit selected by Hdqtrs. set up his pump actuated Dental Drill and go to work. He told me how good he got with the pump machine, nothing like a powered Dental drill but it worked good.
WWII Vets
With the Death of Senator Frank Lautenberg, the last WWII Veteran serving in the Senate and only two left serving in the Congress, and the so-called data that WWII Vets are dying at an average of 2,000 a day, I figured this old Hat is pushing calculations. When I retired in 1969 with 26 years, I figured the best days were ahead and they were until I turned 65 years of age… then I went on Medicare. I had to choose a Doctor and found one who immediately demanded I have a bunch of tests and shots. So I told him for too many years I had to put up with some of the most humiliating, undignified, and embarrassing medical examinations.
U.S. MARINE RAIDER in WW11 my dad
This is to the man in this pic. Thank you for all you did. May you ALL R.I.P, Semper Fi, AND TO MY DAD IN THIS PIC. Miss you POPS. Semper Fi.
Something Of An Anomaly
Gunny McCallum's letter allowed me to look back to when I had a Spec Number of 521, Basic Marine, later it became a 745 Rifleman Spec Number when I earned it. Then in 1946 we went from Spec Numbers to MOS and I became an 0311. Through my years of Service I have been A Rifleman, a Photographer, A Sentry, Prison Chaser at a Naval Prison, Chief Night Cook on a Troop Ship returning home, Recruiter, Weapons Tester, Recon, Small Arms Repair, Rifle Team Armorer, even a Nuclear Weapons Specialist, and even doing duty as Rifleman at Burials (when they returned the bodies at the end of WWII). I've always looked at my Career as something special because I was able to do what I was called on to do (not always to my liking).
Taps from Newsletter 053013
A while back, I posted a story about Lorton Berry. He had been in the Navy, 1940-46. Was attached to the 1st Mar Div, communications, in the Pacific. Served at Guadalcanal, Tinian and Peleliu, to name a few. Knew "Chesty". When I met him, he said he was missing some medals and one was purple. I contacted Rep. Marsha Blackburn in TN. Took a while, but her office was in contact with his daughter. And, a gentleman from Memphis Honor Flights contacted me, via Sgt. Grit. Thanks, Sgt.
Camp Lejeune, 1943
I found a book sold in the PX at Camp LeJeune in 1943. I scanned a couple pages in case you would like to show them so Boots could see what we had in those Good Old Days. By the way I listed it on ebay in case any one might want it.
GySgt. F. L. Rousseau, USMC
World War Two “A HELL HOLE”
WEORLD WAR TWO – "A HELL HOLE"
A MARINE'S STORY THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. I am compelled, this Memorial Day Eve, to share my thoughts, with tearful eyes, in memory of my father, Master Sergeant, Joseph Florian Gagne, US Marine Corps. He fought in World War II, Guadal Canal in the South Pacific. He and his fellow Marines were pinned down in a swamp, up to their waist's in water, with no ammunition. They were in the water for 2 solid weeks. They reached for vines, pulling them down off overhead tree branches, wrapping them around themselves, just in case they should fall asleep and not drown overnight. All Dad had to fight with, was a long screwdriver and why he earned the name "Screw Driver Joe ". Finally, Naval ships arrived, bombing the island, rescuing the Marines, as they overtook the Japanese soldiers, who had pinned the men down in the swamp. Dad made it home in 1944, unlike many many of his fellow Marines. Mom and Dad were married July 17, 1944 and I was born on July 19, 1945. Dad did not talk about Guadal Canal and the "hell hole" it was. When asked about the war, he would respond, "you do not need to know." Dad was also in the Korean War. I remember when we took him to the dark steel train in Augusta, Maine. He with a train full of Soldiers waving out of the windows. I watched the train pull away slowly. For 2 years, Mom cried almost daily, never knowing if he was still alive. Her letter's would come back in bunches, they had not made it to Dad. In the beginning his letters would make it to us and only some to him. Communication was not the same as now. No email or phones, in Korean fighting fields. Dad surprised us all, when he suddenly returned on Christmas Eve. He was dressed as Santa Clause, emptied his large green duffle bag under the tree. It was full of toys, for his then 3 children, myself, younger sister and brother. When Mom saw him come through the french, glassed, parlor doors, she fell on her knees, in tears, shock and relieved. Her husband was home safe! She waited to run to him, so not to give away his identity, ruining our Christmas surprise. As we clamored for all the toys, I turned around and Santa and Mom had left the room! We were left in the care of our Grandmother, Aunts and my God Father, for a good part of that memorable Christmas Eve. Dad's story was included in the book "Men of War", the Naval Admiral asked Dad why he had the screw driver in the side of his boot. Dad said "He might need it". There were write ups in the The Kennebec Journal Newspaper, Readers Digest and Life Maagazine. Also in the KJ newspaper was a copy of a letter written to his Mother about why we must fight this war. It was eloquent. I think it may be evident, with this history, why I have such an attachment to Memorial Day and our military. My Dad's story is only one of thousands and thousands of America's men, who have given their lives, those who have fought, in service to our country. In no way, can we honor their memory and appreciate sufficiently, our men and their families, now in service, for the freedom and security we often take for granted, in this the United States of America. God bless them all. A Proud Maine Corps daughter, LionetteMemphis Belle
Enclosed is a photo of a Marine Corps amhib nicknamed "Memphis Belle" coming up the beach at Okinawa in Eric Hammel's book "Islands of H-ll".
As the archivist and historian for the Memphis Belle Memorial Association, Inc., an organization chartered to restore and educate the public about the B-17F "Memphis Belle", a bomber from WWII, I am on the lookout for "Memphis Belle" and associated material. Although the airplane, which the city of Memphis saved from the smelter in 1946, has been moved from Memphis to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. We remain involved in the restoration and development of her history. This effort produced a book about the "Belle" entitled "Memphis Belle Dispelling the Myths". What I am looking for is information from anyone who was on Okinawa during the fighting that might possibly remember things about this vehicle. I realize that it is a long shot, but Marines remember things that many people don't.