Golden Gate in '48 - Story of the 161st Infantry

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The sound of marching feet alweys echoes the rise and fall of empires.

From time immemorial the victor in war has been

symbolized by the foot soldier, he who with a steel weapon in his hand, challenges his enemy to beve and to hold a square yard of mud covered ground. army "the Doughboy".

He is affectionately called in our

He plods and groans, sweats and toils,

growls and curses end in the end dies, UDknown, uncomplaining with faith in his heart and on his lips e prayer for victory.

He passes on in anonmity, except for his loved ones. those of us who

know~,

But for

we revere end bless the name of "DoughboY"•

DOUGLAS A. MAC ARTHUR

The reader of the story that follows Y.i ll be struck by the constant attention to details of human interest.

With rare insight the authors find that tb ~ li f~ of the Regiment consists not of dry dusty i'il&s e:.r1d officic.l. statements, but rathGr that the Regiment lives in the countless small doings and feelings-th e almost forgotten moments of laughter, pain, pride, and fear--of ¡the soldiers who arE the Regiment. As Regi.mmte:.1. Com.r:umcler I join all of the soldiers of the 16lst Infantry ,pc.st present and future, in thanking the wri.t&rs of this history for their able and sincere presentation of our story.

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J.A?LFS 1. DALTON .1 I

Colonel, 16lst Inf

Commending New Caledonia October 10, 1944

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THE S'roRY OF

THE!

161ST INF.AN'IRY

"Golden Goto in Forty Eight"

Volume I

Soptomber 1944

In JUne, 1944, a few of us enlisted men banded together to start to can.pile a readable history of tho 16lst Infantry. ~o formed lm.d6r the name o·f "The ~- Writers Group" ("lynx" being the Regiment's code name)• drDw up a plan -and outline, mado story assignlllf>nts, discussed an ar.t layout, erguod over tho titlo, and made Our recommendations to th'3 rogimontal COlilllender.

Colonel Dalton was most coopGrative--ho grant0d all of our requcsts--oxccpt one. Wo went a little too far in asking for transportation which ovokod tho cryptic oolllllDnt from him, "V·To arc foot soldiors." "Tqo woro grantod abeoluto fro0dom from "officer pressure" and givon looway to write in our o•-:n way. From beginning to end this has bean All enlisted m0n's project.

Wo'vo had many pitfalls and minor hcadachos. of us wcrei now IllCin, our research was doubly hard.

Sinco soroo Everything we wroto had to bo chGckod and rechecked and much wo had to record only by word of mouth. ~o ovon canvassed barrack bags for forgottcn snapshots B.lld wa interviewed 11t ;;;rally hundreds of l!J£jn.

When wo had finished the final manuscript for approval wo spilled a bottle of l'lolch' s Grape J\lioa on it and had to submit it reoking of grape BID£11 and splotchud vdth purple stains. 'lbroughout, wo hovE> triod to give. our buddies and oursclvoa a rcadoblo history of tho Rogi..t:Lnt; and n0trv wo havo n promiso of b~ing ablo to send it back to tho StatQS for ·printing so our fmnilics end f'rit>nde can have it. Tl¥; noxt volume. will appear when we have gone through those events which lie ahead of us.

Pfc ElSOll LOlrloll M'.ltson Pfc 1oroJn;J N. Eller s/sgt ·xoith A. crorm Pfc Bar.nor.d G. Rioo Pvt Paul R~ Shepard Now Caledonia Soptamber ..10, 1944

_______________ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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To Colonel Jt:Jlles L. Dalton II for his support of our project; to the men of tho Regil!lont 1 about whom this story was written tor helping us with stories and photographs; to those who have :proviously workod on the .history· of tho Regiment; te Co.ptc.in Edwin G. Born:stoin for his support and guide.nee; to Cnp~oin Roger R. Bruikson for story mnteriol and Captain Hervey c. Hitch tor h0lp and suggostions; t o T/4 :rohn G. Robinson, T/&!Leon. L. Pohl, o.nd tho bays from Personnel Section tor thoir coonoroti0n; to M/Sgt .Riche.rd c•.Griff'ith and Sgt Robert ·L. Allen Of 2?:ith- D1·vision Hee.dqunrtors for vnluable assistance; to tho 16lst Signal Pb.otogro.phic : C·:llllpmly; to tho Engineer Soction, Headquarters, South Pocifi~ <Base COl!llll£Uld; to Lt Robert G. Moiendy, QJ4); and tq tho Navy Reproduction Soct1on. 1 CC!!lnr-nd South

Pacific we axtend our thanks.

Tb.o Editors

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1 - Tb.a Bo.y and the Bey Bridgo 2 - Bull sa~sion, H'Qlltor r · •'. •. • 1.,. 1 Liggett Maneuvors 3 - 4lst .Div Movi.:i House, Ft. Lowi s 4 - Chow Lino at Hunter. Lis.~ctt 5 - Passing Undor the Briago 6 - Pee ling Spuds at Ft. Lewis 'l - , Tho Banq., .Ft. ·Iswis · 8 - In Convoy for HD.wnii 90oke Lii!o 1 Huntor ti.ggett 10 - 155pm, Bmter Liggott 11 - In Convoy tar Fnwnii 12 - Comp Murray, the .1'61 Tont City 13 - Ole Spanish Mission at Hunter Liggett 14 - "Baldios" ("Slrodo" Person, "Boots" Hoedick) on Howa.11 15 - EatGr:tninment, Howe.ii 16 - Bird's Eye, Honolulu \Vaterf'ront l'l - Pearl F...arbor l8 - Outdoor Shnva, lla'li·m ii 19 - "P.ule.

Honey" 20 - Looking f'rOl!l the Poli toward Guavo Guloh 21 - Bnrro.cks a.t Fort Ho.Be 22 - Pouring Con.orete, Oo.hu Pillbox 23 - 'Ibo Race Track, Ke.ilua 24 - Tho Bliss n.t Dock, Honolulu 25 - Medics Train on.

Ho.vmii 26 - A Honolulu str~et 2'7 - "Horv" Diockhoff and n Bunch of BDD.c.nas.

THE LITTIB -TC\JNS .AND TEE CITIES .ALL OVER AMERICA :Ar'!.A~,'.S -HAVE HAD .A I.CT OF ORGANIZATIONS, FROM rJO~'!EN' S BRIDGE CLUBS TO :' 'E!P S_ ROD .AND GUN CLUBS.. PART OF OOR '1!'..ADITION H/1S BEEN T:!.ti,... SORT OF THING. UEN t,J:KP.: TO GE']:' 'IOr..ETHER .AND WORK ON SIT ·'ZTF!ING BI~.GER T:lflN TEEM SELVES .AND BIGGER 'IB/IN 'l'.tii;!; Etr''!>RU'" llFE J.ROUl\lD ~~. WAY BJ:.CIC IN REV'OLUTION:aRY 'tflllli DJ, 'YS THE MEN OF 'mE. _COLONI:8.S FOR"~D T01'!N LEGIONS OF ii!EN ~ER TEE VERY IDSES OF TFm BRITISH, J;ND C!ILLED THENSELVES THE- ''MINUTE-MEN'' _, REIJJY TO J"miiP TO TBE DEFENSE OF TI-lE~ RIGHTS t.T J, 1ITNUTE'.S NOTICE. TSOSE "}"!NuTE-~'1El':!"' N~VhR P•.:&'iLLY DIED O'J'r. WE WERE NJ;TIONJ;L m.:LRW~N, _·.ND ·m S7ILL '1HINK TF....'.~ SCY£'EmG OF THE SPIRIT 'IHICH '!1/;D~ mos::: .OLD COLONIS':'"S B:.ND TOOE~ ·"IDST KJt:::p GROOPS LIKE O'O:Rs c.omr. T!ROtTGH PEI.CE J~S wELL 1.s lilliR. •

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Scattered throughout the state of ~1ashington, just like any other state, were our }Jational. Q.uard ,~.roups. _ In Bellingham, Everett, Pullman, Prosser, 'Walla Walla, Yakima and Spokane are our arriori es-- some large, sane ·&."'1811, and all homes· of the different companies of the 191.

(Spokane - Regimental Headquarters Company and first b~ttalion; ~'lalla Walla - Company F; Pullman - Company E; Prosser - Company G; Everett - Third Battalion Headquarters Company, Company L anq Company M; -Bellingham - Compaey I and Compney K; YakiIDD - Second Battalion Headquarters ·company a·nd Company H; Wenatchee - Howitzer Company., discontinued in early 1940.)

Just ordinary guys--all of us, meeting ouce · n week nt the armory to don uniform .and learn about ·soldiering.

Some guys joined just for the hell of it, sar:n.& bec~use everybody else in his crowd seemed to be in, some because a dollar ~ ni1ht wasn't to be sneezed. at. · Being a recruit in the Notional Gunrd wns nru.ch like bein~ an ormy recruit anywhere, any tiroo, bu~ it ~s.sort of n special dny, n guy doesn't soon for~eti. The persunsive fri-cnd who talked you into_ joining tho Guard in the first place wolked .you down to the o:rmory talking all tho wh_ile ribout the- bi~ hnP.PY club. it_ was , thnt even though a guy bitched and mooned about the drill and school, tho fun ot poker . or in the beer parlor o~cr drill offset · tho rest of the gri,cs. · You'd seen tho armor,y building many ti"lcs, but ·tonight you were going to becor:oo a part of its life--a lot at your hig.h school teachers were officers and instructors. .A lot of guys you. knew ace.rood to have l i vcd through 1 t--maybe you would.

With a glance at the rc·d brick .or stone armory -wall you. s~epped inside feeling a little shy, into a dark plastered hallway and the smell of naphthalene and gun Oil. With an air of being an old hand at- this stuff your friend ,pointed out the drill floor w.here battered bunting hung from the girders and class rooms and squag rooma led off from the floor on either side. Upstairs you passed -more squad rooms and went into an orderly room wheretyou met your company co'"'lIJlBlider. You noticed that the walls of the squad room were lined with :lockers. You sat down while the company clerk asked you questions and typed up your enlistment papers and then trotted downstairs to the basement supply room whioh wa~ dark and ·musty and simlled like moth balls. There they fitted you· with anything ~hey had and you eimrged lookin; like a character out of Irving Berlin's 1917 army musical--a jacket with its high collar, breeehes, wrap leggings, and campaign hat. Then a sergeant gave

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all the new guys a lecture on the drill floor, initiatin~ you into the mystery of wrapping l eggings, into the glory of the uniform and the rules of military courtesy.

You chucked your equipment into ·a locker i n your squad room and left it until the next meeting ".?hen you rushed in, jum.~:>ed out of your "civios" and started putting on the goddum uniform. Everything went Wtill until you get t .o the kggin:-;s . By holding the roll of wrapping in ono band and ~·1inding it co.rcfully--likc a doctor with o roll of gauze-you reached an anklcf. T.hen the roll slipped out Of your hand and slithorod across the floor and your wrappings se~gcd. You. cursed and threw a fow shoes and 'tvondcred: \'Thy tho bell the Egyptians started tho style ond ~.lb.at did they think you ":rore, e. mummy? \Then drill was ov.er you raced everybody e lse gettin~ rid of the uniform ond into civilian clothes; Outside O!i the street,. vdth your"necktio nskcw .o.nd one shoelace untfod, you with the rest o_f your cronie s hooded for o beer.

We vrcrc paid °t'.'1elve dollars ovcry three months. After our mo.e ting on pay ni$t '110 had ·o. big bingo. A plc.t.o on scr~oo.nt in Company A (Spoknne) owncd a boer '!?arlor. Wo'd wind u:p out nt his plo.co drinking beer und ploying oords. Than afterwards ~ybc v.rc t d go up to his house where his wife · would IDD.kC · sondylichcs for. us.

Training onco o ·wook usually consisted of -:.n hour of dri11, mti.ybo on hour on ~·icopons, lecture.a, or sc.nd t abl e to.lks o Tho Guard o.imost. went mod over federal in.~cct ions. A guy-ho.d to occollllt for cvory shbolnco or logging . lace. Vlhen ho wore one out it hod to bo turned in just os carefully for s.olvngc os if it hnd boon e. ~ton truck.

Those were the days when a supply ser'!cont !lllldo it a point to 'hove f'rionda in the Rogulor Army. A qunrt of miskcy or so c0ui·a fill up o.ny shortage .

On worm summ£r ni~ta wo of'ton fell out on tho street · for our hour of close order drill .mid then went bock into the armory for tho rest of the evening instruction. Onco in o v1)11le wo· lin'd dr..nccs in the nrm0ry.

At Everett where the f'loor wos large enough to foll in thrco companies at n time they held: u big President's Boll every Jnnuort--so11lt:.l of tho other nrmorios also held o. dnnco that night. It wns a sight to moko o.n old scrgccnt· shudder--squnds .doiilg "$quads Lett - Sq~ds Right" tho next drill night on· a \•.rmtod fl".>or, and slipping out of ·rm-motion liko oEJls on a bonder • . Most o.rmr) rics hc.d pool tables nnd cord rooms, end thoy sponsored athletics .to raise fun~s to buy moro nnd bettor grooorics for tho next oncomp.mcnt.

Thoso wcro tho dnys ot y0rc -whon tho outfit hod millos. The s£inior Pfc all stripe o ·ynrd wido,. would look up 0nd dO\llD. n bunch of' tho new junior rocrui ts ond decide to· hold n "K~roo Court".

"Linc up, you guys", i:md th~ grc.o n-liorns Wt;'uld snap t0 it, with fear in their oyos-..everybody, knew whr.t was caning.

"Wo have something for you to .do, ou;r Pfc, nll ·honcy-voiof:d, would so.y. "Follows·, horc we·· hnve o bit of mule dung. ~·ko it nn·d push 1 t nround the fire ~1th your nose."

We gonorally took it, :rttcr all it wn~hcd off, nnd c. good fncial with scented shliving ·1ot1on cventunlly .restored our s·olf-rospoct. If \'10 didn't we stood ·at attention indo;t'initoly.

The first one to crack n .smile at his unfortunate; br0thor m~king an ass of him.self got belted unmercii'ully-.buokle, neccly conceo.lcd.

Thoy usod t<> co.11 us "b.o y scouts", and still do. 'nle foot of it is, thcto W3S a oortoin nmount of wish-wash about the things we did.

Wo rcr.iembcr thc,t f or cvory f notba.J.l w:nmo or F'lurth of July ar Man orial Dey, wc' c'l struggle into our uniforms~ · c~ 0Il 1JUr t:n:dc-brirnmcd cr.mpaign

hnts o.nr1 pnroc'l.o down the mnin street of our town to the ·tune of an offkey band.

Ex-members of the Gunrd· would ~ine the side-lines and holler out, "Hiya, Sucker," but we'd try to keep a straight f!lce nnd keep on marching by.

But TJve of the 161 knew we hod a dwnned good tradition, nnd o. lot of us took it seriously. Back in 1855 v1hen the stnte of t:.! ashinO?;t on wo.s still a territory the Federal Government ~ranted. permission to ~nise volunteers to fight the Yakima Indians. The resulting First Washington Volunteers faced the Indians nnd defeated them. Phil Sheridon was a 'i ieutenont w:i th the Volunteers, lending a Federnl. platoon of cavalry during the campaign.

During the Civil Wor the 161 (ccll~d the lat Wcshington Territory Infantry) gunrded the ports ond instollotians in Wa shington ond continued to fight the Indians. In 1885, they ?rere called out to quell the Chinese riots in Seattle ond Olympia.

In the ,Spanish ond American Ylor, some of our gro.nddnds hod tough t \vi th the outfit (then kno~m ~s too lst Re giraent 17ashin3ton ·volunteers) iµ the Philippines. A lot of our Dnds wont with the Rc·gi.ment 'to guard the Moxicnn border in 1916 when Pancho Villa \ms on tho ra!Ig,)age.

And in Docomber, 1917, the Regiment (by then coll~ d the 16lst Info.ntry) landed in Fr~ noc os p~rt of the Sunset Division (4lst) nnd bocruw o rcplacemont end training outfit.. It hns bGcn soid thnt more men ~f the 161 wero commissioned ns Officers in Fr~nc e than in nny other 1ntnntry regiment.

Yos, ~~ hnd tradition.

THE 161 W.AS' CATI.ED TO THE AID OF CIVIL Al1'I'3CRITIES BY THE C'.OVERNOR OF THE STA TE . OF '1ASHING'.ION IN ·JULY, 1935, TO RESTORI:: ORDER DURING THE STA'lEWIDE STRIKE' OF. SA~'JMIU. .AND ll1MBER t:roREERS. UNI~ OF nm REGr-ENT WERE U~D IN TACOMA, ABERDl'..~~, .AND m:x:2UI.AK.

Just like roiy other ~trpce, londod m<Jchinc guns r~re: sot up on strategic stroot corners nnd. ·guords spottt;d ~ll around the rioting districts.

Corporal G~n. E. Ylb.c€ller (now Cnptc.in) snt for five hours .behind his machine: gun, cursing during n tear gos nttack. Whee ler didn't hove bis ,gas mnsk ond tho tocrs streOI11£d dotm his cheeks in n stcndy flow.

But his orders said, str::y on tho post; so he stuck it out, hell or high '\Vntor.

Mic~y ~d (T/Sgt), one erstwhile boxer from Chicago who wound up in Spok:me, (~~e guys cnn remember cheering 'Mickey on end teetering on the odBG of their . scats in exci tomont~ when they were ·only kids) ·chucked his ri:flo nwny ohe day durin~ tho striko and plunged hoc.dlong into on excited mob. The pcoplo WGr6 Tnllying around a porticulnrly persunsive nnd arro~ant soap-box speaker.

Vlith ono swoop Mickey fell upon ·him Md dragged him off his podos·tol by tho ears. "Mr. Spc.nkor" spoko VGr•; 11 ttlc nftor that.

BY 1939,. THIW'..S BEGAN 'ro HAPPEN L"J EUROPE. JD:TrnR STARTED MOONTING BIS ~'!AD HAN? S TBRONE. NOT MANY _A.-qOUND THE GUK.ID KIDDED ':"lmmLVES THAT TilEIU: U.ASH' T TO BE ..ANO'IHER ''fJ!{ Il.J El-ROPE. THE .NATION VU.s

oomr;.

AIL UP IN .ARM3 .ABOUT 'IHE NEUTRllLITY liOT i .1-iD Th'ARE BEMN TO BE TALK OF 11 SELECTIVE SERVEI: ;';CT.

Things didn't 190k too good, but something had to be done. T~e National Guard had a service to perform. And they did it as well as seemed humanly possible together with lack 0f money, f acilities and men.

'I/le men were actually responsible for most of the recruiting; we brought in the volunteers by persuasion and various and sundry menns.

Like up o.t the town of Stanwood, VTash., a fuvori tc trick was to set up a mochino gun in the middle of the tmm square and fire a belt of blo.nk amnuni ti on.

J, couple of old men might stick their hc; uds out of the window of a building across the street: "Humph, the boys are playing a.round with a machine gun. So what?"

But the younger ones would flock .around. /ind we would sign them up. In those days it seemed about tho only way one could get a couple of stripes was to bring back to the armory a list of "suckers".

Ev&ry yoor V7G o.l~ays WGnt to "camp11 for three V10ukS in tho summer ond played a~und living the outdoor life . About the most sensational thing ~bout these; maneuvers was our .uniforms. l1Jc 1 d change uniforms so domned IllElny times during o. day that our bivouac resembled a fashion show. Fran blues to wools, to sorgos, to cottons, to brooche.s with loggings. Every part of tho day had its _proscribed rig.

Summer comp, generally in Juno, wos pleasant, except one summer when it rainod steadily for two weeks. It ''ms o vacation with pay for the boys uho work0d for n living, o vacation some of us otherwise might not hove hod because it vro.s the doprossion and those vroro loo.n years.

We boarded tllc trnin for comp, moyb£ a.t Spokn:µo, ;·1 onntchoo, or Yokililr.l--o.nd who.t n ridc·i It wns o. wonderful. opportunity to get really boozed up and ·have bo carrie d off the train when it pulled into camp. Throughout tho whoiu fiftcon days of c~mp everybody bitchod ond moaned nnd swore to God thoy' d nc.v er sign up nnothoT year.. -Yet whon ~ got back in the armory 1 t wna nll talk obout lnst year's encampment-the fun, the tough maneuvers, tho brr.wls. Mnybe thnt tnlk wns only to i~pross the new rookies, but tho next spring when we took the 'kitchen stoves out of the basement, wiped off the dust, an"'d began to roll out our \VOb oquipment nnd packs wo begnn to sign up ngnin. 11c couldn't resist it--thc card plnying, drinking, drilling, nnd soldiering ••• Those wore the dr.iys when Pfc "Prune lUicc" A. J. ·Larson, Company 'M, wns known ns the prize regimental goldbrick. "Prune. Juice" got drunk .o n .a quort of prune juico wino qne ti.mo at camp o.nd tho no.IOO just stuck. "Prune ·J uice" novor quite undorstoqd the army, nor· the army him.

Whan the wnr in EurQpo stnrtod tho mo.nouvors i'ncronsod--ond the weekend bivouncs and th6 night problems.

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mm 1'TE BEi.RD \ iE \'JERE BEING Cl.LIED mro FEDEP.J.L SERVICE. ON SEP"Mm:R 16, .1 940, BY PRESIDENIDL ORDER '!'HE .4 1ST DIVISION (OF TflHICH -:11.E WERE J, "'1iEMBER) 111,S Cl1J.l.ED IN'ID J,CTIVE s:::RVICE. 1'!.E ' 10VED ON 'IBE 16TH DOHN Il:'W .OUR RESP:!I:CTIVE l.filDRIES FOR J. BiroTIC 'lEN Dl'.YS OF PHYSIC/.L EX:f.?mU.T!ONS, RED Tl.FE, n"RmER RECRUITING, J.ND DRILL THROUN IN FOR GOOD ME:.sURE. - 9 -

Some took cars to the new c~mp, most :mnt by troop trciin--cc.rs fron the different nr:J.orios hooking on c.t stctions ~lon~ tho vmy. hdministrativ0 work burned tho midnie.ht oil. I ~fornction hnd to be compiled nnd rGports mr:dc for movor..ont . Tho .i.!'!1.er ic~n L::gion, Chnmbcrs of Cori~orcc, and schools holpod in o r~~ruiti~g drive~ Eligibles for Solcctivo Service woro urged to · join then r r t.>cr thn::i wci t for the draft. Do.nc os , bnnqucts, music o.nd n few tocrs sent us off. iJlo were hco.dGd for n yc<'..'.r' s tralnim~--not to ro£'.l.!.y fight, most people thought, but to begin to scnre tho aggressors with the thought tho.t luncrico. wa.s preparing. · J,nd inside acny a hcc.rt the crost of the; 161 took on n roc.l s ignificance; the ravon rising fra:-.i the coronet, fron Tflo.chin3ton~ s coc.t of nrri.s, tho ro d and blue f~r the Philippine cc.npnign, t ho scc.rrpion for Mo:xicnn duty, and the flour-dc··lys for scr"licc in Frc.ncc. Undornonth tho shield, its scroll reeds: "First in ·nur, First in PC;ncc".

In those d!'.\ys of 1940 thcro worE.i n few hcr.rts v1hi ch asked if it were not o true prophecy.

TIJESDf,Y, SLPT'.8!'IBER 24TH s~'/'T THE F!f!..'.L 'Er.EME!\IT OF TFJ:: REGTI-!ENT 1.RRIVE J.T C:;'MP MURRJ,Y, THE 161 TE:N'l' CITY, ·:!f~I: Z1.7ERY S-J' ':' ~ '"IE ?.J.D SPENT OUR ENC~'..~.1?,.f:Nl' . BY THE Z1l"D OF '.:::E D.!.Y 'IlIE s:;•s P"'...'R.:'i'r·!In:.L TZ}."TS r.!E lL'.D J.v:r.:.YS USCD RO& .move 1700rr:N FI/)ORS, n.; THE s.:~-~ PL'.CBS '!.'ESY Fl'.l.D iiLrr:1YS B::EN~

They told scnc of us when we joined tho .Gu(;rd, "You will have three weeks vacation with pay on tho shores of 1.moricc.n Lnke." ~7c did.

Right in tho middle of it.

SWnop Murray, we dubbed it.

Br.sic trnining started, those rudLr:icntnry hcadnchcs from "pearl diving" (K.P.) to cl ose order drill. O'lµ' rnnks VJC;rc to bo £illcd up with Sclecti ve SerVice men , to ·te .i.n ducted soon o.nd trained nt I nfantry Replacement ·T ra ining Centers . They started to drill o.nd train us , so we would be proficient in wee.pons C:nd busic subjects when the Selectees came in.

I n October, Wthe rains cnme". hs each dny passed the clouds seemed to. pour out on odded flow of wet, furious drops. The vnnds whipped the roin around the corners of the tents, and damp cold seeped through the most sturdy of us. i.nd then a damp, ~hick fog settled in just to cinch. things. ~.steady week of this wetness in late October threntenod to disrupt the whole cc.mp.

Tents cori:lenced to l eak like sievos; in post years rips ond strains hnd mnde them into high class choose cloth. Finally thoro cemo an.issue of pot- bellied sibly stoves, nnd the spo.rks danoing' up to our canvas roofs didn ' t help things when they reach~d the top and burned through.

Trnining was suspended for n few days , while W0 all turned out to grade the mud, drain ·the ccmpany stro~ts, to ditch ell tents and lay n drnin pipe from the: compnny mess halls .

Ncwspapors in tho ne-0rby Cities curried articles, cdito~inls pictures describing th~ deplorable: living conditions. The so~ttle Ti.mOs innugurntcd an editorial cnmpnign to liriprovc conditions; nnd finnlly Lifo mago.zinc in December blow up n big picture of Comp Mui-ra.y with this caption: "Wcttost -l•rm;v "Cnmp in the vmqle'Unito·d Stat es" .

Thonk God for tho yower of the presst · Shortly afterward huge power sprc.y gune im:vrcgna.tcd the tents with n v:o.tcr- proof coating. New·

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tents repleced the more . hopeless or our t~tters • . Piles of lU!llbcr c~roo in to wnll the tents. nllngs were looking up when ~ d!JDlp pcnctr~ting cold set in. !1 lot . of us bought air-tight heaters to roplnco thG a~t s sibly stoves; tho hcntors would blll"n r:.nything from Prcstologs--of. which there were o. fcw--to 't'~tcr soo.kcd slo.b wood, of v!hich there was plenty.

Abotted ' by an cmplc dousing of fuel oil, the Grunned stuff burned.

Just about then (December) v~ got the flu. Lt one time about 75% of us wcr~ in qm!l'tcrs flnt on our backs. Ono of the Company M plc.toons fell out with only throe men in the J.llOr~ing for drill. ,u1 the rcst •,11erc in qunrtcrs with the flu , or else fccdir~g . the sick ond giving them their .m.cdicino.

Mpjor Francis J'. Burns was our R;;;gimcntnl Sureeon thon.. Ho hnd tho amazing :faculty of poing o.blc to go through o. line of 500 men in c. morning. Sick cnll wn.s c. plenao.nt diycrsion. If n guy h.:i.d e. spra.inod nnkle, . before he lalcw it he was sitting down with ~ thermometer in his mouth o.nd ndmonished ngcinst am.eking or his tcrnpe:ro.turc v:ould go up.

Slll"pl'isingly enough, the majority of bc.d cnsc.s v!ore wocdcC: out o.nd the rest or us sent back to ah."1111-duggory.

Those \Vore tho dri.ys when thoy lectured ng·-.inst using too much toile t paper.

"You o.ro issue d two rolls of toilet popcr Ix;r month. For GOd' s snkc, don't use a.ny more thtin you hnvo toi This business of 'lining those coln :frosty scnts ho.s got to stopt" We could visunlize pulp I!lills the length one breadth of the country working overtime, 3 s~ifts, to sup9ly us with surplus insulation.

TltE-qJ£ vt;.s LITTIE 'lEOUGH OF TEE UNITED STl.T!l!S 1.CTfJJ.U,Y P/.RTICIp:.TING D' 't=I:!R, BUT ~·lITH '.IEE FLt.~r='B o-r CCY,!BJ.T ST:.RT!NG 'ro LICK 'lHROUGH EUROPE THE NJ.TION. VL'. S IN J. Rt"SH 'ro .FREP:.RE ITSELF, 'JlQNC.S ~.PPENED Fl.ST :.FT.ER T '.]ENTY YEJ.ns. OF MILI'r.:.RY DEC:.DENCE--C.'.MPS ~JErlEN'T REJIDY. 1.

GRE!.T O.Q~ON IN INDUSTRY L~m ·oun T'!J.Y OF LIVING ··r;.s T:.KING PUCE. HE WEREN'T EVEN GE:m::D 'ro .1. RE.'.SON/~IE !>EJ.CETr 'E !.RMY, Ir.:T ti.LONE ~: ']/,RTnm LRMY. TH/.T ~'T.:.s 'JEE RF..c:SO?~ FOR ~~bST OF OOR TROUBLES' BUT THINGS BEC~-i~ GRl.DUi.LLY S'.ml.IGB'l'El'lED OUT, Our regi.mc.n tal .mrmouvors took plnco just the sruoo. Every .mnnouvor wo fought over th~ smno ground nnd took tho s~ liill--McCnll H111 Woods.

It got so we could wa~ .ovor every trnil on thct hill in our slcop-nna. we did. R~r got oround thct S;nator Nyo .didn't wo.rit us to· hovo real guns nnd nm'.:iunition; so we worked on with wooden mnchino guns .o.nd .ciorto.re, In M..~rch ~he .$oloctcos poured in to fill up our r~nlr':'. , :· · -1 . Oregon, Montone:, Cnlifornin an.C. ~10.shington.

In ·1 atc ll!)ril \1IO lof't ).Nrrr.y for Fort I.cni!.s. i.:~"'iB 'i. :· "'.i:~r.. ::iost ..w• .:ni~~ O"':'_·::-- ..:!"'..•pa r _1d spra\-;is <.long fi vo or six miles c :r;·_.;o.rr:Sc..nttl• ·:-: ~·,r.y, t3y' then wci woro getting our machine guT';... ~-:1 i. ·tor~. ~ u ... er IJ.~~tt 1 s o.nc1 o.lWnys will be a sort Of bn~on, S\..· ·., ':..: d a,.. ._:;tion r1itJi pLuty of scrub ,oak !lnc1. a:.-:, hanging nioes, Tnc days . .;.re· hot~ ~rn t hE:il,l anC:. the· nights col.a. .i~bout c.11 vro romo!Jber is that tho 401.h .(<blif) 'Division wns proctic~lly "annihalatoc1'• by us (tho 3rd and 4lst .lliV.isions). ·On thn r.iurning, o.ftcr six wc.oks .of mnncuvcring, \'Jhon tlipy ann.o unced tr:. mcnouvor wns over wo weirti so gocldom hnppy WEi firoe. up nil the bl"'.:· lll'lmuni ti on we hr.cl left.

001·o nel Orndorff,

- 11--

our Regimentol Conncndor, wo.s so hopped up nbout it thnt ho mndc us wnlk 16 mii·:.a bnck to our b ~sc ca'"lp. mien '''e got b:Jck to Lewi s around . the 5th of July vrc .startct~ on 10 :r,y furiou:$s, hclf of the connoncl o.t

n tim. Somo of our harc'!ost fought :•ouopo.igns" took plnc(: on homo town pnrchcs or ulsc on the. streets of SGnttl~ .

Next thoy sh~cd us out.on the 4th Army nnncuvers in Southwost 't'lr.shington, extending froo libc r decn clonr eown to tho no'\.!.ta of' the · Oolu."lbi n River. It rc.incd evory dny. l•ftcr the nnncuvors, Ma j0r General Goor~o Ji.. 11.hitc , our Div ision Conrnr'.ll.G.or , died , o.nd we th ~u~h thnt might snafu c:n0thsr furlou¢i. B\:~t we g0t our fU!'lOil~hs ngnin.

By September "Ohio" ("Ovur the ..Hill in Oc~ obc r 1 r) appcnrec'. O!l c.11 our envelopes, we quot on it everywhere . Then Congress extended the draft and i;;orvicc p:;tioc'l to eightoon months . t:o though we' d gotten tho provcrbinl raw P,cnl. · E~ rly in Novc-.nbcr wo were cut out of the 4lst D5.v i si on--rum0rs spread fnst o.nr'l furi ously. Tho o::-cl.or camo--wo wc:. :o goin,; t o tho Philippines. Noarly all of us signed up to . go nnc t o fill up our r nnks according t 0 tho new t c blc of organizntion; ~il tho r ogimcnts in tho division were conb c~ for volunte ers, thu· 1~2ntl , tho 163rC., CTiC. the 186th.

1• tow, if they d iC.n' t volunteer, wer e shanS}lo:.od nnynoy. "They sh':>ok your hand, checked your clothing, od~ed up your ~11~wancc and wisnod you luck."

Shots, forms--packing: it we.s ho.lf f.ren.~y, half order. 'lbirty au Ohinese and Jopo.nese ·soldiers in the Regiment wer e transferred, some w1 th tears in their eyes. We r eally ,1rnrted to go. we weren~ t 'tver-JDD.1-bullets ond bayonets scarcely ontcrcd our minds. We wo.ntcd o~.v:'.}nture , o.nd we figured the \·1e.r v.os going East and wo \'X:lrc. gOi!l.g !f]ost--so whc.t tho hell? We \'~re going to the Philippines to · sit under a palm tree and l i vo tho lite of Riloy.

ON THE 9'.IH D{,y OF MJ,Y, 1898, 'IEE 161 H.'.D VOLUNTEERED AS A UNIT AND $.'.II.ED FOR THE PHILIPPINE.$ IN 'niE SPl.NISR-1.ME.q:rcAN W.AR. SIX D.A'YS AFTER L'.NDING TEE 161 liAS IN .ACTJON ON TBE FRON':' LI?."ES, ~HFFERED 12%CASUALTIES .AND W~S CI'l'ID) FOR VAL011.0iJS Ce'·iJDUC':' Di THE :al>T:"'...E OF SA?m\ ANA. IN lti99 ~ REC.IJ,.EiiT i.Aia: FOR HOME, SPENDING A ~:mx IN :TAP.AN ENROUTE. NOW WE WERE ON nIE f'.AY BACX.

At 9IM on the evening of Docember s, 1941 our train \1aited at the siding at Fort !£wis. I~ was cold and wo were bundlcd ·up in overcoats, worm£;d vrith all tho liquor we had be. en able to got hold of. With our pocks on our bocks nnd our barrack bags s~curo in tho baggage cor (n bag at clothes, ano of alcoholic acoossorics ) ono by cne we filled the cars.

The block night settled around us.; tho lights from the train glCQm$d out, and th(> tow people at tho siding wnvod a :f'nroWGll. · Thu couplings gronnod ond pulled OS our train stertcd to r Oll. • • • • • • • TROOP TRAINS .ARE A llFE ALL BY 'IHEMrI.VES, KITCHEN IN BAGGACIE CAR, MAGAZINES . ANO LI'ITEP..ED PA-PERS AU. OVER, A THICK BLUE ·er.DUD OF CIGARETJ'E ~IDRE. HEP.E /:ND THERE, .A POKER G!.MJJ:, PID!CTUNI'ED BY J; BURST OF PROF11NITY OR .A SURPRISED CHUCKLE TO .ACCO~nPANY AN UNEXPIDTJID :l'Ut!.-FJOUSE. Tim NIGHT OF THE 6'.m P.Ass:::D ON ITI'lH .A "iTORID OUTSim AND '.'!OR!.D OF OUR OWN MOVING .AIDNG ON STEEL TRACKS.

- 12 ·-

'roWNS FLASHED BY IN THE DARK OF !,{[DNI G:?!' AS THE so~~ p !1C IFIC CLICKED .ALONG--PORTU-JID, SPRING.FIELD, THE WIJUJE'ITE RIVER. THE HORND~G OF IIEXJID·~ 7'm

DJ.mm:n. , • ••••

So.me of us Vt'ere sitting in the siooking oar playing poker. Nothing had changed; we 110re pretty chatty.

"I figure we're doing a smart thing--the war• s going one way and we're going another."

"Just think of the bic exchange we• re going to get out of our money over there in the Orient."

"Yeah, boy, those trips to China," Most of all we mentally revelled in the easy life we were going to lead.

Shortly after noon the train stopped f' or a few minu tea at a small station a few miles north of Klamath Falls, Oregon. The station master rushed out, "Say, have you guys heard?" "The Jeps have bombed Pearl He.rbor1" Disbelief spread through the outfit, "Just v1hat the hell wa·s that guy talking about?" Our train started to move again. At Klamath Falls we i·1e·r e greetc;d by newsboys se lli~ "Extras" with hoadlines screaming the nows that the Japs had ba:ab&d Pe.arl Harbor, The railroad dispatcher had sent a message through for all trains to movo cautiously-- "Peiarl Harbor has been bombed!" A couple of portablo radios picked up faint fl.ashes of' news.

There began to be a lot of excited moVing about tho cars: "What v.us it?"

"Did you get that? Thoy bombod Pearl Harbert" "Just another Orson Welles broadcast!"

And tho poker games continued.

At Dundsmuir, California everything was confirmed. Double guards vrorc put ·on tho doors. Porters, conductors, soldiers triod to argue it wasn't ao--insidc us tho belit:.f docpcnod that it was so.

Machine gunners and ~istol men demanded bayonets. In a m:i.ttor of minutes; po ace was lost, tho lethm-gic puact)-ti.ms soldior awoke with a jolt. Live amnunition was issued throughout the train, from front to rear of th.a long train speculation buzzed as to our future. There wos much singing until lote at night--"Over There" and "Tb.ore• s a Long Long Trail A-winding••.• ·" At 6 AM, Docombor 8th, we pulled into San Francisco; up and down tho lino of' oors, heads stuck out of '1indows., necks craned to sec thfl sights, to wave ·back to ·the pooplo on their porches, to wavo back at beautiful girls in housecoats end pajomfls. ·with our nooks still craned, we rollGd under tho oakland Bay Bridge with its big pylons and towering stool groy supports. It wasn't long bofare our gripes made us wish we'd never hoord of' San Francisco.

As Wl pc.seed the docks ~ saw our threo gleaming white torpedo tergflts, a·l l loadc.d and wni ting for us, the Monterey, the l!atsonia, and tho Lurline. HGovy weapons companies end service Com;Jo.ny had already .n~i wd in Srui Francisco and vero quartorod on. Angel Islond. Wo waited on board thG train o.s tho D.lltion listonod to Prosidont Roosevelt's speech, But· v1hnt -wore thGy going to do with us? Surely wo couldn't ro-onforco tho Philippines now?

Thoy didn't know whnt tho hell thoy were going to do with tho 161, Wu boarded tugs end ferries whore tho gulls swooped dovm and left doposi ts on us end ohurneC. across the Boy to Fort McDowoll, variously known ns An.isol Isl.nnd or tho "Junior Alcatraz"• Over thore the woo.pons - 13 -

companies were already building bunk.a for interned. Jap8liese. We came off K.P. ·one morning · to · read a hea.d line in a -Ooast paper: "16lst Regiment Lost at Sea?" Could they lose us on Ai:igel Island?

Angel Island is a wooded piece of roQk jutting up out of the Bay; in S'pi te of the lights of the city~ or .i ts tangible look through the haze, or the look of the Bridge hanging high across the. vre. ter, the island• 8 desolation e.nd seclusion 1'$ more nerve-wrecking than ' that of Timbuctoo.

The ~est Coast had its f irst "air raio"--and we .sat an the little park benche.s high upon the brown-gray bluffs and \12tched the lights of Alameda, Berkely, and the Golde~ Gate blink out. · A dead, silent darkness settled in, broken only .by the r6d lights .on-a radio tower tar off in the distance. later., unidentified airpl13.nes were overhead.

The sirens scree.rood and we took to the brush. with ·steel helmets· and gas masks. A voice broke ·out, "This ·isn't tra.ining, wetrc playing tar k~eps'nowt" We saw tho China Clipper wing in 9n its lest trip from Wake Island. As poetry, it was b eautiful--but for us we wore s&oing for the first time those lights which we had -heard v1erc going out all over tho world.

ON THE 9TH OF DECIDm:R THE Ar:l.Vf ORDERED us ~CK. 'IO FORT I..Evas.

THE. HATSONIA 17AS UNI.OADED INTO FREIGID' CARS. BY TEE llTJLTHE· ORDER WAS OHANGED--WE \'lERE · 'IO JOIN ·THE 7TH DffiSION ON COAST DEFEliB:'!:. mE FREIGHT CARS ~1ERE UNLOADED n~o l.:JAREROOSES.

Wo shot back across th-0 Bay. The. first battalion was to go to Forts Kronk! to and Berry, -tho 'tliird battalion to bo hqld in .rosorve, tho Provisional Battalion and Rogim~ntal Headquarters to tho Presidio Golf Courso,. the . second battalion to Fort Scott.

Up at Presidio tho officers took over· tho Club House as a command post. It began to rain--had it ovor sto~pod, this gray, . miscrablo, cold fog end wet? Around us was Prosidto, looking like a messy old fort, .right on· the Bay and blocking the Golden Gate. It seemed all red brick vdth ~ought iron \llindow guards, doo;-s end gates.· Soaked, we pi tohed our pup tents, nothing ·between us and the over-flowing sky but those little cloth dog shocks, covering us end barrack bags and impedimenta, wi:th o city of real roofs . all around .us. We gliarded the· gcrlf course against ·the . Jape-. Captain "Pappy" Robert R. Moore o'f Company F admonished us at that first guard mount,. "When the parachutists land, :fix bayonets and ' drive them into the ~ea tiith -cold steeU" Ap.ything might happen•• ~it ·didn't. s~ of the guys got on guard down at ·the .Club House and sneaked a little food out o:f the ki to hen or else took a s&crot 1 ve sho\Ver. It seemed liken long time, maybe it wasn't, tha·t we lived in those pup tents .• ltlrt of us {RGglmente.l Headquarters Company) tinnily moved down into a synagogue.

SO!D6 of the Regiment (third battalion) wound up· bivouacing in the Sen Froncisco Auditorium. of Animal Husbandry, more s impl:r the "Cow Palace". San Franciscans bad·· gone to a lot of troubl'e, a t1,.ooo,ooo.oo worth, to build that white elep.he.nt. It wasn't 11D.e.ted, not e.:fter we had dispensed With the white:.l;re, the ani.mal dropp~ngs, and the stink.

ON THE 14TH OF MISSION.

OUR SAN

DIDEM3ER~ THE REGD~T

WAS RELIEVED OF .ITS DEFENSE

FR.ANcreco STAY HAD BEEN .A FRANTIC NIGR'IMARE. WE'D - 14-

TAKE1'J EVERYTHING FROM SHOELACES 'ro mE KI'ICm:N SINK VIHEN '!E..P.AD. LEFT FORT LEWIS; IT HAD BEEN: ID.ADED mi THE BOA'is .AND UNLOADED ON FREIGHT CARS, "LOADED . rn WP.REHOUSE~ .AND ullLDAPED, IOADED.-ON TRUCKS .A!ID UNLOJ1DED. ALL THE .WRl:IE ~'.JE HAD !rRIED '10 OORT OUT 'IEE EXCESS TO BE SHIPPED BACK 'ro VIASHIIDTON--AND DEFEND sAN FnANcISCO AS A SIDE :r.niE~ WE GOT. A BIG KICK OUT OF RACING CONVOYS ACROSS THE GOWEN GA'I.E BRIDGE ·AT .60 MILES PER nOUR , P..AST POLICD.mN, PAST WLL S:T.ATIONS .AND . All.. IT ~'i.AS A SERIOUS .BUSINESS 'ro GET .OUR EQ,UIPMENT A?~D KI'.ICHEN TRAINS \J;ilk'IB WE ~ii.ANTED THEM .AT THE RIGHT TIHE. THEY HAD US RUNNING .AIL .AR0ffi111) TEE CITY. In six days the three white Matson ships ~re painted gray and titted with b\lll.ks; 50 cal. machine guns and '?5.mol field pieces were lashed to the decks. The second and thi~d battalions sailed on the iurline, the Matsonia and · the Monterey on the morning of the 16th. At l east · one soldier was hauled on board fran ·a dinghyby·rope just in time to make the sailing. Nobody missed the boat.

The first bat.talion was brought back from the tUn.nel on the N'orth Penninsula, ·soaked and chilled, · to be quartered in an unused airplane hangar at Cris.sy Field. There wer.e suty cots . and a concrete floor tor over a battalion· of men. Clothes and duffel hung down frcm every rafter in the place. On the .mo;ning of December l?th the first battalion ·and provisional battalion moved out on the Tasker H. Bliss, a stinking old tub, later sunk off ~orth Africa.

The stern of the Bliss churn~ aw~y from the pier, j~st as our last kitchen stove swung .aboard. The pier grew ~ll6r and sma~er end the Bay began ..to get c-hoppy. Tho .Bridge, the one we· long afterward dreamed about, passed over-head.

Am'er:Lca was dropping -away fro!:l us at )line k:n,ot·s an hour. VJe leane d :far out on the rail of th6' · ship .and watched her-~A groat, long line of . . ': .· rich purple stretching :!'ran one .horizon to the other as far ·a s you c ould -see. The ·early ~Ol"lling s\lll.light .struck ·brillia~tly a~ainst ranch houses and villages along her W" st coast, etching them in White against the purple. And lighthouses stood forth from hor sho~cs, ovaded the grasping \'Thi te :fingers of tho ocean.

For once we didn't tcel like starting a crap game, or reading, or playing . cards, or even talking, bocauso ·we were .leaving ~e:i;- .. bohind.

Why, lots of us had· just erossod her, specdi.ng on endless g'lea.ming rails frcm•the biggest city. on earth1,uid from colonial villa.gos in· the East.

Wo had passed .over tho Mississippi tbo.t almost cuts .America two.

Through rolling green meadows \VO had COIDO, pe.st rod barns, and whi to .farmhouses. Then through tP.e ·~storious de sort, sile nt and shimnering w1 th htat, . nnd. great white; bones of tremendous animals a million years old baked deep in hor clay. Near tho coast Am::iri~a rca~hod for God, her mountai.n s disa.ppcor,ing into. tho cJ;ouds. Wo hod built a bcautitul. bridge there, and hc.d passed under it an hour .a.go.

and

in

OUT -TO SEA·'ON 'lHE HA~ON . L!NERS, .ABEhP OF OUR .SSIP, 'THE BLISS, THE 16:1! HAD ~;{ADE· ITS RENDEZVOUS--~'lI'lS TIDl: FIRST 1.mR co~TVOY TO LEAVE THE STLTES •••• •·•.

.A.ttOUND 2:30 PM ON SUNDAY, 21ST OF ·mc~!JBER , 1941, 'IDE HAVT.AIIAN ISIANDS CAME. DITO VIEW. MEN ON THE ttcFE VJA~:c::::tm THE DIM ISLl\N~:\S ON THE HORIZON. OAHU· LOOMED ON '!!re ST..ARBOARO, Rrsn·G our OF THE MISTY BUIE-GREEN WATERS AS THE' CRUMPLED C"ROWN O:F· .A BAT .ABOVJ: ITS BRIM~

At 3:30 the ·convoy passed around Diancnd Head. There was famous Waikiki· Beach glaring in the sunlight. 1>alm trees· 1ine.r-1. the beach-the first ·palm trees seen by many of W3. '.fh'} r::hips cut down their speed and fairly drifted. we crarrned the eec~s to see the sights-the beautiful Royal B.awaiian and Moana Hotels o:::i. the beach amidst glamorous splendor; the buildings of Honol·..ll.i..;., the ~a":"ious colored houses cluatered on green slopes of tall hills, fertile valleys in between.

The three greyed Matson liners set into the harbor of Honolulu about 4: 30. Aloha tower; the piers; machine gun empl '3.cemerrts on the buildings of the water front. The r.ten re~~ined on deck as bands played and a welcoming ];l8.l'ty appeared on the docks.

Night came an black as pitch. We· lounge1 in the vrater-f'ront yards wfth our equipm8llt until t .he f·r~ight trc.ius arrived to take us on a long, miserable, crowded ride to .an unknovm destination.

ON THE 24'lH THE BLISS ARRIVED IN HONOLUL"P". BUCK mDKE rlAS STII..L DRIFTING 1JP FROM PEARL HARBOR. THE N.ARROVT r~UGE OAHU R.AILHAY TOOK US 'ro JOIN 'I'R1l: OTHE:RS AT SCHOFIELD BAR..'li.ACKS.

That first Di.ght in Schofield Barracks the bedbugs were so thick you couldn't get in bed and the mosquitoes so thick ·you couldn't ge:t out of bed. It took umpteen gallons ot Flit to ·e xterminate tho menace.

THE THI!ID BATTALION ·WENT TO HICKAM FIELD FOR GROUND DEFENSE; THE SE00ND 'ro FORT SHAFTER; THE. F:iRST TO BEL!.i:>WS FIELD. ON THE 23RD CAPTAIN GAYLORD E. TREAT AND FORTY-EIGHT· COMPl1NY H Ui!N HAD DEPARTJ!;D WI'lH A · TASK FORCE TO CTIRIS'IMAS ISLAND.

Now .t hat we woro important members of Oahu Island's defense we had to acquaint ourselves with .it and its terrain features. we had sightseeing tburs-·- long convoys · of trucks that stretched out of Fort Shafter in the early morning after picking up men from Honolulu's installattons. ~~. coI:r~.oy turned up >Nuuanu Boulevard and ·mounted the .long , twisting slope of'· 'the Pali Road. OD; thu . left was an oddity of nature, tho Upside Down Falls, a : phenonianon caused by up-currents of air on tho P811 cliffs that blew tho down-rushing water straight up into the air in .a · fine spray • .At the top Of tho P8li WEtS El place to atop and mar·vel att the panoral!B ·or blue ocean, green elopes and white sand glistening frir ·bolow~ Cameras ~re clicking left and right~ The tour r ·atracc..'d its course back to Honolulu a1ld rolled by Waikiki townrd Diamond Horid, arotmd tho cotist past Koko· ·Head and tho BlowRole (another phenomenon Where tho surf ·spurted up th~ough tho coastal rocks like a goysor). Tho trucks passed ~llows Fic ld nnd finally ar-

- 16 -

rived at the Kaneohe Naval .Air Base, where we detrucked to inspect the seaplane base and t~e PBY Catalinas.

The windward side of the island had a beautiful coast line--tall mountains looming up behind tropical vegetation, farmlands and pineapple fields. 'll:lll rugged cliffs towered above the highway. The convoy passed gleaming white beaches and native homes.

Next spot was the Mormon Temple with its po'.:>ls of blue. wate r and gardens. We refreshed ouselves and had entertainment at a USO Canteen on the beach, formerly a Hawaiian Princess' beu.::h home. There ,·1ere cokes , sandvnches, ice creo~, Hawaiian songs and Hula dancers. Some of the boys were selected by the wahincs to dance wi th them. Some wigglea, providing many laughs.

The tour neared its end, after a few sunshine showers in between, and approached the town of Wahiawa. Hero was ~1heclor Field and Schofield Barracks. Next our circling convoy c·arao by Pearl Harbor and 1 ts naval tnstallations, then back to Fort Shaftor.

Wo w~rc tired and dirty, but glad to have ·seen thoso sights of Oahu which had attracted so many tourists in poaco time. ~i!OST OF THE TPlE THE REGTI'.Ei'1I' 'llTAS SPLIT DONN TO COMP.ANI1!:S At,TD

SCATTERED ALL OVER 1'.'.rOD' S GREEN ACtmS.

FI THS .30TH OF

DEC~roEH

'it0ST

·'OF 'IRE SECOND BA'ITALION WAS ON GUA~D AT WFY.'..!!!IER FIELD. SO"ftE OF REGIMENTAL W....AtQU.ARTERS co~T.ANY RADIO SECTION t:1TERE 5ENT iro ·'!'.HE ISLAt"D OF ~ 1iAUI IN .T.ANUARY.· COMPANY C AND Tl!TO MACHINE GUN PLA~ONS OF COMPANY D

OCCUPIED BEACH DEFENSE POSITIONS ON ULUPAU W..AD. WE 1'.lE...lE SPRE.AD SO THINLY .AND H..!\J;) SO MANY 30SSES THAT ·~!!'.; WERE HARDLY RECOGNIZABIE AS .A REGI~mNI'.

Passes bocamc moro liberal. Tll0rc was Honolulu and th<:.ro wore the "Cook's Tours", swimming, shows and loaves. Ha1•ro.iians wer e, hospi ta blo for tho most part: "Come over to pig dinnor--y9u bring tho pig. " W'G' d ·go out ond buy a pig, .then hGot roe ks ovor o fi! e, dig a hole in tho ground and lino it with the rocks and loa~es . Tho pig, killed · and drc ssod by this . t imc, was put in the hole with potatoes and vogoto.bles and tho rocks pac.ked around him. Thon ho was covered with a complicated canbine.tion of banana, palm and t ea loavas. A couple of hours lo.tor he was t 'o.!ion out and tho f'eQst bogan, . r oplote with smelly "ono finger", "two finger"' poi, cake of all kinds, different colored pop, whiskey (our own), dancing ~i~ls, a sma.ll'orcheetre. with guitars pr ukel eles, and. son.rs. No one will ovor forget those luaus.

IN MAY, EIGHTY-TBHEE MEN ]'n<Ylf COMPANY G lJNlER CAPTAIN RAY HAINES AND A DETACHHENT OF A..'lTIUZRY FOR'1ED TASK FOR'JE "F" TO SECURE FANNING ISIAND 00\IN ·NEA~ THE EQUATOR. They "putted" off on an old inter-island boat with Captain Haines clutching an American Flag which they were ~o raise as soon as they had possession of tho-island. Our only contact with them was by radio at 5 PM ovory day. ~cc eption was generally poor. Their suppliC;s wore sporadic in roaching ·them. On the island, only 10 feet or so above soa level, they built a sea plane base and dug down to build quarters, covcrin~ . their dugoutS ·With throe or four f eet Qf palm leaves.

It was so hot thoy could only work half a day. Wh~n tho day of our departure - 17 -

drov1 near, it was ·a!Jpar0nt .Ta'sk •Forcc "F" could never ~ct back to join us. They wuro transferred to Company L "of t he 2!.st Infantry and Company G recei vc d an equal· numbe;r of officers and raen from that company.

Bcfqre we. left, our ranks had ·b.:>e:h filled 'up mor0 fully ·with transfers fron tho 19th Infantry.

HAVIAI-I WAS A HOT .BED OF· EXCI~MENT. THB Il.:.'·.' :"Jfffi INC.OlIDTG COif'!OY TIED UP .AT HOHOLULU PIERS 22- 24 VJE HAD LOO:C:D 01."I' OF T.:-3 ?ORT-HOLES, BEl\'l' OUR BODIES OVER THE RAIL AND :1/;D SEZN ~ · 1 ci00I~ " STAl\TDTIJG GU.ARD ON T".dE DOCKS. -"MY GOD? IT'S TOO :-..J:TE. Th"E JL"':'S !.~.E Hi!:Ri!: t·11 VIE THOUGHT, BI:FO~ 1.'iE IEALIZED THAT :1At•rY OF Tm: HA.1U»II.i\N 7.i.i:mITORii~L GU:IRD t;moM l.'J"E DISREPECTFUU.Y Cl1LLE."D "GOOKS" WI:RE OF J'i1 P."\£S~ DESC:JNT. By moonli.ght that fi;rst . night we passod Poa l Harbor, its ghostly silhouette :vras a stark reminder of war.; and late'!' the third battalion at Hickam Fiold and. the se cond battali"on at Wheeler Fiuld hacl como .faco to face with _s hattcrf.d 'barracks, cha:rre d autor.i.obilE:s and a land pitted by bomb craters. Shrapnel had p~ notratcd ono and· one-half foot concre~o , B-17 and P-40 planes slur.ipod in broken wrecks; hangars stood burned and twisted ••• • Strict blackout was in offoct-- not u cigarette could be smok0d· after dc.rk, in contrast to the thousands of butts vr;:, v1orc to consume at night on Guadalcanal. Lt onei ti.me; or . another wc.. guarded rnost of Honolulu' s installations, from PriI!lo' s .Brewery and tho Dole Pineapple Company to tho Se cret Svl;'vicc Office . i'fo strung double-apron ·barbed wire on Oahu b e ~chos, mannod pillboxos with ma chino guns , and rnaint0;~ned night motor patrols which spod, blacked-out, u p 0.nd down Hawaii ' s coo.sto.l roads .

One night Sgt "Fifi" Johnson (Raymond M. Johnson), Company G, and his motor patrol 'brOUJ'.".,ht in an insane and scarred tap who_ had escaped from an asylum near Be,llows Field a·n d was roaming around ·outside of Kaneohe.

Thez:e was· .a . Jap in a house who would turn p.is lights out vrh~n he saw the blacked-out army truck 8.p?roach ana turn them on again it passe_d _by. Other 'black-out. ~iolators, shown their ·lights, oblige9. by invitine the patrol in for a drink--duty was duty. About dusk on a September night, Pfc ·Bill "Hoss" Underwood {Willian D. underwood) and Pvt Porter A. I.arson (now Sergeant) , were cruising along uneventfully When Underwo~d sighed, "Boy~ · I ' d sure ·. like to see some lights to check up ont " Almost instantly a light appeared in a house off to the right Of the. road. "I' 11 check i t.", and Underwood j\imped out of the truck with Larson at his heels. They guided the lady occupant outside to show her the offending light; she seemed polite enough. "But," she said, ''We have a· woman inside giving birth to a child" . . Underwood , nonplused , replied·, tfl!!ell , then, go ahead, lady·, let tho light show-I.et · it ne.ver· be said we stop progress!" he flung over his sho.ulder as he beat a hasty retreat t ·o the truck.

as

IT :IAS A DA~, LONELY NIGHT OUT ON EAST BEAC:I. 'lEE T.-ITRD PLATOON E HAD A BEACH DEFENSE AT FORT P'..ASE OF )1ACfilNE GUN EMPLACE~QTS AND OBSERVATION POSTS . MANNED D.AY:.AND }.TJ:Gir.r.

OF

co~'!?ANY

At the platoon CP four telephone operators workod shifts f9r a 24 ho\µ' v i gil in a b omb- proof cement. under-ground room., equipped with a SWi tchboard , radio, and c ot •

- 18 ·-

That night the telephone operator on duty .~ ot infoI':!lB.tion that t:wo unknovm . per sons had broken through the Marine Ge..t c o:f tho Kan'eohe Naval Reservation and were headed in the direction of East.Beach. He alerted the installation and . chccktid his pistol. It was quiet. Tho· slightest noise could be heard.

He thought, ''What a pl~ce to be cornered in cese .they..nro enemy agents," as he looked around imogining what he · wou.ld. do if he· wcro surprised.

He heard something outsj,de. His cars s c orned to stand v1cy out of his head. Thero was the sound of npproaching f oot on tho cement steps .

He readied himself, but relaxed when ho heard o. familiar voice·, that of his sergeant.

The operator rclrit0d tho report to him~ Thdr c vras i::i. moment of silence as they thoµght they heard a noise. Tho operator grasped his pistol and wo.i tod by tho entrance after mov1ng the gus0lino lamp so that his shadow didn't fall nc:r:oss tho· throshold.

Disgustedly, ·the two mon rolroccd af'tcr n mouse scam~bred across the doorway.

On another occasion the radars at Kuo.loo picked up c sub off an island called Chino.man's Hat. Tho 37nm anti-tank guns with Company F fired on its swaying lights. Following, 155' s oponed up.. This was only one Of .many sub fCarcs--Who.t were they doing? Seeking infor.DVition?

Testing out defenses? Landing spies? Taki.zig them bff? Destroyers · patrolled the out-lying waters (two af :them hurling out depth charges, had sunk a sub which had been lurking· around our Hawaiian-bound convoy.)

Nerves were on edge. Pvt Jerry M. Ran let t, : Company F, shot a donkey one night; black dogs, cows, and tree toads drew many an M-1 s~ug •• Hawaiian Japanese ~vinced gr~at interest in us; although their attempts to be fr~endly were .met With courtesy, we al~mys tried ·to give them ab~ steer·when they questioned us concerning army things. A Company G mortar section parked along a Honolulu street was ~urrounded by curio~s. people. .They showed not thG slightest interost ·in the soldiers, but rather .in the mortars--"What' s that? · How doos it work?

What' s in the case? A sight?" . .On March 5th Honolulu was mysteriously banbed. Our sentries all over the island .heard tho plane, saw it sneak out of tho cloud and reported it.

Not a shot ·was fired·. The plane passed over and droppod three bcr.ibs in rapid . succession, the smoke and flame clearly ·visiblo, in a waste land near· Roosevelt · High Scho·oi. Bo sides· shaking things up and breaking a few windows, no d.arnago was done. Publicity was never re.leased; all v:ro know was that ~1e. suddenly bocamo c. ligiblo to ap~ly ·ror VFW ribbons.

ALONG 6 MILES OF BEACH NEAR BELLOWS FIELD, THE FIRST BATTALION MANNED ~.fACHr"E GUN DEFENsEs. DIREC'mD D01'11N IJ.NES OF FIRE ALONG Sf.,ND .Al-ID ROCKS. Bl~D WIRE STRETCHED OUT FOmITDABLY J.T ~:T.AT.ER ' S EDGE.

At about 9:30 in tho evening, July 25thf Acting Cpl 1J3.Vorno E. Torry (now S/Sgt) spod in a truck from Bellows Field along the boach highway passi?lB su~ · cano fields to Mokapu Point whore he was to relieve Pvt Paul Knoss (now S/Sgt) at their oUtpost. Overcast skies lot through enough moonlight for . him to walk tho 300 yards from the. road to his two pillboxes;. which dcfondod this particular strip of coast.

It was a lonely post overlooking a 15 foot dr~-off to ·th6 rocky 0

- 19 -

edgo of the surf , with a four nan shack and a towering mountain to tho rear. Up on tho mountain Pfc Otto J. Ronagon (now 'T/4) maintained a lookout, affording a long viow of the beach pos.i tions and the .stretch of sea beyond. Terry sent Kness t ·o bod and took up his. vigil--tharc had been blinking rod lights out at s.ca all night. Promptly at 11 FM Torry picked up his phone to· call in his ~1sual report. Suddenly a dark shape loomed up in front of tho No. 4 gun position. For a IIX>mont ho thought it was Paul coming back to talk to him--somotimcs Paul couldn't sleep ••• Then tho sea breeze flared ·out the figure 's civilian coat. "~y, can you silhouette a man down by my No . 4 gun?"

Terry whis pored ovor tho wire. ''Yeah, I think I can. Bottcr .chock, 11 Renagon called back.

Torry crawled out of the pillbox_and crouched low watcliing the sinister movements of tho intruder, ~ho was dimly outlinod in the blackness. For twe:nty minutes ho remained motionless, vrhilo the man pecrod into tho pillbox slit, then he saw a shining.· ob jcct glint in the man's hand. ttSurely the guy must know thEJro ts a guard hElre ••• but hc can't know he's being watchod," that raced through T0rry' s mind. Minutes ticked by,.the kneeling mystery man cautiously oxtonded his arm through tho slit to grab the machine gun.

"Halt1" Torry shouted. Tho figuro looked up and stiffened, then jumped to his foot and raced up tho thorny path near which Torry ha!} been crouching. .As ho ran by, Torry hollered '!Halt" c.gain, but the man spt::d on. Torry started to follow him but a thought stoppod him. ~.fu.ybe he's lying in wait for mo with a knife."

He doubled bsck, circled tho pillboxes and com.G out on th~ road.

He bad only walked u few s ·teps down the road toward the poth when ho spotted thEJ figure again coming towords him. "Halt ," ho shouted.

Tho. mon stopped dead still and looked at him for n split second. .Almost instantly ho turned and fled down th~ path toward the positions.

Tarry looked down at tho pistol in his hand • . It wa.s n't loaded l Ho ramned a clip hone os he raced aft0r the fleeing man. "Haltt" he shouted again. The man dropped the object he had in his hand arid kept on going. .At the edge of the path Terry hollered "Haltl" for the fifth and last time. then he fired, and fired again. There was a scream of pain followed by silence.

Up at the lookout otto Rena.gen heard the shot, followed by Terry's excited voice over the wire--"My·God, I killed somebody1" lfWhat has that harUni-scarum Porteguese done now?" Renagen thought.

Down on the· outpost Pvt Charles Gifford, Pvt Johnny Ornellas (now Pf'c) and .Knees searched the area ·and. 'found a discarded flashlight and a local Jap gardner , formerly under suspicion for espionage, pinioned in the crotch of a tree--dead.

Terry was court-martialed for murd.e r. A four hour mi;ti tary trial ensued, in which he was acquitted. "Never as long as I live" Terry declared to a General, "will· I ~ill anot~er Jap. I'll let them all gol" Terry v1as then decorated with the Purple Heart (for a "Singula.r.ly Meritorious .Act").

Much had yet to happen after July and its exciting incident; still the 161 had decorated its first hero and killed its first Jap. Such was Hawtl.ii ••••••

- 20 -

TEE BA T'IL3: CF 1".!Dr:..~ y ISIJrnD :'!AS IT MARKED .e. TURJ."TI:NG POTh"T FOR US ASfD 7.dE 1-;,;TJ:o.N. AT :d:&J..'.!D~S FIE:::.D CVR GUAHD HAD ·BEEN 00l13IED, AND tiE · ~.t4T0:nED t71't.:~ N:rr; AND ·T:i-v.~IU .d.8 TSE BOMBERS TOOK OFF Al\tD RETGP.}JED ~lTI:.L OF :S\'1 ·T.;;:T ·:noIB.S. IT T.'J.A3 .4. iJI~'TOHY. DJ EARLY oc 'TOBER THE 25'.E-I DIVISIO:\f 10!AS P.fil'CiT Y.D .AS i\ T.RL4iTmITAR UNIT i'IITH BRIGADIER GEEP.AL J. lA''J'I"ON COIL!l~s C:-IEJ' ·c:-:' ~;·!'f;ZF OF THE P.A::lAIIAN DE?.ART":ENT,- AS· CCY""~:!'-TDETG G~IB::•lA:::.. . SB.O;·~T'..:_Y A~'iK'i~JARJS 1'P...!!!

161ST Il\lF.AN'IBY P.EPLACED THE 2981'B' 1NlP·~'I:?Y 1 L.'.;[-{!£~;·.; (F .J:A?J\1·1ESE EXTRACTION, IN THE Dmsim~. OUP. T.IT'...S \'!ER~ EAD:'.: ~ t'l':-1 co:'P.:'.:.}r-{ J~ ' (5'.15 E!~GET­ ms At1,1D THE 89TH FIEID J.RTII.TERY E.A"'TALION TO Rff_""1'1D' DU? OUR COMBAT TE.AM. ON JTJNE 3:aD WE HAD BEE£! ALERTED .

ON~

The outfit had undergone numorous CPi:1 s . {Comroa:id Post Exercise$), alerts, test defense exercises, and the 161 O:;~ ficers and' .some NCO' s' had gone through the Division ~Jea:9ons Sc:!J.ool, IJ}ckna"':.ed "Collin's School of 'nl.ctical Knm·Tledge 11 • ;:reapons instruct~on had been emphasised all over the reg i!!lent. ~en the regiment was relieved of its mission of beach defense and we once more asse.L.lbled as o~e unit , mai:::ily because of Colonel Orndorff' s hard >iork to ket:lp the ref!:i:nent intact.

Regimental Headquarters and the second battalion '\?.'ere stationed at Fort Hase, the first battalion at the E:ailua Race Track, and . the third battalion at ~1e Cocos.nut Grove. -n(ore replacements cat'le .. into the regiment ~ at the Race · Track from the Christmas end canton Island Task Forces, and from the .27th Infantry Division.

Training began--r:ia.rches, lectures, jungle work, range firing, combat· and obstacle courses. In November our a':ll:phibious marietivers came. o"f.f ei Dovm to Pearl HBrbor we trouped to board transports. i!/o sailed out, debarked into Higgins boats with ::iachine guns mou..TJ.ted in their noses. Then 1'1e chur:::ied into a bay· near ~1uaimanilo and dashed through tlle surf, spluttering and wet, on Pokoi" Beach. The last we~k in November. we bad the annual manual of arms drill-down for the Tho!!las G• .Aston Trophy and a Re5i.filGntal Parade at Fort Hase.

We had guys from farms, from oil fields, from steel mill.s, from. ll.ll1ber camps, fros. high schools and colleges, fro~ the pr9fessions and from businesses. Our enlisted roon ca"n.e fr::n forty-sEivc i:l states (the exception was New 'Hampshire), from the District of Columbia, Canada, Porto :Rico, and Moxico. The 161 had bocomo a r.:.ai ".All•A::nerican" outfit.

ONE YE:.R TO THE Df.:." SDTCZ ~'E: m:Pl.RTED FRO:~ FORT tEffi:S FOR TEE DEC~~ 6TF 1942, Pi.RT OF T".rIE REGl;'·"ENT It'Rnm,. TERRIFIC DOWNPOUR BOARDED THE USS REPUBLIC.· ':!!ERE ·;~.A8r!' T CO'NFUSION .A!'ID DISOPJJEa THIS TIME. B'! .A:MERl\TOON 7!E .AND 01B. CARGO ~JERE s.n;rmn .AY.1.AY. IN rn· T'JILIG:-r.1' ..OF ~'Vl~ITNG, HO:NOLm A~TD 'l'FJ'; ISLAND OF OAHT! P.AS~ FROM PHILIPPINES, ON

VI.Elif. 'l'he Frederick Funston, ll'l.anned by the Captain and so~e of the crew from the 'Bliss, which had been sunk off North Africat follov1ed on ~com­ ber 16th with the third battalfon, Anti-tank and cannon Companies. :far tbre.e 'Weeks we'd kno"m the Division was moving. 1']'e knew we were headino; south under sealed orders. :.There?

Every-'lilOrni·ng we fell out on deck for boat drill or for some other harassment. rraitiil.g around on the nev1ly-swept dee~, ~vary one of our non-coms took his comyass off his belt and began to VTildly shoot azimuths from one end of the Pacific horizon to the . other. Then they'd

- 21 -

scurry belov1 , end in the confusion and sweat of the hold, di g o.n old beat up Rand McNelly world map out of a berrack bag and proceed to plot our course--•·;here in holy hell were v.re goi:::;g? Va:-iom::l~: at one time or anotnor it 1'18s back to San :F'rancisco, Panama 1 l·:idrra~v j and Tahiti . Four days out, one Pfc meticulously read his corrrp3.se and checked it on the map . It projected a line directly to the S'Ju·~hwe st. For the first ti~e sinca we got on the boat ho sat ao~n a~d thoughtfully cleaned his BAR. There was a ceremony on l)E;cembcr 11th, at 7: 15 ?M when 't'!C crossed the Equator. Th-3 stout, stern Colonel in c omnend of tho troops was mado to parade the docks in a loinclo"&h "tatoocd wi"i;h IGOrcuroc:hromo.

On Docombcr 15th we cro~sed ths Ir~tor nntional D:-.te Linc .

Pacific nights were wonderful to v;atc:i. ,·1i t i..t the noon sm;aking· through anger-·cha1·go<l clouds e.nd falling across t..hc decks, and GI ' s singing ronantic soru;;s in tho shadow of' a boom.

On December 20th , the Republic docked at green-looking Suva in tho Fi ji Islands. rle got off for a sovon mile stretch merch. I t was . a bright sunny day- a ll ·tho pretty girls s0emr:d to be working in tho Matson Office. Suva Police stood at the street corners , dark strapping men rri. th skirts and bushy hair that was black or dyed polo yollow or r ed . Back on the boat each man was allowed to v:ritc and moil one lette r.

On Christmos Duy, thc, Ronublic l eft Suve. Mcr.m-1hi l c the Funston nnchorod off Viti Lcvu IslP.ndt Fiji, on tho same d~y, nrriving ot Noumea , Now CnlGd o::iir.. on DccGmbcr 28th.

On the ~.!!.£ vrc were told we ~'1o ro going to Gund ~lc _'.1nnl end would mnke a covered lending with no opposit ion on the ground- unloadin~ could not be continued a~er dark because of ~ap bombings and strafing. We anchored on December 30th in Indispensable Strait between Guadalcana.i. and Tulagi. In four hours the thre e thousand troops aboard the Republic were on shore via car~;o nats, Higgins boats, and lighters. .At 10:15 in the mornin.g the last li;::;htor of troops headed for shore toward cocoanut trees and a sandy beach .

Looking out "from the b crw of that last boat load , Guadalcanal looked like a steaming jungle, ~rou could almost S!'.lell it • • •••

l - Outpost 2 - · Clea=ing Stc.i.tion for wounded 3 - Convoy m•l1lil!lllilll!ili!1Bm~ to ' Canal 4 - Company E Gu~rs cmd "Fiji Coomur.do.s" 5 - "Sw8de" P9rson with Crosse s for our Graves 6 - Matanikau Pocket 7 - Jap Pistol 8 ·- Ja~ ?risoners 9 - R~gtl CP on trail to Hill 87 10 - Kinu~wa Mnru, J ap Ship 11 - Wrecked J ap Shii> 12 -·- ~opto.in Ralph Rose C--ets a Huircut 13 - Na-Gives g - Joo E. B:::'own Visits Guedalcnncl 15 - Mokile Village 16 - Shelled Palms at Kokumbonc.

17 - Lt Ken French H~lds J ap Flag 18 - Third Bn Patrol Tokes to Sea 19 - Company E P~tro l 20 - Cnptured J ep Field Pieces 21 - Cli.ow 22 - Home 23 - Ono of the Fi!!.h ter strips at Henderson Field 24 - Crossing Maki le !Dgo.o n 25 - General Collins ( Gundnlco.nal, New C-eorgie, Ch;.rbourg) 26 - Cannon Congrotulctos Colone l Dalton os He Gets His N<)\'.J "Eo.glo" Company Trains on 't .he l!.otcpcnn 27 - Beached Jap Ship.

SO~

THE ~..ADALCi-UX'JU... STO"R'l, ~ 3T.lu<TE:D BEFORE 'IE....;. 25'IB DIYIS!Ol\ .AL'1RIYED-FOUR .iiiiO?~ BEFORE •.• • • .• •• •

A white rr~st crept over the corel.reef, and ~egan to spread itself above the palm trees of the planti.tions. The mqu.'nt8.ins beca.l!le· forbidding shapes i n the blackening dusk, ·and around 'the al.p!.Ostcomple~ed airfield. gr.o,up.s of J"apanes.e soldiers ga thered to play cards, continue diaries, ox get drunk on :::>c:ke . i\one would heve believed their doom was· hastily ,approaching. None had seen the dark fi .g ure emerge from the jungle to pass quickly among the native laborers; nor did they see the natives pick up their scanty belon.glnss and pass quietly int9 the 't r inge of darkness at the ed.ge·of the field.

Far back in the hills beside .tha. !..fetapona River E-.tood a large house With 8 Wide screened veranda . lnside 8 bearded yo$g man sat b,efore a dinily .iit r.adio- a year · ago white men had ·l ived here and directed the, nat~ves . in, penning gol d from the ri ver- ""'.novi tµe young island commissi.o ner was radioing to. .Australi a the · progress of the new enemy airfie l d on Gt:..adalcan~l . For weeks.the n atives had worked on the airfield , and at night one vmul d slip through tho sentries to tell .how near comp+etion it was, while yo\Jng : ~'l. ]' . Martin 'Clemens had watched in safety' from vari ous. l ookouts outposted by tb'.e nati v0s . · At last , tonight, Clemens recei ve.d .the long av1ai:ted ·message from Jlustrulla--the time td strike had come. He disp atched a netive boy to tell the l~borers to steal away from the field that night.

At 0614 Friday morning, AU5ust 7 , 1942 , o new li ght arpeared i n the South Pacific skies. I t arced across the heavens to l and with an earth shaking explosion, and sleek gray planes plummeted from the clouds to drop their : l oads of bof!lbS on ..the airfield we woula later cail Henderson Field . The bombardment .by our task f011ce had begun.

Guadalcanal, a pinpoint on the. map , had become the- first real offensive of .America and the British El!1pire . "wtli.AT DID Tm.s GU*1C.tu\Al. Ji!IEAN TO US? HERE hE VOO\E-GREEN TROoPS-SUDDEN.LY· FINDING otrlt.SELV.ES P J\kT OF TES FIR,ST IWPORT.ANT .LAND O.FF~SIVE AGJUN::>T THE J .APS •

Thero was on e amy di:vision plus the Marines on Guadalcanal; bu t their fight against the J aps had become stalemated. Both sides were tired , neither had the "J.Jush" to finish off th~ other. ~ division was to be thrown in at the las.t moment to decide the issue . The tensi on on the Republic as we debarked · was turrific ; the Navy officers wanted to get us 9ff and get the bell out of there. Woll , we ~ot t o shore , set up in the cocoanut grove- and watchetl our pile of equiPment being dumped on the beach. lie w~ren 't fully equippoo--wc lacked much transportation equipment; still it wasn't that about \~hi ch we wdrried .

What more memantous occasi on could thare be than a man's firs t time i n battle? vie · cleaned our weapons with care, · and checked end r~ checked our equipment . Many of us spent most of those first few days by the beach just thinking . 11 1·lb.at are the J aps like?" " Hill I come out all va?" Serious , apprclionsi ve thoughts. A l ot of us covered ou r tE:nsion with crude humor , and· we all wrote ·home doing our host to write a normal l~tter .

- 25 -

All of us experienced a n ervous tension

lik ~

that of a runner on his

mark befor e the race.

For five or six days we camped there on the edge of the island in the cocoanut trees . Long before wo landed, the wat..;;r on..'board ship had been turned off for bathing and washing. ~c lit era lly smelled. The mugginess of tho jungle closed in on us. God, it was hott We got to strip and ·ba the in thu waters of the Ilu River-it made us. feel liko men again.

The first night we wore caught in a torrent of rain--we'd dug our f oxboles, but hadn't put up our t ents. S0curi ty bofore comfort--as quickly as that :lessons are learned. \Je got bellyaches from eating .too .many cocoanuts, and always there wcr0 the thoughts, fears, and excitement of knowiiig that tat las't we wore here where our years of training were going to bo put into. use. The .Marines t~at lounged pn beach .defense tpld us storius--somc of them.the tallest damned y a rns ever invented, sane· of than frightening. They tried to swap their 1 03 Sp:I'.ing.fi eld rifles bnd their Reising guns for our Ml's.

We suddenly had a new appreciation for our Ml. Jm assortmiant of Jap flags and rifles kept drifting back from the front and we wondered same more . about the enemy we were to face.

VJE STRUCK OUT ON JANUARY 6, 19-43 FROM .lIJNGA BEACH .AND TltuDGED 'ro CUR P~TER D~E POSITIONS AROUND Hl.NDERSON FI:.iw..D, RELI~VING 'ffiE 35'IH INF.AN1'RY. FCR FROl-.'TLINE WTY. PYIUMIDlu.. TEN'IS "wERE Al.READY SEI' UP 'NOT· F .AR BEHIND 'lHE D.EF.ENSE LINE OF ll'CIXHO.I.J!S hND MACHINE GUN POSITI ONS. This .portion of the p~rimet er was fonnt:rly a front line that held off many J'ap attacks. 'l 'elltale battle scars, remnants Of Jap soldier's bodies and their equipment told of a terrific struggle here ~ot so many weeks ae,o.

Barbed wire strir:tched ·out 25 yards in front of the pQsi tions and we \vere cautloned to btnVare of lend mines • .American curtosi ty and des-ire· for souvl3nire l~d us to investigate this n<:WJ area of ours. \re got our first glimpillo of dead Japs. There was a large bomb crater that probably had many dead bodi t:is buried in it. Fee.t and skulls were sticking out here and tJ;lere. 'lh~ top of a sun-dried h,ead .jutted out of the earth with a Rising Sun flag still wrapped around it.

By thE:s second day we hnd our "A" bnrrack bags and took advantage of what comfort we coul.d for at least a ·d ay or two longer. The kitchens had cano up too.

We were a ,sea.red bunch of Yanks th~ first night on the lino.

Out tho.re bob.ind a wall. of blackness wos the Jap line, and through the night ot interva;ls we could hear tho J aps y011 out, "Damn the PresidOD,.tt" or "hneripnns, Surrondert" On the second night . a Campany B cook belov1 "Bl~ody Ridge" heard a crash in the brush, and hollered out, "Goddmn it, it's. a _Jap. I know it's· a J'ap.!" Ccmpany B stayed nwako the v~hole night and iii th~ morning c fat pig walked out ·of the brush.

Tho nights were always dreaded. ifo nl;)ver knew when a J'ap patrol might infiltrcte through our lines ••• OUR MISSION ON THE · P~IlJi!:Tm ~I.Jib TO SECURE THE BOU'I'B. FLANK OF 'llIE XIV CORPS. HE P aTROLI.;i!;D ~ OO'lE INTO '1liE HILLS .riND H.HD OUit FIRST EXPHUEtmE MOVING IN ''NO liiUill' S LnND".

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~IS , t>l:iOJ!S, ..n."ID i;EB :KJJIP.U~"T , PROBABLY I1J'AU?ED ·IBERE BEFORE 'lliE J.kPS &D RI'.i' .'nffi i.l.<!RD\id ON 'BLOODY RIDGE.

\·iE FOUND P.Il.hS OF JAP.. G....;;,

When we ware rcplilced on the p orim.oter by the v eteran l32nd

I nfantry we looked at their bottle wuery faces and th6ir platoons of no more than a dozen men.. They gDW us advice and we took it-''Rol d your fire at night .'' 11Kill an~rthing thot move:s c.fter dark .·" They told us things and we l earned ·other things e. bout· jungle fighting long before the rules appeared in print. . 110 sav·i a ruan C<!I'ric;;d out of a Matanikau pocket "block"-~hc ' 4 thrown o gronodc at night and it had hit o treo and bounced back. \fo sew the r C:; ::;ults-- thcy v1crc sobering. Yes , we lc:anH:d , ond quickly .

A MYRIAD OF 'ij!OUGfHS ?;;SS 'IliROUCH a IX"lJGEBCIY ' .::> illNL DURING HIS FIRST iUR :KAID, 'lliOUGHTB RmC·..1.U.n'i'w BY nN .,.J..JkiO.S•r P~YL.Il\G .FEAR. EVERi B~B OU'.iS OOi'ffiW.f;l{D .am .Ii T.Ji.Rn!FYING d••OO.SH ·&...;Iw:D BY A HIW PITCHED SIGH--~W BCMB B~ B..c.....mm F•O.rt YOU .hLOl~i: .tJ\D Tlhiil: ~TANtS STI U.. THE TERROR OF Tfil: hiQ:ai:NT bHU1'S OU'"i' ;.:.Vff.RY .:>OU:ND IDT THE i-cI.IBH OF 'I'HE BOMaS; 'IHEN ~y .i!APJ..OD...1 r.ND S}i,i;"4•.·! TO SH...-.Ki 7Hi£ VERY PILLiiRS OF THE EARTH. CHJ,Rll;Y llWl'PED SIX .O~ .ir.ROUGH OUR ...nP.Eii. 'I:WsT FIRST NIGHT •• • ••

It was at 9 .PM onu ni6}lt two wooks or so efter we had landed on Guadalcana l end we ht.d s~ttl ed into the pvriml- t ur two hundrud yerds from Fightor Strip Number 3. Condition Rt.:d VH!S soundC;:d . One searchlight streoked the sky and thon a.nothor, "Chorl.LJy·" wos caught for o momont in a cr osslight and thon ho disnppeared . Tho lights W3Vt:red and caught him again. Far bcilow VH:: sot wr.tching the: sight end thrilling to tho burst of a-A fire. high abovo . Tb.on Chorley ·cut loose with ell ho hc.d.

His bomber sounded liko c.n old ldaytr.g vmshing m:.chine churning through the> air ovurhcod. Th~ nbrummp of his cnginas had crossed tho island and swung beck ,over Henderson Fie ld ; his banbs shook hc:ll and oorth vd th on c:xplosi vc fury. · One men was ki.llpd. Fina lly Condition · Qr~on sounded. For ten Seconds C Quiet DS doep as tho blo ck:ncsS ~il ~round r eigned . 'llle>n the digging began. ~ie usod shov el s, holm0ts , mvss gccr s, and tin cans~-scrious diggilig wi thout n vrnrd. 'l'hct is ell one; could hoer , tho IOOtullic sounds of metal scraping into sand.

Part of the Second Battc lion btaff climb&d out of n ~hrce­ quorters full go.rbago ·pit ; some guys started to cxtriccte thems~lv~s frcm a t on8).o of mosquito nets; san...: lcid and gazad up at the j&gg~d shrapnel tco.;-s in their pup tents whi.~(; they lost thtiir man(;jntary poro.lysis . Everybody went to work. l'vt "Putrol" Coumcris (Potro A. Coumoris ) dug down so deep ht). had to b 0 h<:ilpt;d out of his hole; several man struck water; tho holes W\.lr u dug deep end e;ood.

'When the moon vrns f ull, .1?tr.1otinu:is tbreo · or .four bombers would f l y ovor vzith Charley, and we ' d any, ~Hore comos Cha rl~y a nd his cousins" . H.:i. had a nasty h abit of snuekine, in buhind our homewcrd bound pl nnes ond then swooping doTin on the fi0ld to drop his eggs. ~'e went through over throe hundred bcmpings on Guodc lcano.l. lib.en we . weren' t btn;{inG-our · r ncos in a hole hoping th~ next one woulQn't hcve our number writte n on it, we w~tchcd th.;} sp<::Ctelcle.

I t wos l i ko tho Fourth ot July- at Con.c y Isle.nd vii.th the ~A guns around HendGl'son, from M agi ocross the bP.y , and from the ships at

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·~mchor · off

tho island thr01-1ing up 6v0rything but th .: ki tchc;;n sink at .. Charley irnd his p81s. 'Ih0 search.lights 5i9p~d to Silhou·~\ite their ta~get. whi.10 ell.. eround ·it tgQ~li'i't. ::}hol.4: burst. int·o big... bc+;l:s of flEi.me and 40 and 20~rn shots burni.-d 't~~ ct::r str:eaks through thtr air befor·c they di oo out. CJomoti.r:'ws a ·p;Lane would plummc:..t in fl~1es into the-mounteins in front of us . or" the' S6Q beyo;.ad.~ The night i~·. i..pril vib.en our ·night i'i ghters firs·t bag&li to operote, evcrybq(ly .lnew befor-0ho.nd thot 'th~r e vmuld · be ·no' a:ck-o.ck~ We heard a Jep senpli..ne crossing the fsl.:nd· 't.p . run in on its bombing mission end ·we left our cover to v1atch·. Compeny F could haar the directions coming in ove;r an air · corps rad'ar ner.:rby . "You' re on buam 82 -- 83 -- 86 -- you're on your ovm ••• 11 . Tr~c0rs op0nod up from the hie:.h flying :fighters. ?he · seE.lpl~,no bur~t into f,l.runws ·and its bombs dropped f pr :::viay. It sound,;,d like a Notr~ Dmue · footboU game for "i t soea-:ivd as . i~ 0v017 Yank on . Gu~dolc~al, to a mu:n~ stood up and chcerca. \i'hen we a·ITived. on Gucda1canal ·the;;re was only e. hc;.nd1"'.ul of pl~nes o.nd wc thought v10 hcd c.n ~i r f .orce.

By th0 time ~;w left there were hundr.06.s o·f banbers end fighters . wc..:ighing down hendcrson bm Ct:.rn<;y Fields. It's e reassuring sif,ht ::md soun:d-.~ thr. t of our own planes. Moybe those fliers ov(;rhoc.d don't rea.lize it,.but .vJc.~ dovm on the ground, followed them in our hearts wherover they 'Went, end. counted .-tho4' bombers one by on~ es thoy returned. ~~e: too bre11tb.ad a sigh of .. relif! f whon t~ le.: st limping straggler oppear.:..O. over tl+e horizon.

On Christmas E.v e, 1942, a high frequ.:.incy radio. had picked up Charl(,}y , · and he had ensworc,ici in cultivated Ene,lish. ~foshboord Chsrley .had gone, to t 'hu Uni.vcrsi ty of Son Francisco and h o hed e hell of o tim~ · discussing the relt!tive m~rits of. tnu hot spots in San lt'r:mcisco ' s Chinutown. "~'m running. low _o n ' 'g os ," he sa~d, "turn on your lights end I'll drop you c Chrisiliias present. if "YOU come dCMn a l i ttlc lowur :::nd W3 'il throVJ you up one," the operoto;r replied. :Finally when the night fighters erun.e, Ch~rley vient tho way of all doad Japs .:wiliilc 'his cousi~s earried on high eboy;.; in th~. Guadalcancl ski~s, wb:oro e Jap t69k h.i s lif0 in .his honds t 'o b.rnv0 tb.·t> new aerial might of thc; Y·enk:s .

YOU Cl-il\'T ';,Il~ BATT.LES BY $I ·i'lTI\G H '. j}"OXriO;~~ .SUR!<Otnmnm. AN AIRFibLD ·vfilU "'lli.E ENff.jJY HO~ MOUND ·:ea '1l:L:!. ·F,goi\ T. . IT ".i.J16 SOMETii!N"J. LIKE '1HE '()J'NU'!PLa'.ii.D ST.M'l'i.i.t..ENT ·OF G:i:J'~'(,.;L CO:LLilS. 't'1iEl" 1IE LEFT ·fu.i;;~i!Ii-; ,;IF T.tiEY ;. ;ILL I~O'..i.' . Co...u£ :ro U.:f , . ii:ii; :{l.Ll. GO TO THEM", .AND 1fil; ·161 .~ Giv~ Tm; 1.qa&lOii OF ..F.f..U::iHIN&. 'l'lli:: J..nP OVT OF 'lfil CP..I T.r Chi.. JJ!.h'I'.Af~KaU i:UVER POC}Q!I' ••• Buzzing fli".::? sucked · et tho · scrc.~cht;s on .his lugs,.und w~lked on clemmi ·foC:t 6vor: ·1:ds Ullblinking ·fiico . ~3 he , l cy ·t:llerc. He ·was just :mother body to.. the ·flic~ .end ·Jops :ell· or01md him. in the: :de:nse jungle.

Ho lcy as d.eaci,. bu.t . · his mind \'idrkcd· £:s it never hnd ·bci'ore. He formod ~nd discarded plans in ropid suc.ces..sion, tr.ring to k~e~ his mind Oll the dcngor frqm too despcr::it'c CL.Gilly V~hi;Ch sur:r:oundod him.

Pfc ·c1aronce R. P0x:elto., c: · slfght, smiling. hl..::xicon · who 'hod been dl'Oftc;d from his r-anch job in Cal~forn.ic., laid nc. clairn to fcn1e.

Ho was not colorfuLin the way Air Corps c.rrd Navy men · ~r0. Ho was just a 11Dogfaco". lt .w0 s . olinost two yoors ai't0r his induction wh0n

Peralta poke d his hood of sP.ort, bl~ ck heir into c n~st of J o.ps-pokod his hoed in, went through hell for three dc.ys ond nights and cruno out grinning.

Tho Jops, with their usucl tenccious cunning h c..d ol e ctGd to make a final stond in o pocket of jungle botwoon steep ''Hill ·63" on the north ·and a cliff. vihich dropped a coupk of hun"cired feet :to the big, sluggish 11otoni·kou River 500 ycrds to tho south--the srune Mataniko.u which l cnpi.:ld into the headlines two monthG earli e:r whon tho Merinos had oxoctcd ~ terrifi c t oll ·i n vircsting thi.; no.turcl barrior from the 1aps. ""n thG l!.cst end i<est determine d doughboys formoo the draw-strings \1hich closei d the pockvt ::it rivur blocks .

These blocks were. only c::. hclf milo a port. 'lho J c.p commend post Cll'ea under the unbcli cv~bly d ense jungle wos traver s~d l ongthwise by a fingered ridge und two norrov1 trfrils-on id~ol set-up for jungle defense. Both the hill ond the jungl~ ccross the river were held by moro eoger J·ops·.

This was thu set-up when tho third platoon of Compony C, 16lst Int, movod up from the east block on a r~connoiss o.nce in force on the ofte:t:noon of J onuo.ry the 16th.

The wily J cps lot the pla toon advance well up on~ of the narrow., confining trZJils btlfore pinning it down with mochinti gun and ri flc fire from tho front, r ear, and hill flanks. Captain Kc,nneth P. Potton calmly worked the patrol south to the ri vcr bank where the men knott od together 40 shultvr halves and low ~ reid thems~lves some 200 f oot do.vn thµ foc i.:> of tho cliff to tho Mctapikau-wi th.out a CQSUDlty • In th~ meontimo c small p otrol fran Company B sUd down the Steep hill into tho pocket. 'lhis petrol was bc dly s~ot up and the outfit lost C{iptain Emmett s. Hughos, :formerly a SeottlEJ attorney • .A r~inforcod group from Company C wont to help this s econd patrol and P or a lta want along .

Tho point ran into troubli:> o lmost i ·mmcdic t cly. ?-tien the scout fell, Perolta ran ah0ad to lead the point.. It wos g etting late in tho a ftornoon and tho pocko t v;os falling under early tropical darkness . when the frc coo roached its ~eight , ot which po~nt e.l$11lc:1nts of the petrol were scpcrotcd end most of th0 mon withdrew.

Pers lta fought on with tho point, t.'Von ofter seeing t.ht:i scout hit ~Q. watching Lt. "Stove" Lynnu::n (Ell"JOOd ;.. lfmrum) buckl.o over from c machine ~un burst in the pit· of the stoma ch. Lynmnn 's lost conscious act wcs to quiutly tell thu mun to pull <?Ut. ~ f c1~ minutes lcter, still fighting in tho bush, Peralto sow his buddy shot i n the ann . ll~ snapped ·his l4l to his hip o nd killod the J ap -with throe shots. Jumping into the brush h e;; trit:d to get to his buddy, but ti. stroom of s lugs hosed from a J ap mc cb:i,ne gun forced him t o ·b ug tht: ground a fGW ft:;.,.t owoy and w::tch ;tiis pol bleed to death., unabl.o to opp]¥ c. life-saving t ourniquut . PGrolta was still thcro mute with r ogo WhC;Jn the Japs comt:i out ot the brush and calmly picked ovor the newly docd nnn.

Peralta: whose helmet hcd bouncod off whun hu jumped into tho brush, ploy~~ pQssum while ho fi8urod out thc t thu p otrol ho~ run into obout 15 Jcp~ in conco=lod positions on tho fo~tifi cd ridge.

I.s ble clcncss doscondod on the pocke t , Poraltc, \~i th c ord'ul movement discnrdod his sho;;;s a nd, uquippod only \-;it~ his trous~rs, shirt, ono chocolcto bcr, one hand .ercnode end his rifle \'Ji th five roundf; in tho Illllgt.zino end two extrn clips , erawled out of the

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brush and dovin ·the trai 1 towc rds si:.f... ty .

Thu ·r irs t hwn~s h e fouud · weru on1.: of th o:- compcny m~aic.ol oid men and a buddy witt. en :mtoni:~tic ri fk- both d ci:.d.

It 'l"iOS pitch dr..rk i:nd st:-ong~ . Hour :::ftt;r hour und...;r the cover 01' soft ,. a lfon nois0s end thu occcsi oncl scr uucil.ing of pb.rrots, his crcv1linG s e:i:.rch for th~ rcutc out of tlw pock:0t ·coiltinued . Soon roalizctio~· th~t h o W8S trnppc,d dc.wncd u -pon him . ·:Ji.th outwar d 'calm h u l'luigh0d the d ucdly gNnadc ugcinst th..; bl.-:ck futur0 nnd s ilur1tly pull..:d tho pin, vo\1i n;:_ to hims;;lf to srcb ~ h:tt\0d Jap nnd dreg him into oblivion with th;:: Gren-de b"ut\I C;un them if h 0 w0r0 disco.vere:d .

Dcwn· f ound · th.:: weory but t c.ut. solclic:r still. in th<.: pocke.t.

Cautiously h e er:H3ed himself into o slight dopre:ssi on , most of ·b,is body cro•;d0d. under u small bush which f.ail ;,,d t :; cover his bore legs sticking out towc.rd tho trail. Dro~ gin g h ours pullvd thE:- dc::y along as he lay there. The stench of dc;ad Iilun ming led vii th tho musty ·odor of the dam.p jungle end the acrid smel l of b.urnt povJder • .Soon patrols b0gnn to foc.l out th .:. pockot ::: gcir.i . Eech e.ttempt ~Jas blOck<:id by shEirp, high crocm of JU>is okc riflus end thL: _.corresponding stnccoto c~tt.:ir of Nonibu light me.chin(; guns . The. Jep muchino gun \'Jl'!ich hGd reis1..d holl with his petrol 24 hours ecrlicr r c ttlc d a long merrily 50 foot f:Poni \llh~ro h e; l ay .• ~t dark on th0 second night h~ nibblud ono of his pre cious squares of chocol;;to , a throc.t-- coating job without w ct~r, b~fore moving out tovK~rd the riv er V!hich h& kn t..'l\'1 ~'IOti- ld l t:::.d him to fri o ndly troops . hc.dn ' t l1cited l ong tmoue,h . A Jcp sppttea him ond bogcn t .o Tiork into po~i ti on foi; a kiJ+ing shot ~ P v!'oltn fir 0d once . and his rif lu jammed. He thrc.'W ·i t cpd t h ... rumc:;indur of his ammuliition away. J\lmping upri~t h e dodgcd · his way down ~he gully full of caves and tunnels ond dropp\Od ·int o c shollhc l e . Re crouche d tlierf: until the hullubclloo diod dovn}. . Jolgo.in he moved-around n high .0 0ricl end fi c:.ld gun toward \'ilie:.r o h e could hour the heevier cuthori tcth·c rnp of '1lllericcn fire . The v1hol.:: night •;1es c despcr c. te g~o of hid.e -and•seek.

-.·1bon onoth\:Jr .day filtered down into th0 pocket hv wei? still thcre- -laying on the surf~c0 of tho ground \'Ji th no shull- hole hcndy .

Tht t dey tho Yc.nks concludod thair r 0connaisscnco petrolling and Peraitc· lay with his !:ace tu the sky cs his buddies on the bill lobbed mor;.. t•han 400 high ·e xplosi v o mortur r ounds i:hto the confined ~roe. . Fr~@llcnts of shell burstin.3 high in the to\Jering tr0os showered down around him for over twc hours . By coruful obsurvction he spotted eight J ops posted in trues t.bul.i.t· him.

They too livud through the bcrroge t o 9ring down fir6 on .Aiw.;;ricDn troops who tried to clenn out the r .::.t 's n ost. lE:ito in thl.) afternoon the MGXiccn h cd hi .:; first drink of vl!:tcr in 48 hours-- those drops of rain which trickl od off" lcoves where· hu could ppen his mot>:th ond cctch than without moving.

P cr oltc watched tho Jop~ . nnd picked up thuir signals for fUtur e reference . Thero. ~ere two series of whistled not~s , o bcrk lik~ n snnll ~nimol end th0 click of ?ticks or ccr-tridg&·cas.cs . ';:hen the rif lemon in the tr o... s spottc.od !mcri ccns thay t cppcd out ci wq:ning vJhich brought e Jcp scurrying out of a hol-:. to mDn c mochint: gun or sent sevare l off through th~ brush with riflc.s. Hv notud c:it l east two e lovatod light mcchinc guns-one high in. o trve which wcs equipped with o rope. o.nd pulley.

Ho

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as tho till.rd night of th.., orde:d .t ~ ll P -.:rolk v;c.s spc tt cd by two raen tied high in thu biggc.:st tr0u . E 0 c::sc a pc;d i n th0 g:Jthuring dark:ncss--but not f.cr. .nftor ni8htfull , st ill clutching his grcncdc, he bogcn to mnnEiuv.::.r cgr..in. ,.•.lJnost <::t one<;; hi.; found himsel.f in tho midst of ·a gr oup of Jcps · s~un tti ug J:,i..;sidG ·the tra il. Shirtloss end riith h~s sher~ bl2.ck hci r sticl-"..ing ~ trdght up h? dropped into n squotting p osition n ecr them r.1!d prpyed thoy \\JOUldn ' t invostigcto th0 nE:wcorucr. liis lu.ck wcs ::.s strong cs his nerve . Twice ho got u:p c.nd slm-:ly !ilOv0d ofi' i n th_, dcrkn 1..ss end twice Jo.ps dropped on ~:t:.e ir h;:unchl:is t o r 0s t b l:)sid 1,: h i lll . The l i ttlo men with buc k t eoth nev er let out so 11rucll c ~1 one sibilant whisper. 'lhcy just slumped down , dc; j e ct c;d , fatiguud, <.:' nd obviously befuddled by the hell the-; h t;d b een through in . tho p .2st w-.:ek.

Ho nt0 another sque.r0 of choc ~ kto v:hik h ~ iiJ:.'. tchod them signul oao~ other with bits of phospo:r osccr.t burh.. ~ihcn one sn.cppvd a twig in moving he 1.mm~di c tuly fl·oze: unt .L l he.; l.!fld id<.:ntifi t:::d h imself by boating o lit;ht t attoo on th.:; sidus of his pant l ogs in an imitction of thcr flutter of o bird's wings.

'I'ho Yanks cbovo the pocke t f'irud intormitt t;ntly o ll hight, ovecy night hara ssing the J epc <:ind one f :::ti3ucd 1!111_,ric cn. ~·llen morning of the thl.rd dt:?y, efter three tensu nigh ts in th0 midst of the enemy, found Pere lt c. in position · b ·~ tween two · J op me chino guns 'in trees ond surroundod by riflumen "h 0 duoi dod it wos ti.llll:; t o get out no mnttor whe t t h.;; cost, lie headed ·toward tht> kiw ricon lin0s at th e liest block, & knel'~ they were ~oricans b..:ioou~ o h e .c ould ·hour :them hurling ipsults Lt 11Tojou, drawing revealing fire from the h.ps~ in the brush .

Approoching thu bl0ck h .:;; had his clos 0at brush v1i th den th. Hc:i called out t o tho doughbcys, but tho Compc.ny i.. mun , . c. l ort for Jop ruses , took o no look ct him ond c J.most shot him bef ore on0thur Moxiccn y c llc.d, 1'Hcy, I know that guy . 'r.:l_c-t 's P..,rr.,ltc from Company C." Still they mcdc;; him put down his i;r(mndo .

Pcroltc. put c. twi g in th~ pin-ho l~--~~~r thrv~ dcys end nights of vmlidng YJi th· dcath--rois13d his hc.nds in :thv oir and ou f ..;:3·;; bruis e d and out by j agged corcl vicbbl.:.id out to friendly hcnds.

Exoi tod c alls ro.n through tho ranks of ·sweDting doughboys os they passed him ulong to the company· co.llllllCnder.• Tho c.~pte.in put t erse questions to him, drogg:l.ng out his story.. It. ran liku this, ''I'm pretty lucky. I ~us . in there t hroo dnys and nights end now I coroo out. That's nll."

IT WJS UTE MTEHNOON WUEN SECOl\D '3..;'l'I'hl..ION REhC"iiill HIU. 53 .AFTER FIVE HCURS OF SLOGGING UP .hND DOWN lliE MJDDY BILIS TO TSE MJ.T,;OOKJID. TRl!.""Y WERE TO .REUEVE THE Z'1Tli INF.nl~ COMPiJUllS MANNING THE RIVER BLOCID, Y1lil CH SUPPChEDLY 1W> 500 J,,..PS TRAPPED IN 'IHE POCKET. CrurE>Jil.."Y' E TOOK OVER PCl3ITION3 ON 53, Jo.ND PJUtT OF COMPi.NY F STRUNG OUT JU.ONG ..h NAU\Oli FTh'GER DIPPING INTO 'am JUNGLED V.hll.L:.--Y. J.. SEC'I'I ON OF COMP .:J~Y H i.lbCB.ING Gt!N3 ulNr DOWN TO FORM .A SM.ALL BLOCK ON 'lIDt TIP OF ~ FINGi::R.

S;t Harry ~cnthin (novJ S S;;t) , Company H, placed _onu of his guns on tho odgo of the slopo to f ir e down a trdl .coralng up. i'rom the river, and -tb.t:i otl:i.or gun, h 0 put on t h e v .::ry tip of the ri dge t o f ire dovm a drop•off •. 'lhu gun crei~s heck~ at thl'.: c orol until dusk ond got onl.Y foot-docp holus.

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Behind the guns, throe men wore to take turns o~ gtlc'!'d. Dusk turned into darkness . It wns tho first night on the fr0nt lines for theso rilon. Everybody wo.s tired, but not llllny slept. Suppose the dcs:pcrato Japs should try a bre·a k thro,· gh, .i1h11t thon? Tho gunners had hud dry runs, but these ~,701'(: live Jl:lps tho:r fc.ced , and this was the front lino. Tho guys who had been .up tho hill the night before so.id they'd soon only one Jo.p nnd they'd shot .him.

Suddenly, not long after dark, o. string of shots soundod from one of tho hills . Th~t sto.rtcd it. Tho firing spread fran one hill to another in a continous trnin of sound. T!J.o men on the finger h0ord it come down Hill 53. Then Ben.t hin hoard tho fight break out where tho mnchino gun , crow vro.s dug in at ·tho end of tho little ridge. Thero wore rifle shots, Jap mnohino guns chi ttorod and gren.e.dos end knee mortc.r shells exploded in loud crashes.

From Bc~thin's hole it soundod liko a hell of e bottle. Protty soon one of his gun 'Crows pulled back , he.lf cr!lwlihg, half ·rmning, o.nd shouting for him to cloar out. Up tho ridge our riflemen wero pulling out too. Benthin dropped into a shall hole with his runner, Pvt Martin E. Seline . Boliind them knee mortar shells era.shod i n quick succession. It wos no use trying to slip back now. They decided they must bo tho only two man still loft out on tho fiilgor.

Thora wos nothing to do but sto.y end m7oo.t .

The two huddlod in tho hol e, their rifles cro.dlod in their arms. It quieted down and Benthin lemied hi& ·Ml egainst tho side Of the hole. Just then S. figuro co.mo stumbling through t:qi;; brush.

Thay know it vms e Jop. He walked to tho ode;o of their hole end looked dovtn. They could s co the vrhitcs of his cyos. Thon ho turned nnd walked avmy. Sa lino r oloasoC: tho grip on his B.AR. It had boon pointing straight into tho Jap' s face . Aft or thnt, nei thcr could sloop , ond the night wore on.

The sky wos getting gray, ond tho two mon had decidod to stay in tho hole until some of their .mon returned. Ir they were in Jnp territory now, they would take their chnnces in tho holo rothor then run for it.

Thoy hoard a noise bohind the:.m o.nd saw two CJf tho ir nen standing thoro. One, Cpl Donald W. Bozarth, held e gronndc O'VGr his hoed poi sod to throw it. Noi the~ had rifles, and their shirts vrare bloody. Bozarth stood frozen and conf'uaod for an instant still r0ady to thr°'r tho grenade. Then ht; recognizod Benthin.

"Jeez, how did you guys koep al1ve1 Lot's get the hell out of here. Thero' s Japs all over the plocet" Tho fou."." starte d up the ·hill just as ot her iwn of the platoon were coming down.

Vlhon Bozarth' s ond Ro.y Goigor' s (Pvt Rn,mo11'1 r.r. Gqigor) stories woro pieced together, Benthin so.w what had happonod when he( hoard tho firing break out at his :forward gun tho night before. •.

About 8 o'clock, · B~orth had heerd Jeps moving or.ound and jabb·>ring. Thon ho saw what ho th.ought was e machine gun going into action not twenty f'oet away. One figure kept coming up tho sm:i.11 sls>J>e. He saw tho gl:tstcn of' a saber in the bright moonlight and cut lOC?SO v1i th ·his Ml. Frcm then on too much happened to remember. He and Goigor had both cc:µgb.t shrapnel frcm a gronade that exploded on the edge of their holes. He kept firing his Ml until Jnp slugs jammed the operating rod• Both .men crouched in tho hole,

- 32 -

1 1nr

...,, ~ "'"" c;,

r nn /

11

THE GUADALCANAL

•

.~- CAMPAIGN .5AVO ....... ISLAND

· ....-. ~

~

·· <..."APE ESPERANCE ~~ -

.!JT BN P/155£.5 TNRU i.NJ) /1N./)3/J8NJ l'I

.. TC?. CONT/NtJf! ATT!ltk'

DETAIL OF THE

HATANIXAU 11 ''POCl<ET

JllP5 COUNTERATTACK "B"CQllND i?NDl3N 13L0Ck JAN.~O.

~

w

bo.ck to bock, throvi.illg.·.out gren,ad:es as fa~t as the Japs thre~'' them in. Then when a . lull d"e.m.e they jumped ov·e r the bn!lk bohi nd und tumblod into the jungle beloV1. All night they had wmidcred oround tho pocket with the ~·one grenade Boza:r:-th held !:! S their only weapon.

It was the same gre.rtnde he held whon ho ~ocogr.izod Benthin.

(V-l hile nll tliis vms happening in Bozarth' a hole, the "two mon behind the machine gun in the ·noxt hole, Pvt nc.n Lyon (now .Sgt) und Pfc Ohllrloy Bo.iloy ( lntor killed in action) hed holc.'t.hoir fire for t6ar of.: g1Ving owny their posit ions too. r.~1hcn the gronado fire got liot, thoy· too dropped over tho bon.k but hnc'l made their wrry to tho top Of 53.)

Tho.t morning in front of ·O. tree below tho finger, the mtn of tho section found tho bodies of throe Jnp officers and a Ja~ noncom•••

mw jANlJARY l5TH 'IO jANU.ARY .21ST ~FIGHT TO REDUCE" THE POCKET YJENr. ON; .liMPLOYING THE E...""n'IRE FIBST BATTAUON,, COMPANY I AJID ~ OF COMPANIES F, G, AN,D H, BEFORE COMP..-1\NY A FINAU.Y POSHED 'rnR.OUGH TO Hill. .53.

Thoro was tho day when 2d Lt F.dwin G. Bernstein (now Cuptnin) took a 12 mon patrol through tho Pocket for a . finol cloo.n-up otter tho big fight there had boon finishod. The po~ol under Sgt Go.le Rimbach (Golo w. Rimboch, now S Sgt), Ccmpany B, wound its. wey along th~ trail to the upper, hilly end of tho draw. Along tho trail Bernie spiocl o J'o.p Crtl\'1ling woaklY. out of his hole. "Look outt" Barnie criod, "Mnybo he's -got a , gr.onodot" "M:y GOC, thoro mo.y bo.a lei.; .of them :Ln hero," he said, :l_nd wnviri.g his arms wildly in ·every d·ira.etion, ho c c:mimnC:eC., ·"Sprood outt Scot tor?"

As thoy scottorcd, thc ·Liout-Oncnt in .a dither . pushed a littlo pile Of SOUVonirs to one side one annOUnCOd, "Don't anybody touch theso. They're minol" The J'ap wns so woo.k his · legs would hordly hold him up, and whon the potrol boot the bush thc;y.foUnd sovorol mpro stnrvod. and emaciated Nips.

Tho Lieutenant . vros afro.id tho patrol would run i~to more than it could cope with. Abovo all he 'Ttltlntec~ to got thC hell out of thoro pronto. ~mro were only two J'aps who o.ppcarod to hnvo any somblanoo of strength left, and.. ~e patrol took theiil prisoner.

Bernie thought of ' tho .hill they-would have to climb to get out of tho.Pocket nnd looked nt the two woeful wrotchos.

"Sergoont," ho oxclr.md, "give them . same ccndy!" "It will givo thom quick energy -- wo've: got to-.get 'om out of horo1" Rimbach looked quizicc.lly c.t ;Bornio. He ucs begin~ to be p d off.

"Go nhond," Bernie so.id. "AnG. smile nt them, _Sergeant, give then confidence. We hcvo got to get thom up that .hill."

Nobody ho.d expected the Lioutenant to use psyohology·in the middle bf .a jmigle, .'!llld especially ·on two neo.l-der>..d J'Bps. "But. n· little while lnter · t~o pntrol finally come bnck with its prisonars--and Bernie's souvenirs •••

HILIS '.OOOK ON NUMBERS SO THAT THEY COUID BE DISTINGUISHED FRCM .ONE .ANOTm:R. BY 'BE 26TH OF JANU.4RY 'ffiC 161 .HAD EZTEl'''I16D ITS HOLDmos TO HIILQ 90 AUD 90.A, 89 .A]';;] Q,-R··S. THE ~APB DRAWING BACK, IEFT L!E.AD, WOUNDED _().N!J ~ICK .IN THEIR J\~:~!IDONED Bl:VOUAC AREAS. .AD.~0.ST E\r-m'! J1.ATJ~OJ, E::~CM ·JED IN .A LO'I OF SCAVENGER HUN.I'IID FOR EVERYTHING FRW: GOLD TEETH 'ro PICTORES OF GEISHA GIRIS • • •• A radio operator doesn't have .much· chance to get up tq the front and ~ight but he does occasio~ally go out on a patrol. Pvt Eustes Z• McCauley (now S Sgt), 'l.1hird Battalion Headq·unrters Campany, joined an intelligence patrol scouting out a J"ap blvouac area in :front. Of Hill ~lVl. That WllS the time when tho Japs at n:i:ght. ran around loose down in the valleys \\'hile the 161 ley in guarded wait on Hills 87A, 87 and 91W. It wo.s shortly after mid-day-·the same day when the Ger.rmn Focke-\'lul.f strafed our hills--l1hen tho largo patrol (parts of Campany I, Regime~tal Headquarters,, .nnd· Third Battalion Headquarters) wound its ·way neross the ·s addle botWeen 87 and 91W down across the nose of 91V/ into the valley.

In the midst of the Filipino Mahogany and the iron-wood treE::s was an abandoned J"ap CP and b1 vouac. area. case upon case of. new Japanese rifles .and piles Of amn.unition a :few hand grenndos littered tho area. The pl.ace was dotted with bambOQ shacks and palm-leaf lean-to's; an occasional dead jap. lay sprawled grotesquely on tho jungle :floor.

"Mac'! was near the tail-ond Of tlle patrgl which bad go.therod around a heap of valuable radio equipment. It wo.s futile to t .l)T to got o look-soe ot what everyone .was inspocting; so he took 6ff to the l~f~ through the bivouac area. Pvt ..Nathan o. Duncan, Regimental Headquarters Company, and Pvt 13ill Hof'tnnn (Vlilliam F. Hoffmn, Inter Cpl, killed in Bumn) joined him to seek out booty.

It .ms cool !anc;l shady dO\·m. there in the valley, unlike the hot swelter up on the hills, and tho t~ee of th6'm ambkd com:fortably along. .At the eµg~ of t~ bivouac area they crossed a graveyard of fifty or so gr.-aves neatly covered with palm lenves. Across tho gravuyard they paralleled a dry creek bed for about a hunexed and fifty feet.

Then Mac happened to g;Lance out of the cornor of his eye.

D9op between the gnnrlod and spreading .roots of. a mahogany tree wns Q. crouching figqre tac1:ng a'Way them, his uniform clearly J'apo.nese.e Mnc wondered if he wns. dead .and took a step toward~ him • .As if propelled b:y s9iµe if.nner-spring -. the Jap leaped straight up and . grabbod for SOlOOthing which ~c;>o~d lilrn a ri:flo. McCauley wo.s co.rrying his Ml in the crook of his arm, huntsman fri.shion; he leveled it and pulled the trigger• Just than Duncan· e.nd ..Ho:f:finan let go with their pistols..

Mac looked closely-the Jap .held a glinting . SSJ!l!l.uri sword in his hand, that was all. They glanced .around the area. The Jti.p had Qeen storing.-µp rice :from fallen ,cacirades in two Officer's packs ••• "].:.ook outl~ somebody yc~od. Twenty-five. yards away another Jop l~y behind a log niming a .38 calibre pistoi at McCauley.

Hoff.mnn's and Duncan'& shots rang out simultuneouslyi thu otber Jap snnk down behind his log. This Jap had jammed a poeket watch wrnppod in his green scarf into his .c.outh so thu t he wouldn't ooke

and

fl:am

- 35 ·-

a noise to b0trey his prcscnco.

Moc picked up his new svrord nnd looked <:1 t it with pride . Over the whole length of the glenm.ing she.ft . there •ms scarcely n blemish; its handle was covered ¥'1ith individuully~set see d pe C!rls surro~ding six gold flo-.r1er designs !nised in relief. The hnndlc· wc.s wrcpped r~ i ~h interlaced silken t~end. · Wbnt n prizo!

Yells c~.me bnck from.them:~ ~µ patrol for them to got their l!ve cnrcos ~ es be ck into the bivouac nren boforo they turned into dend one.s, but now l~c o•·!nod ~ f?runc.uri ffi'lOrd, £nd c v<::ry ton fe et be ck he hnd to stop r>.nd admire his no.w possossicnt

.

FEBRU.tm Y 4, . 1943 D.AT'lJYlED JUST .LIKE A!JY ·C'ISER GULDALOAi'i!.L. MO:t!UNG , BUT NOH ?.BE ·JLP YJ.f.S IN RE'JREI;T. COMPi.NY I H.'.D TEE MISSION OF DRIVING :-rEST FRO~ THS THIRD :B;.T'l'l.LIO~Y LI:NE NE/.R TIE BONEGI R!vER. J. cnll c:une through to the b rotk.lion C'? that compnny I h nd run into Jnp mchinc gun resistnnce. Just .whore nobody kmnv. Lt Col ww E. Morris, third bntt.nlion ~l!IMfi.nder, OE:lptcin HUgh t•!. Hudelson, S-3, nnd S Sgt Robert E. Liobrnnd, Oporfltions Sergcnn.t, set out on foot to contact the ' 1si;Glkd11 c.ompnny.

They l oft the tell .tru:i,ho3any tr.c os eround the river nnd .-ro.lkod down the tro.il c. few ynrds to where the • .IIID.ssive ·troGs left off nnd c. cocoanut plnntotion began. ~lking on throu~h the coco9Il.uts, there wns no sj,gn of Cccpnny r·, no sign of o.nybody ~ still +.hey 1~nlkeid on.

'Ille tr.nil .mnde· a shnrp bend, c.nd ns they rounded. it. th& throe <Sf thom cD.1!1.c upon two J'nps sitting on o. 'cococ.nut log f oiled by artillery fire.

I1obrund raised his rifle nnd . shot one through thu nrm; the other, j nbberi.ng in fright, rnisod.his hcnds high above his heod in surrcndor. Two prisoners nlrond~-nnd whet to do •·rit.h them? · They he. d nn inkl i ng they must hnvo c C?nc ·too f a r, too f .::.st , and Colonel Morris r onchod for .h is !!lOp .

Do'Jm the trc.il obout twenty -ynrds S!lt two more Japs. Tho throe Ycnks grobbed for thelr woo.pons• Tho J~ps looked startled, n aoop fonr CEU:l.C into thc.i r .oyps . still gul".rding the othur ti?O, Morris, Hudloson and Lie brand· took a ~tep tow~i.rd tho · t~o nov.r Jnps. Ono wns c. First Lieutenant, tho othot ·o. priv::ito. _. Tho Jc.p ·Ii.outonont · sportod C. LlOUth full Of gold tc0tll and hnd n bad .crtillory VTOund in his log--ho offered to surrcnc or , in .English.

Liobrnnd unclicked th~ . s~fcty on his riflo, 'the~_ 1;olke~ of putting the Li.eutonnnt out. ·of his misery. Tonrs c·Clll.C: into tbD Jnps eyes end his voice shook 1'ii ~h .ter.~or. "No, no, · no," he repco.tod over end over c.s ho .plGn:'ed for his ·1 iro.. The . Jr.p pri v~ t c scnsee. Colonel Morris' rc.nk end ho began to salute frcnticr.i.lly, his f'.Tn pUilping ·up and ~own liko a p iston • .:.ftor they C:ecidec"t to sporo his life, the Jnp officer began to spe ck his thanks. The two on tho leg o"fldenco~ i n broken English thoir desire to coll it quits. "We 're .done fighting. ~o•ro fo d up vri th it," they so id~ 'l?/ith two J::· ps on one sic:o nnd two on the othe r, the "throe; of thoo snt down in tho .oicc1lc of .t .hu trail t0 ori8nt theraselves by tho ~p .

On ~own th8 trail they coul1 s co tbD bl~o wcters ~n~ whito sa.nc:s o"f" Da:J£: Covo glistening through thG tro ::.s . Tho photo-oe.p showed th0I1 to bo nbout four hunerod yards in :front . of the /.moricnn lines.

- 36 -

Friendly artillery fire had shattered the cocoanut trees all around. They glanced off the tro.il to the right and oow something in the shade. There were two more Japs, weak and badly ster~ad.

Invest'igating further, they found two Japanese trucks, one truck had two dead occupants hit by artillery f .ire, at.'lveral American trucks, a Ford Jeep, and a 1937 Chevrolet sedan.

One hour later Company I came upon their battalion commnnder, their .S -3, and Sergeant Iiebrand sitting in the ·middle of the trail guarding six Jap prisoners--end a motor pool1 ON FE.13RUJ.RY 6TH THE REJ,L ''PURSUIT TO' ESPERl1NCE" BEGllN FROM OOR FRONT LINE BETWEEN · ~'".dE BONEGI· 1~ ID~;NS!.NI RIVERS. COLO!'-U J CL!;RENCE :.~ . ORNDORFF, OUR REGD!ENTI~L COMM.'1.NDER, RECEIVED .OIµJERS OF 'IRi.l\l"SFER 'ro '1EE ST~·.TES ON' FEBRUi.RY 7ra, .i.ND LT COL Ji.MES L~ Di.L'roN II, EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE 35TH INFJ...N'lRY, SUCCEEDED HIM. .i.T 4 JJJ ON FEBRUJ.RY 9TH 'IEE FOLLOWING RbDIO MESSJ.GE WJ,S RECEIVED FRW THE COMM/.NDING CENERJ.L OF THE ~MERICi•L DIVISION: "CO l61ST INF: •••NO .OPPOSIT!ON INDic.::rms n:.cu:.TIOH OF REMl.INING ·Ji~ cm.$ .'.T 'lROOPS. POSH VIGOROUSLY FORl'li. m I.LONG BEi.OH RO:.D n1 COLUMN OF B.i.TTi.LIO.NS DIS~ REGl.RDDTG 1.SSIGNED SECTOR FOR BEL.CH DEFENsE. MEET},~ AT UM.'.NS:JU RIVER lT 0900."

ON '.IEE 9TH OF FEBR\.JJ.RY TEE FIRST Bt.T:'l.UON Pl.SSE!> THROUGH TEE mIRD Bf,TT"'XION HOI' ON TEE HEEI.S OF '.T'HE REMNl.NTS OF TSE J"J,p FORCE. EIGRTmN CROSS:-COON'!RY MILES WERE. OOV'ERZD nr THE WHOLE PURSUIT :FROM ITS BEGINNING; 265 Ji~ WERE KII..U'D, 30 CJ.PI'ORED, lJ\TD .:. GREt.T DEf;L OF J'JJ' Ml.RINE 1.ND MO'roR 'rnJ,NSPORT ORDNi.NOE, ENGINElm, MEDIC1.L mUIPMENT I.ND S'roRES, i.ND DOCUMENIS WERE T..'.DN,

The exc::i tement of a. f inal push is tonic to tired nerves and numb .bOdies like a maa·s narcotic .i njection. T!le went so fast they couldn't get r ations to some of us tor tour days, because· they couldn't find us. t.!Te climbed hills and went through 'jungles where 'Milles ·couldn 't follow and otir supplies had to be brought up by human pack train. Once our artillery had to stop firing--they had o hell of a time trying to keep up with our position• •• • Next to the last day the third battalion was in combat , at the high tide or the P)J.rsui t to Esperance i .Staff' Sergeant .I.oren J. Mr..rshall of Third Battalion Headquarters, wns aocompanying a Company L patrol which storte.d out l'lest of the Bonegi River to go ~1est to Hill 197. Second battalion had passed through the third end was on its way toward its junction With the l.32nd Infantry.

For an hour the patrol moved cautiously down th£ jungle road to the east side of the Saigilau River when suddenly off in the brush they sis hted a motorcyclo. Sl0wly they advanced toward it. ~ono of the enemy wert; around nnd there sot the motorcycle, ab~ndoncd by the Japs, a brand new Harley-Davidson, sidocar and all.

I.bout fifty yards further down the road in th,€; l eft ditch sat a four door Chevrolet, occupied by a single d~nd Jnp, its front soa.t all torn up fran the e.rtill.ory borr2. 3e~ The patrol began to wonder wnot the hell· wns .coming off. · V:os tbet the sound of e motor a.round tho corner? The sound wos suddenly cut off. ·Cautiously the pat'r ol prooood&d d01,m the road.

Thoy rounded tho curve end boside tho ro~d c ~ap truck had pulled up. one J cp jumped out of the left door· nnd crawlod undor th~ r oer ot tho truck wture he started to fire .his· riflo; one jumpod out of th& - 37 -

right d-0or to g ive combet .

Tli.e rifles frcm the patrol cra cked out.

Silence r cig:n.0d . The one.my in a f'util o attempt to salvngo-its equipmDnt novor rcnched its prized Chcvvy or its motorcycle • • • • Tho last rcmncnts of Jr.p survivors wore our prisoners. tJo s e t up o temporary bivouac area with our pup tents. Kitchc¥8 were sot up. \'le began to rog3in our strength a nd 't'lO uont swimming in._ the \"R':ters of Dama Cove. f ; bnrgo cruno in loodcd with food suppl!.~ s. i 1!0· unloodod 1 t midst ~he stink of e. f0w ho.lf buried Japs. "Jc· soon cov9rod th:::w up complotely.

There wns one buried right there on the spot where he had killod himself. MP' s wore transferring VToundcd Jnp prisoners from n br:rgc to trucks. 'This porticulor Jc.p feebly pullod out a 1:.:na gren ade ond bcgnn t apping it on the s idc of tho stretcher. Th.:. L:r·1 s dropped tho 11ttcr ond jumped for cover. Tho grenade never l s ft tho JGp~ s h c.nd , but exploded cs he ho ld it to his brcnst. His f nco ona hn~d woro complotcly blown off.

Tho Regiment bonrdod- bcrge s on Sundr-.y the 14th of Fcbru.".ry and prococded to toke up bench positions mnny miles p~st Illngo nonr Kali Point.

Tho third J8p didn' t move from his scot.

NE.lll KOLI POINT 1.I.DNG PJ\RT OF THE NORTH ca:.ST OF GU..:.DJ.I.C~".Nl.L i.ND INL'.ND 1.ROUND C.'.RNEY FIELD ~ 161 \~""!' Il;r.r'C D:E:FENE'E J.:ND ~ POST DUTY TO GU:.RD 1.GJ.I NST I!-!FIT'IR'.'IT:)lJ F.:· 11\Y I•I~:!f. TIJIN.} .T..~P E!.E'l.m:NTS I.ND :.GI.INST J.NY POSSIEIE LN!...M'?" FI:-IN'v:.SIO!~ -::1F ·::·rm IST....~!ID • • • • TO J.U.. INTENTS i~ND PURPOS':..S , 'l'SE GU;,DJ.I.C.'..H..'~L C.iJP_.IJ.N H/.D ENDED ON EEB..l<U;.RY 19TH, 1943 , VTITH THE Jmf(;TION OF T'.r.C l~l iJ\TD THE SECOND R '.TTl.LJ:ON OF THE 13G1'."D I NFJJ.-TTRY ..~T '!'EN!.R(T vrn. ;.G.?. . THE Jl1P H!.D BEEN LICKED, .i.l'm TSE lol H.';D H,',D ITS SE.'.P.I: :::?: TEE VI CTJRY. BUT THJ.T DIDN'T END IT. TSE DEEP RE:.CEES OF GU...D.:'.I.C:.W.L JUNGIE H.'.D 'IO BE SCOURED i.ND v:1DE PERM;.NENTLY s:.n: i'J'1D FREE. HERE .t.RE ONE PFC' s 1~.L DL-.RY PIC'IURES ••••••

Febru., ry 22 - Wo've learned wo'ro -to go on a patrol across Guodolconal. Th0 whole third batt~.lion is mnking finnl prepr.rntions tonight-Companios I. K, L, M ond Readqu.rirtors Company, with the Bottnlion .:.1a Section under the comnc.nd of Cnptnin Mnx Dcutch e nd 1st Lt Nichole.a J. D:;Un Pqrtn . "Tc'ro supposed to persur:dc tho nntivos there's no more danger nnd they c nn come b~ck to their vill~ gos end we're to give than mcdiccl nttcntion. 17G'ro to discover if flny J o.pc.nose uits roI!lnin on the; islnnc, nnd wo 'ro to sec if r. trnin of mules cnn St."Pply a bnttolion of our men over terrain like this. Tho bnttnlion is fully pr0:p!".rc1 fer 9~!.~. thot mny hr.ppon. · Fc'br.1r1:r."y 23 ··- Tcrl:::ly we mr.:.:::-,cG 19 miles. Tl-Te nr o biVOU$'!.COd .nt Lnycox Store whi~b i s unocci.:.pio~~ b'J.t used to be c nnti~e trn.t".ing post.

OUr pock t-cin C'f 63 o:.ilcs, 11nc!i::cd by the 97th FiE:; lc1 4-.rt illory who hove boon ~c+.ing ns mc.u::::rtr.-.in artillery., hr.s joined us. It ·h r:s been raining r.:il :night. Ji m:mbcr ci men hnvo b.n d to turn bock booauao thc. ir fcot c::-u · row nn::1 ·oGco::.iso of mnlnrin • .Fcbru.-:..ry 24 - ;.t 'f<'Ut' ~nis morning we r!to hot "C" -r ~tions b efore 'sott.I.r.,s C-J.t" 'J.' h.- .or~'. lO vniI!. followcc us. l'!O hit th6 Tinnhuln River ~me. :puJJ.od off c·J r all.:;os Gnc! clothes to ford ·1t. BY the time wo h ad crosscG tlll•oc .sucb. r :"1u]' ~ wo di&urt bother, but mode pocks for our clgn~ottes, rur.tchee~ nnd i·it.l os, nna ~nrricd them porchod on our hoc.ds to koop thun:. d:-y.. Uc hnd t ·o- cui: pnths through tho limbs ond vinos for tho mules to follow. I g-.ie ss : wo crossoC: twolvc ri vc.rs - 38 -

t odoy. Be two en ri wrs the jungle vms so c1..onso 1 t vms just 11ko walking in night, thon we' cl brook out onto .n r1 ¢gc where, the -,grass wns seven f qct high, end it must hn~o been 120 in tho she~o. We bivo~3coc tonight near nn unoccupic~ ~i~~go ~~1th ~ts gnr~cn full of papnyns, ynms, corn, ~lons, c.n.r~ b.:i.nnnns.

Fobrunry 25 -- We backtrncko~ <lovm the trnil fer ten miles. Moro men hnc1 to (~rop out. We took nnoth:.r t:rr.il to tho right ·::n':'. .pussC;cl two unoccupioc': villr.~os. "Folix"' is the nru;n9 of our hoet". guide. Ho's somo sort of big shot among the nr.tivc s he ro end on TUl~gi. Felix spooks English r.nn hrls hl'ld sam schooling in :.ustrnlin. ~:. t· tli.o third village tho n~tives wurc hostile. They'd put ell their women e~n children in ono hut nnr1 st.ocXl. thro ~ tcningly on th!:. opposi to siG.t of the river bi:-.nk. Felix took things in hnn~1.. • . T!Te crossed the: rivor · end stnckod our rifles. Then ~·10 took off our clothes o.nc:· went 1n swi:n.T'!ling.

Tho natives become f!'icnt".ly nnc; rclocsor~. their woncn. .We saw our first· womnn since !bvro.ii--ovan though she ~ro.s blcck., 1't soo.l!lS.·thoy have n superstition that nnyono who sv~na for thc.m .is c. friend • . Wo bought wctormolons from. them. '!ho price stort0 ~ out nt ten cents but soon jUI!l.poc} to twonty-fivo • . They woul.f.'.n 't t'.lko p !:\p0r r·1onoy, se.ic it wns "~o goof:"1 ryo gove the men ciisnrcttes nnf they ln turn gnve tho 11 ttlo kids c smoke while the l:lor~ics trootcf. some of the. Viorst for tropicol ulcers. '!Jc rostc.cl for r.n hour an ~: started on. VTo hot1 to buil(1 ttrn brir.gos to got the: mules a.cross stronns. rro coulrl cr'.>ss fo.llcn logs but thcy couldn't. Wo crossed tho sf'.ILl.o river for tho fourth time nnd after o two-hour climb co.me. to n village of 32 bo.mboo one gross huts on n high pl~ toau. The pock. trnin h8s never cau~ht with us, but t.broo l!lulos somehow stroyed r:hond and founn us. VTe bod enough r~tions for supper. Tonight v1c skap ~long tho c1go of this villcgo, c nlloc Kum.le; 'Villngc. 1.:t'tor suppor the nati vcs cane ou:t VThile wo snng songs. Then they seng their songs~ · Thoywcrc quick to cctch on to ours.

Febr'l.l!".ry 26 -- This norning we wont down the . sr.oe river o.nd posscc through four or fi vc villngos. Uc sto,pcc1 for r.; short bronk o.t or.ch nna trndoil cig'\.rottos for foor. -v1hilc th£ l!ltdics tro!1toc:1 tbci nctivos. Toni~t wo c~. upon Roko Vi'lb.ge, r:bout 150 fnnilos. we oro out Of fooq since tho p nck trnin h~sn't cnught up yet, but wo trnc1cd with tho nr..tivos for~, pr'.pcyns, nelons, nn~ corn which we boilcn 1n · our helmets without sn.lt or butter. Tho no.tivos wont out nnd shot sr:ne ~nimuls which look like ·possur:is, cnG brought thCl'.:l to us. They like •~. tho woy wo fixo d ~orn ·nn!1 so!!lC nt o v:ith us. Thq nntivos carry Eni'iold rifles• 'lt7o nskee ther-i, "Ec.vo ncny j npcnoso evor boon hero?" 'lhey didn't unccrstnnd. Thon we naked , "Hns j~pnn 0t~n ever stoppod )l9ro in 1ast few moons?" They un1orstoon nnd tolG us how thoy' d killed j nps who trio~. to stool thc.ir w'.XT'....on on~ burn their ho.!!IOs. Nnti vcs freer tho villages no passed 1n the norning hcvo followe d us, we've hed o big grit:Poring end s'1ng songs once noro.. Tho nativos cro .fine hnrl!!.Onizers. We put out the fires ·nnd·wont to sleep.

Fobrl.Ery 27 -- Yesterday we snid, "If wo pass out we'll ~o it vn th our hcar.s point±ng !'!own trnill" By Gor1, thnt' s whnt we've donot Wo'vo onrried ono Dt'.n nil day on o. stretcher. J;t six this oorning v1e stnrtocl. VTa crossed t VIo rivers o.nr: pnssod . through two snnll villr.gos bcforo we cOI'lO out· into n . cocoonut plontntion. Via could sco tho bny botT10on GundP.lccnal · ~n d Tulngi . ~70 hit t b::: be ;ch nt 1;300, botvroon a cocoonut refinery nenr Tnivu Point nnd the Rcovotu Mission. Higgins

up

- 59 ·-

bee.ts cone up f:rori Keli nnr. took nll the ·sick ron en'~ those who ooulc.n't continti.o ··On beck. The peck trnin caught up o.t drirk nn~: sinco we hqd hod nothing to eat .since lest ~ight wo woro ~ru:med glod to sew it o.rrivo. Tho nnti\'es tole: us thnt the .iops hnr1 wrecked t he insid.o of the .mission Elil<'r 'killed the missionary. The .!:liss:!.on must hnve boen b~nutiful with its hon~ curving, nn~ its L'"'!portnd staine~ g1oss.

In turn the Jrrps hnd torturo c~· thon to ~1onth.. To:::i.ight t h e nnti ves hr:ve cor.E fro.a thirty n1les to sing sangs-"Gooa. Nish~, !r.'1.:!.os•1, "Shfr'li Bo CO!Jin' R:Junc: the Moun.ta.in", nrr.~ "God Bl6SS j.ocrioauw.41rl.th us on the nission lo.wn.

February 28 - Vle took enough r ations for or:.- nenl on the 18 miles bo.c k nlong tho cocst. J.bo~t four nilcs fror.i the nissi.o n wo cone to the scno big river of yestordc.y, ttz; Bokokinb.~1~ ... T.1le native guic1es turned back ond wou].dn'-c cross,. Lt r:c:w::ircl :i: , Kelley one· part of us mac:e floats of sholter halves nnc sw:::.10 Pl'..!'t l10nt around on o s and flet in the b ~y with wnvos crashing over their hen~s. Mon los·t clothes onc1 equip.cent encl hnc: to wulk 14 .r;iiles bcrufoo.tod. 1.tter we crossed the nnti vos tole".. us, "Crocor1il$ S bod. Nuttvcs no like ri:ver." Vie .passed· J'ap honvy equipnr,nt strung all. nlong the:. beach whero the jungle hod ovorcone it. so.::io of us .cn: ei shoes out or Jnp t r.rp. one. tio rt tlwri on to protect our toot tron sonf. burrs nnf~ jungl0 thorns.

VTc :cru!le to nnothor river. '!No cross. Too docp. No gl') ocoo.n,"· Felix St',id. One mn went to test the nopth, st':lppod in with n ll his equipment nn:c· ~rownod. Wo wont upstrcur:. two miles by cutting ""ur vro.y through tho jungle. The to.st current vres shoulder ·r.oop. Three milt;is furthor on wo founn tho Motopono Rivor. Crossing tho s~n~ b~r out in the oaoan the wnvos ~gcin cnrriod nway oq"ctpmont, nn~: the short non hoc: to ride piggy-bock. J.t three o'clock vre; hec1 e short brouk to cat our r ations . Tho ln~t tov1 miles . into C!)l!lp we all snng, "High ho tho mcrrio, just ono mare mile to go ••• " By 9 1M wo rooohod Koli Pd int. J;a wo po.ssed through camps of net·1 roplnooconts they j uoroct nt us. They• ll loorn. Out of cbout 500 mon who stnrtcc .nbout 300 were hare to finish tho patrol; out of 63 nrulos, 30 tinisho.c~ . Vlhon l70 renchoG. comp o. number of men posse ~ out anC: hnc1 to bo corrioC. mid put to boc:. I ru:::i. so tirod I con't stone-:- up •••• 0

OUTPOSTS trn:R: SUPPWD .OJ.~E L 1i1EEK BY HIC./J.IMS. BO.AT--r!ITH J.RMY R!1TIONS. WE TRi~DED THEM ~lIT"iI Tm NJ;TIVES-SPLM FOR YlJ!S, CORNED BEEF FOR PINEf,PPLES, VIENNf. SliUS:;GES FCR P!1PJ1YLS I.ND BliN.:.NLS • . J; FEW P!.CKB OF CIG!.RETTES, 1. FJ.RMON!M, OR i~ RUN-D011N, NEVER:-'l'V-STJIRT-J.G'.m WATCH VU.S GOOD FOR 11 GRJ.SS SKIRT. 1.T FmST FIVE CENrS 'BOUGHT 11 · BUNCE OF Bl.N/1N1.s--THE PRIC:E SOON JUMPED TO "mJN DOW.H" TEEN 'IO "FIVE DOW.R".

VJo killed C!lttlo .with which the ·· British stocko~ the isl~nf: one! wont pig hunting. 1. i'ovi wile~ boars ·roo.moc". tho islnnd cm: whon the J'o';)s cmn6 tho ootj.ves . ho.c1 turned their pigs loose to escape. the invoG.or.

Those pigs :!lnc1 turned Wild too. Wo' c1 go out in the, morning, lay in wait olong the trail until Ono Of the hogs CtU!lO r>.long. Rifle shots, long oi.mDc: ot J"aps, sclda:i mis.sad • .i.L."J.ost ovorybody wont fishing. 1. few of Cc:cpnny K f c llov1s by hook or crook ·socurod n Higgins boat nnd four blocks of· Tl\'!'. They took the bor..t sO!:le distance from shore to throw Qut tho TNT. Then sc:irnething ha:ppenoo. · .Tho Higgins b·o ot loopoc scvornl :toot off the w~.ter . Pl~nks wont flying thr?ugh tho nir. P'\"t Mlrlo F. J'ohnson' s shoes l'roro blown off - 40 -

his foet. First Sergeant l.llen L. Beckc.r nnd Sgt l'lichc.rd B. McGinnis (now S sgt;) sprained the ir ankl es. Tho motar tar e loose nnd the. bo.~t bognn to t oke in wctor in grcnt gulps. Tho· 'INT ·n~d doton~ tcd u mino conc onl c d under the occcn top.

In n minute anotho-r bo~t neorby tOo/.od the crippled Higgins bo~ t and its shl:kon oecupnnts to shoro 1 but · i n tho e.xci tcmor.t Compruiy L collected n il the fish. Compnny K 11ou.'ld up With tt-10 ncmos on the sick book nnd n stntcmcnt of chr..rgus for n p~.ir of shoes .

Up tho Muts:iponn River too third pktoon of Cowpcny E fished from nn abandoned J"~pcncso rub?er bont by nttr:.cHng sti c}:s of clyn.".mitc. to cOI!lr.lllllication vrirc r.nd doton~.ting it with r. couple of flashlight b:::ttcrios. Concussion brought tho fish to the surfricu--it wr.s o n easy mntt or to scoop them ~p. staff Sergeant George Poler (now 2d Lt) r.nd his thiitd pl r-.toon prob~bly h~d tho rosiest donl of nll.

"Motp.ponc" tJ.c~nt "bloody" to tho nati vos . They "!rould not vonttL.·o boyond tho nouth bocnuso of tho crocodiles. Tho third plntoon p::troll cd tho river by foot :mc1 boo:t bocnuso it governed tho npproe.ch t o Cerney Fie l d . ··o hod hcnrd that 1\1cnty-two isola t ed J"aps c~..mo i n one nig~t by rubber ~act , infilt r nted to Cnrnoy Fiele end hcd s~bot ngoa sovcrcl p l~ncs bcfc~c being killed.

Thn.t wos the r eason for tho ri vcr outpost.

Llons the Mct npono' s bcnks wile~ sm:et ?Oto.toes grew. They woro delicious ~rion in conned butter. mil d pigs rooted ~ roune tho outpost ; t night on).y to neot doom in the norning whf:n one could s oc to got o. shot nt thoo. parboiled pig br.o ilod on chicken wire over hot conls for!:l.Oc tho l!lc• t course. Fish frOl!l. tho ri7cr wcs tho s e cond course.

Sp~ghctti, stolon from tho Seuboos ut KOli Foint, C'ookcd in c. hclnot with pig broth, wilc1 r oe poppe rs ~nd cannoc~ tomatoes hnd and unconpornblE> flcvor. J. hundrc~ pounds of .flour, olso hi jcckcf~ froa tho ·sonbcos (wo lifted so.octhing ovory Chi'lnco we got), gnve Cpl Claude L. Potter (now S Sgt) the whorowithnl for his fr.mous biscuits. Beno.nos nn~ po.poyo.s wore nbuneont, nnd "swipe" (alcohol" concocted from fruit) or "ro.1sin j a ck" wo.s n pc.sscblo subs ti tuto for Nut-BrOTin J,lo.

IT AIL C:AME UNDER THE EEI>DING OF THE "SDHPLE LIFE". THE DJ,YS Ml~m E}TjOYJ1BLE, m SPITE OF DET!1Il.S, OR HUNTING mm S'.IR!:GGLING :rJU>S CR TR!iINING•••

l1FI'ER 1:.. C.AMP.AIGN COULD BE

P:fc "Dumpoy" Mansfi e ld (Ge.ergo J. Mansfield, now Toe 5) .can toll o:r tha time he was Latrine Ordorly for tho First Battalion Medics Section while thoy were stationod on the· banks of ~ho Nalimbu River.

(It wa~ so.mo timo aftor March 12th-that was tho morning whon wo. got up , called by a bugle, tho first we ' d hoard since Ft. Iowis days. It soundod god.dam funny out .in a somi-·junglc camp.) Dumpoy , whoso nature is to movo · slowly was told to burn out the latrine, and ho was doing fine until ho threw a match into ono of tho holos. Dumpoy failed to !!10\'e his body fast onough and o~o out minus his eye-lashos, oyo brows and a great doal of .hair. .l~t ovary camp wo·t vo ever had s ome body always .manages to blow up at l east one crappcr ••• ON W•Y l2'm SOME .QF THE GUYS ·WERE SITI'ING IN 1. TEN!' PIJ.nID POKER NEI:.R THE METJ,PONli RIVER. IT H/.D BEEN RAINING STEJ1Dll.Y FCE TWO Di.'YS FOllOVlING J. I.ONG DRi SPELL. SOMEONE HOLLERED, "'.IEE VU:l'ER' S CCMING UP." IT BEG!',N TO SEEP ~. ONE IU\IF J.N HOUR IJ;Tm IT BEGliN TO POUR I N.

- 41 -

----"N £ V £ R L A C B E f I N D" PVT R!lllERT C. BURl"O~ OF COllPANY G WAS CARRYINC RA! I ONS WIT!i A P.IJ!Tl SOl&l'il!IEllE • AIB.. 11 00N'T Stoor : "' HE CRlEC. BEl'llEEN HlllS x ANv Y, GUADIJ.CAllAl. . AµfllUGH THERE li!J\£ RE::>"1' "iiREAXS" i.l.Oh'C n:i JAP THE JAPS SE!llED JU~'T 45 FR!C!!l"ENED ..;; hI. Tim ·l<UST NCT HAVE h.W ANY W£Al'ONS TRilL, HE Sl'OPPED TO RllST UNOE.!t A TREE Wli!LI: THE RE>"7 O!" THE CARRYINC P.IJ!l'Y MOVED EITHER rOR THEY llOTION£D FOR BURr<JN TO GO ON. HE SAVVlED THE Gel-SIGN AND TOOK OIT ON. 1111'.l SiCllLD FOP UP BUT • COllPLI: Of JAPS! HE WAS FRlu!!l"ENEO-l•O RIFLE~ HE llROPPED LIKE J. RABBIT TO CATCH UP WIT H THE REST Of Tnl: PARTY, LEAVING HIS l\AX!O~ LOAD BEHIS PIUX:IOUS LOAD Of VII'ErAbLE srE/i AJID "llOG" BISCUITS All ~ TllU;ll HIS IWIDS UP IN Tli£ • !llliD. llOIW.1 NSVE:R U.C BEtru;u .

" T R A I> A 11 I> T II J Tiii lfATANiltAll Rr9IR WAS '1lST A llROOJ: IN TllS LOllR PART <IT tlll ULUY, 11:> IDll 'l!IAN 1'IN 1'llT AC!IOBS . ALL Nl<ll!T AND SIVl:RAL llICll!'IB BD'OllJ, T S<J'I' 11Ic:xn 'l!IA!> 01 DaDSHrAL llJAilC!1).4I!' ~AllY, AND B.IS D!'l'All. HAD S'!OOD OUAR!> ON A LONELY PII.I at M'l'ION9 llLIR Tiii llJll CO'VIRIJl OORAL !Ala:. '!'II! BIRI:6 11\111 llIRI> 90UlltlS OT! IN Tiii l!tAC!lllSS 01 'Im .AllllST IllPZ!ll'IRAJl[Z 1'CII.Ulll, AND LIZAllDS SClRAP!:D AUJllC Tiii BAl!r 011 'Dll 'lRll TRUHCS. AT NIGal' IT WAS A 8CAl!Y PLA~. lllW MANY 7.lPS llRI R1INNlNO AJIOOlll)

CJOr 'DllllS R>BJDY llCW, 'l11AT 'UllY 1lm lllllU!l AND DAmlROOS WAS ~, RIOl!1' WAS an:R AND 'l'lll Sllll !n'.AR'l!m 'Ill S'JRIA][ Tiii sn. llICIEY CBCJUClllD Cll! A IOOmll J'Ullll, 111!ICll llAI> llllN TllROW'll AC!lOBS ma S'IRKAll 1llR A l!RIIXll, BBAVDIO art A 00tJPU DAT' S !llARD, Bl WAS A 1'tlN!IY POlllR10L trr'lU naaRI, A NADll PUG-IQ!llD PllLAm lllRDil«: ORR 'Ill l>IP XIS RAZOR IN'lll '!!!I WRn WATlll. ma Ame> DJ> 1111> CllASRII> OOT 01 'Dll llROS!! ON 'l'lll PLAN1t P!!OIW!LY Dilll' T 'l'llIIK l067

:r A P"

!BA'! ' · Bl l>llll'T HAll 'l'Dll. TS 7AP '!0011: ONI llUl«ll A'r lliaaT AND '!HIN .Al'l:mlllll, 'l!IAI> 'IOOl A I.OOJ:, l'IltSI' AT Tiii 7AP, »'!) THIN AT lllMllU, A BIT ClT LA1Jllh SLil> llOllll !WI

CllIJI, Bl 8Till. l!IU> XIS RAZOR POISZD 1'0ll ANOTlllR S'l!IOD. TB! IAP llAI> CAUCllT llDI 1lt!!l llIS PAmB ~IN FACT IFI'IBlllT ANY PANTS AT AU..

1ll'l'll A LI'l'!'LI CRY 'IBI JAP 'rollNID AND Bl!OD Ill1'0 A Rll!I BAOJ: Ill1'0 '1111 BClll!l, EVPDIJ:D, llicut 1111D IJll'O >- Rll!I '11»-A1'l'ZR ms w, ms 11.1111 1llAR GLIN111> Ill Jll5T AS IT DISAPnARll:D Dll'O 'l'lll JlllOSI!, I'I' 11AS A Pic:TCRI• A NAUD POIACJ:, BIWlllI5llING A DILI.ITIS RAZOR AND ~ TO AN Allllll> 1AP IN '1111 TllICIC BRl7SB 01 CllWlWlAllAL WllllRI '1111 ncmr JAB ll'1'ItL AlltBDDY' s ·~· TOJO oar AfAY AND '%llAI> lll'IMCID ms 8'm8 llACJ: TO '1'l!I RIQR, II.AT DOiii ON A BCir 01 RATIOllS MID lllllOJI: lllB lllAI>. '1111 OC1!I OATlllDD AJllJOND llDI, Bur 11111 IN Tiii BILL 1m1JJ m.mft BIS S'1Um .

m -

Tho Nalinbu, "Matanikau, Tanikau, am1 Ilu Rh-ors rose . up .ovor the;; ir banks. Third end seco:rad battalion g'6n· positions vrero flood cd~'."'shoos woro Via.shed ·away. COmpa.ny .L was 1.n a: plight. Early tho n~xt ;iorning sano of tho guys staTtac to wade out of their tents i~ f our te0t of wrrt·er, then thoy had to swim for it. 'l'Onts and berrac.k b'a·g~ went to soa. Sano had savca· ·th0ir barrack begs anc rifles by .tying·. tho~ tq troes--oost of us lost our little :po.rsonal bclongin(~s~ irr.oplac.oabl·o on tho 'Cahal. Barefooted solC:iors \7ith nothin3 but shorts left em.orgoc1 fron tho water. Staff Sargeant "Olic." O' Bric.n .(Barnard J. O'Br.ion, now T Sgt) of Caopany E an-~ some other guys pi tchon pup tents and cots on a pile of 105MM artillery shells one! watchod the flooc1. swirl by in safc·ty.

Conpany K was oaroonoc1 f<Jr alrn.ost four f'.ays . 'l'.he conpany was bi"!ouacod on tho 'beach near Koli Point, ·between tho Naii.!!lbu River and the Nalinbu sweop. The rain had destroyG:! tho br1;1gc across the No.linbu, and ha.cl flooeec~ the svJamp on tho le.ft anr~ broke through the sand bar near the ocoan making it impossible for vchicl~s t o cross.

In ad~ition, giant waves ·poundod the beach to tho fr~nt With such force thot la:i~ing craft coulnn't com in. Thon tho ~;mtor fre::i tho flooclod store.r:Ip rose to cover tho cor.ipany arec. Only tho kitchen and o. few tents in the rear escapad.

When tho water finally subsiGod, leaving dobris behinc, tho oosquitos took over ••• IT Tl.RES II IJYr OF SUP.PU::S ro KEEP AN .11RMY OR N.'1VY on J~IR CmPS IN THE FIGHr. ;'1'J3ERE'VEa m Tm WORLD :. PORT OR BE:.CH IS tlON, Vi.ST QUJ.NTITIF.S OF smus BEGIN ro POUa m; LND vJBETHZR 1.T ffii.N, N/1PIES, cm:RBOURG on GU:.Di.I.Ci.N!'.L, 1'P..E mF:.l-J'"'ID'YMi.N'S mo:.D B:.CK IS c:rn nm:> Pli.Y TO XllZP THE LL~ OF SUPPLIES FW'TING TO SHORE IN i. S'I'El.DY S'IRE.liM. At Kali and Imlga Points·, 'bcf'oro tho Soaboas constructed piers, tho barges had to boach theosc lvos when they oano in with a loa.1. Whon a convoy put in, a cocpany of siXty or 'seventy ron miGht draw unloading G.otail for a wock at a '.str.ot.ch •. working eight hour shitts-sOI!lCti.J!l.cs r.ioro. · Thoytd break us up into crews, one crow on the cargo vessel to unload into a barge' ono on tho barge to unload on the beach, and ono on the beach to load up the "truoks. It ·was baok-bre~king "work, eapocially down in a ship's hold whero it was h6ttern1 a ba.star1 anc1 you had to roll tho gas barrels out, but coulC'..n't st.anr1 up.

During one air raic~ vie just pushed the gas barrels int o tho wator .end let tbam wash up on shoro. That was the oasy octhod. But et ono tin; there was ·a serious anc1 despomtc ~soline shortage. Tho air corps on Guadalcanal we.a c:ramng on its precious rcsorvo to be e.blo to son~ up ·r c c0nnaissance pl.anos. No bOl!lbors coul~ got 'e.lott ·at all. The soconG battalion unloo.~oG a sh~~ of gas in rocord time and won a cCl!IX!:J3'nclatfon froa- tho ·corps comr-..nc:er . It wns in a situation liko this when· ·we tuggo c't and hoavee. with ovorything we hnd.

Wo all viof. :f'dr work on the cargo ships thcmsulvcs. It c1ii:'.n't oattor r.ru.ch on Guadnlcanul what you woro ~a long as you ha~ aomo clothos--e.n".'l wo hac". lost a lot of ours or worn them out. WC just "naturallyt' como by sailor co.pa a.nC'. bluos o.nr~ .cr:>ulr~ poss protty onsily for crow aembors. l7e nove.r hoc", u PX and whnt WU got WO ho.~: to beg, borrow or stoo.l. .Tho only thing wo could buy for p lon.~ wh1lu on Guo.c:e.lce.no.l woe shoo polish-and thoro wns plenty 'of that. ·Wo bought razor bln~es an~ tooth :pnsto in tho ship's store, o.nd "borrowed" - 43 -

pillows and mattre sses and towols with USN star::ipod on t hom.

Ships got a reputation for the fbod the y .serveci , a-nd we knew when and wheTO wv could czp.oct a good cup of c·o rfee or ·a me al ~fi th thC; crew. we ato their food, accept-cd t -h eir hospita licy, and stolo them blind.

Whan the second batt·a lion had gone U:p to thG front lines in J'anuary, their tents and cots had been stolen. It wasn't an e as!' matter t ·o get a reissue of tents. ·Thoy came, all full of holes, but there were no cots. Ono day we happened to bo unloading Marin~· ·cots.

By an odd chance tho 'next day everybody had a cot.

In si.X months on Guadalcanal we had two e ggs apiece, l e ttuce once, two pints of beer and one coca cola. Shiploads of beer and whiskey camG · in-~but · not fcrr us. Several times a we ll-bribe d truck drivor··was induced to dump a load of Marine' S · be er in tho brusli; whilo other caaos disappoar~d even more mystor'iously.

A gang of Air Corps privates wore unloading a shipment of beer, and they know damnod well they woron•·t going to got any.. Thero was an officer about ovory ton foet keopi~ · tabs on it. Still and all they maneged to accidontally kick a case off now and then into the water.

It was -one of tho quirks of war \'Then thoy came back to got .it they found we'd already stripped down, swam for it and · cachc.d it o.way.

Strange -t hings happened to their whiskey too.

The Dona Nati was a good cargo ship to unload. Ccnpo.ny M could drink all tho coffoe they wanted. Tb.at particular day was just another unloaCling dotail, excopt for the :fact tho.t tho Dono. hac1 ·auch good coffee. Along about noon, April ?th, Tojo f'lOVT ovoranc1 started to spray the bo.y with bombs, when sucdenly to our guye on tho Dono. the shore see.mod to. be growing emaller. There thuy wero, oi~tY=five Infantrymen frc.m Ct>.cpo.nies· M anc1 F :peacefully unload1ng a boet, o.nd the ·boat suddenly hoisted up o.nd took off to 0ecapo tho bombs.

Tho whole convoy vd th its escorting f,6rntroyers stenm.ed out to give the J'aps a running fight. About twenty .I!lilc s out, seven diva bombers o.t·tnckod tho Donn, ono peppered the starbonrc· side with straf:ing. The. Dona's -port sido gunnor aceounted for two of· the enemy planos. Ono hundroc1 onn ton· planes ·attocked tho convoy, anr~ tho airfields that do~ninety-eight wore -. shot down.

Ono week lo.tor tho convoy o.nc the Dona NJ.ti renppenred at Kol1, back fr$!:1 ~ ·quick jaunt to Espiritos Santos, New Hebri des. Captain Glynn E. Whooler hac1 wrangloc1 supplies for · Oo.cpany M-blankots, =iess gears, pipes, candy, -cignrottcs--and a cargo Of doughboys clutched a fow oases of cigars. as na:ientos of their surprise vncntion cruiso.

When we left, the boats were still coming in c.nd dumping pile after pile of supplies on Guado.lco.no.l's share.- As th0 stor~ grow so di~ tho .island's inPOrtanco as an a f.vanco ·base for subsequent Pacific operations. Other guys unlondoC. the stuff now, from barges on to docks with tho help .ot electric cranes, but tho ~oughboy alwo.ys ·romains to provide tho brawn and z:IElilpower •.

THE WEAPONS SCBCX')L STARTED m FEBRUARY. DUE· TO THE HKAT, OtlR '!RAINING DAY WAS .NOT VERY IDNG. l.l)ST OF THE OUTFI'IB ON OUTPOST VJERE ROT.A'IED SO THAT THEY WOUID GET IN ON PART OF 'ffiE 'mAINING.

About March 13th we ·}w. ::! an exmnino.tion to close the weapons school and to sue how much we had actually loomed. Around May, .I:l1lllouVors uncor a.c~al combat c0nditions;. firing blank e.m.."ll.lllition a.t surprise targets; moving in encoy territory; a.r.ve.nciDg upon enEEJY positions in the dark; 'dvnncing With artillery and mort~r barrage;

- 44 -

and bayonet charge. Then a long, weary march ba ck to our beach positions and camp. :Tune 16: Another daylight raid. 120. :rap ple.ncs-the majority of them ·destroyed.

Wo entered our la-st phase of training. Concentration of jungle movc,ment; how to approach the ene.c;r .stea lthily and qui e tly; surprising the enemy; infiltration; night listening; ge t t ing acquainted. with fa.l!liliar jungle sotm.ds; river crossings; dom.onstre.ti ons of.floating injured men and equipment across tho rivers in hand-ma.de ~afts o~ shelter halve s, poles, and brush; hip shooting on a trail spotted with surpr.iso targets; momory oxcrcisos on what on~ s06s on a jungle trail; clearing ~rush and mosquito contr.ol; range firing; z eroing our rifle s; hip shooting at bobbing targets. :Each battalion in tho Regil!!Ont took turns using tho motion picture oquipraent to show moi:ries. Every night when an air raid didn •t stop tho show the olcctricity gavo out; and always tho plaintive cry, "Has anybody in · thC. cr0t11d got a generator:?" "ilhonovcr a .Tap air raid interrupted a show, out woUld go the· lights and the reels would bo packed up. At 4 AM wo' d crawl out of our fai:. holes to go be.ck and s ee tho rest of the show. No goddao J"a:p was going to kc op us from soGing our movies-so we use d the last dark hours of early morning. BY then "lVashboard Charlie" had long since left the skios and there was little chanco of hi.tl returning.

Tho radio car ma.do the rounds to enable us to hoar overseas broadcasts f'rorn the Statos. We woro anxious to hoar what now song was Ntl.I!l.bor One on tho Hit Parado. In our froo hours wo swam in tho ocean, duo to tho sharks it was nocc;ssary to swim in groups of t\VO or noro.

Thon tooro '~re the travelling troupo shmvs. First camo J'oe E. Brown, and thon Artie Shaw, and na.ny others. WO too did our bit.

Vlo produood a regimental show that toured all tho islands.~.Wo had a band from i-re.y back in National Guard days. In Hawaii thoy stood guard at the Hawaiian Electric Ca:ipany, tho sane as wo. On the transport f'rcn Rawe.ii to Guadalcanal they played on tho decks, songs f'rC!!l homo and jazz vru liked. '.!ho .161 Band was a good outfit, they'd boon a unit far a long tine. During the fight they ·woro split into tbroo groups and sent out to oach bottal1on as strotcher boarGrs. A~tcr the fighting vras OV£lr, tho bam, lod by Chief Warrant O:f'ficcr aoorgo P. Lucas, :put together a bang-1,lp show whic;;h toured our di Vision and the air corps basos on GUadalcanal. Thero wasn't a 1¥311 uf a lot of entorte.inmcnt on tho 'Canal and thoy wore in· constant do!llmd. Tho band mdo a navy tour, by APD and navy lighters, of Florida and Tul.agi islands, stopping at all tho .oarinc and . navy installations thoro.

In a two months period thoy gav0 twenty-eight shcn-vs.

WE V1ERE UNUlADmG .BOATS .AT KOLI POINT l7BEN THE FIRST WOUNDED

FRQ.4 NEW GEORGIA CAMI!: IN ON AN WI. WE .CIEANED m> THE BLOOD ON. '.I'F..J!!

DECK. ON JULY 17TH .HAD AN ISSUE .OF ONE EGG AND A :SO'I'l'I.E OF BEERWHl!N SURPRISE IllXlJRlES LIKE T.HA T HA...UJ'ENED SOMETHI NG WAS BOUND 'ro HAPPEN, IN SIX .APD'S, SIX .I.CI'S A!ID· ONE IST OUR COMB.4T TEAM !EFT FOR NEVI GEORGIA .ON JULY 20TH. WE. THOUGH!' 1'JE 'WERE GOING UP TO WORK

·m:

AS STEVEOO::lT-'.S AND UNLOAD BOATS. BECAUSE: OF THE I'AST OA?-lfPAIGN '.$ '!'JERE FAR FROM COMBAT SlRENG7'ff AND IT NEV.En OCatr.tED TO MOST. OF US

THAT ANOTHER FIGHr WAS CCWNG,

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As the little :flotilla o:r I.CI' s slipped ·across the blue Pacific tabletop, we poured onto the decks and scrambl6d atop the piles of crates and assorted goar .that.erowded every cornor. After the stifling holds; the pleasant cool bree.ze was instantly re:f.'r6 sh:ing~ We milled around the congested· portside, · pctnti~g out in the boauti:rul. white sunlight., as we passed them.; the Tenart1.; ll.mga Beach, Kukum, the M:ttanikau, . Kokumbona, Da:ia Cove. Now they saewt:d g entle and soft liko tho storybook south Seas paintings: tho talk was loose and warm; tho noiso · and crowding, _ gay.

Tho string of boats twisted i:nto the n~row n e ck of water bct•1cen Guadalcanal and Savo. WG watched the, sun set in a composition of flaming rose and peach with· ·streaks of blue and grcon and gray, behind tho purple irregular mountain mass .beyond capo Espcranco. Between our ships and tho sunset, tho outline grow dimmer and vanishc'a in tho dusk.

Ji. bellowc.d order, "Clear the decks! Everybod~r bclo·.!f;t1 broko tho Spell. 'tlJell, what the hell, back to tho stifling smell Of sweaty men, and guns, and war ....

1 - landing on ·boachhoad at I..iana 2 .- Mud on way to Bai- 111111 m11141m~ roko 3 - "Stringing Wire": Mel Olson, Francis Mattma.n {up the trco'r, stan ~arrer 4 -- Service Co wrestles with pile of rations to sand to Bairoko 5 - Munda Field 6 - landing a Bulldozer 7 - _c o K .mailcall: Bob Mi taholl, Orville Herda, Ray Aikin 8 - Wrecked J'ap . Bomber at Munda 9 - Captains Xrindlar (Div Medics) ·and Max Dcutch (161) 10Lt Col "Phil" Linderian, Lt Earl Rains, and Lt J'ack Caulk {89th F.A.) 11 - "Dusty" takes a ride on a Higgins boat at 'Bairoko 12 -co K mil.call 13 - Natives 14 - RR ti:acks from Piru Plantation to tho soa 15 - The mortars at 37th Div CP.

•I

.

! . t· . '

:

--- -G -E -ORGI.A -- -NE\1

DftlVE TO .MUNDs MEX v1HO HJU) BEEN A~v.ttKi:.N.c;D BY 'lliE J.hNCzJ..L.~G OF j31.Ll.S .AND C01'"FU.Sl ON OF NOI SES ON .DECK Wli.tt.lili 'lH1.Y HAD &Ll.'.PT AFTJ!..'t .SLIB)IKG U£>. FRUu Tlil!.

S'IDFFY HO.J..D& .AFTER ~K, .tU.IUAtY LIN.ED 'IliJ.:. BfiIL : 1B.i;K 'lb.i:. F l.lfuT CALL C.llME AT 0400 . OUR f:>IX Ji.PD'S 11.Elili JU.ST GRAY· SRA?,;J:J L~ '.ll'U. :ORl GH'l' MOONLICET .AND ALL hRO'U.ND US ~,J:.RE .i..ITT.L.i!. I.SLJJ\Tu, B.&..ttCK .::lPCYrb OA 'Illli Sfu.EN OF 'llIB W1>TEF<. ON 'lllJ:. PORT&Illl:., TO 'IH.E 1'0R'I'li, A Pil~-PUii\'l' l..IGHT Bi..IlillED CEiAl.Lc.NGINGLY. IT ~ JUL'! 21 , 1943'.

Somebody passed on chow call and we went down to breakfast. RUmors , naturally, were rampant and we shot the gamut oi' them betWeen J110uthstul. After th~ hurried meal , v.ie ·went to our co111partments, slipped on our pa.cks and rifles, and pushed back ou deck . In a hubbub of creaking davits and shouted orders, the leading barges that would shuttle us to shore were dropped into the v.ater. The first men on each APP clambered down . the short dismounting ladders and packed into the barges. They struck out for the two larger . spots in t he distance iihere th~ light had blinked, scooting in and out of tiny. islands . This was jus~ another · debarkat;L on to us and we were ·busy trying to get elbow-room or straining our eyes into the spr ay to se~ where we were going.

Suddenly f r an low on the shor e a .ma.chine gun rattled a burst in front of t~e leading barge, carrying "Dusty". ~d his staff.

"What the hell? Doesn ' t somebody have a bcachhoad?"

We huddled l ow in our barges and . visions of &plashing ashore in a storm of machine gun fire flashed across our minds . But as suddenly as .it began, it sto_::ped . fie grinned nervously an<i agreed when saneone suggested that whoever was on the beach probably hacln 't been \~med ot our arrival and had gotten trigger- ha!)py men l;>.c saw 16 landing barges hell-bent towal'd him. But· we kept our heads under th\;) E,unwal~s the rest of the way in..

Tho barg~s jol tod to a stop. \fo jumped out, carrying our guns and equipment to shore. There was no boach, just tho shadowy jungle wall rising fran undorwater coral . For an hour _tho barges scooted back and forth . Sevoral of them d·r oppod their cargo on an island across tho channel, Tihich wo later learned was Sasavolli . V.. e were on Baraulu and tho narrol> channel ootweon us was tho Onai visi • • • •Tho LCI ' S wcro behind still fe eling their way down the island chain at daylight, all cxcopt LC! 68 iihich had foulud her rudder drasging off Koll Point and had been l oft bohind. Thoso of us on the LCI'li, soeing we woro h.)adoC toward Sasav-t.1lli , packed th<;; partsi de -to t ake ..n l ook. Everybody was pointi ng end talking when a. terryifying blast shovt:ld against tho boats. ire hit· t h<:i dock, fl.attuning ec~ss each other. Tho wholo thing ?lBS stil:l tr@llblin~ whon a fc:w etornal ruomunts lator wo hoard a soft, quick- 1eced ka-whump ka- whump ka- whump in tho distance . Then it dawnc."'<1 on .us- -wo had caught thu full muzzle. blast of a battory of 155s firing from the isl.an(!. on our star~oard . Sano , of us had aeon them linod hub-to-hub on the cloarod boach, .b'ut it hadn t occurrod to us that they :wore sot up for firing. Le.tur·, vw vwrc told thoy woru sholllng Munda airtiold across the J.agoon.

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vr.:; grnr; STILL IL~ VTIS:i-C~CK..:NG :.BOur OUR "ROUSilJG ·:.:::r...co1vn:n '.iH:::lJ TH:; I.CI 'S SCRJ..P1l) UP TO SaSJ..V!:Ll..I ..-.ND DROPPr:D TH::IR ·R!;,J>S ·,-:-ITH ;.. C.I...'...'l'.T::R,

The talk was lost in the struggle with heavy crates of equipment and suppli~S 89 We felt O\.ll' way over the coral, Wading thrOUf:,h near waist-deep water to the jungled shoreline.· .A. line .went up one ramp and came down the other nfull 1' while soriiebo.dy kept shouting hurry-up orders.

Probably the navy sweating out an air raid, as the navy always does.

With no more than normal bitching, · we finally sorted out th6 mess of crates into company stacks. The cooks had set their stoves up so we took a chow break--meat and vegetable hash, as if we hadn't aiready eaten that on the boat_, and ho·t coffee. We squatted around the piles or on our packs, battin& . the breeze again , but it didn't lest long. we had learned all about air raids one night six months before, and we'd been learning ever since. Sure as hell, diggiIJ.8 in the coral wasn't seine, to be a snap, but we .got out our entrenchine-;. t ools . By dark most of us had hacked out holes of a sort, thos6 .of us who had gone farther inland did fairly well in the springy red clay end mud. Some put up shelter-halves, others rolled up in them in their holes.

TirE:d as we were, we took up the rUDDrs where we'd left them. We we~e beginning to doubt the •service troops" story tpat had started on the •Canal when we tllo-ught it . would be imposs~ble to go into action with the men and equipment we had left. Still they 'd already been fighting a month on. New Georgia. JilaYb.e we were the mop-up troops. The talk was' snapped off vvhen the: batteries on l:oth islands cut loose anothu- barrage. We oould hear the f ire orders, tht::n the blast pounds in o.ur ears. There 'WiOuld be little sleep tonight.

Once there was a "Condition Red" and ·we heard the raggro, hightoned whrr o~ a Jap bomber--"~w~Bomb-Bill-From-Bougeinville", we called him this .time, .a r~lativc of •wa~hboerd Charley• on the •Canal-but he didn't dro·P . his &€£sS. We dozed off again. Then th(; artillu-y pound£-d again. ,And so it went mtil morning.

1

STILL UNKWWN TO US .BACK INI'O BA.Tl'LE. CORPS ~ARI'ERS ON TO JOIN TlIE FIGHT FOR TALION ro. s .AND THEIR

US ORDERS nm; ISSU!D 'rHJ..T D&Y THAT WOULD CARRY COLONEL DALTON HW REFORl'lID THE RmrnENl' I.Nl'O RENDOV.A, .AND ·.1E HAD BEm ORDERED TO NE'.! GEDRGIA :MUNDA AIRFIELD. HE HJ..D ALRFJ-..DY .TAKEN HIS BATsr.AFFS ON A REXX>NNAISS.ANCE OF TIIB FRONT LINJ:S.

By mid-morning,. after the usual confusion of lee.ding in the glariog sun, we vere aboard the small fleet that was to take us to Liana beach on New Goorgi.a. .A recon party that would guide us into our areas had left. tYarlier end LCI 68 had fiI1£llly arrived. The two leading boats had just cleared the treacherous corel re<::;fs of tbe ~arrow channel when the next two scraped and. hung. While they t<ris~E:.d end heaved in a frruitic eff~rt to pull off the ret;fs, the remain.ing bocts were ordered back to ~aullt and ~asavelli. The navy was sVTeating out an air raid agc;.in and six LCI's of troops would bE:. a chol. ce target for any Jap who happened by.

The l&ad lx>ats swung in o sloo· curve toward tlhe wull of greenery thE.t wns New Georgie and dropped thdr ramps off a snell r ectongulc.r cloor.l.ng rising from th& wttter. This., we learned uas Licnn beoch.

- 49· .-

.A half dozen light tElnks were scattered. in thE. brush s.nd thdr mnrino

over cs ·,1e unloaded our th'o LCI 's.

•How thine;s going up tht:..l:-e?• •Pretty rugged for inf~ntry. no~--the Jeps or~ driving 'em nuts at night. Othe.rwise, I guess it's ·o.K. ," one said. /a'ound the clecring ~ere stc.cks of ~mr.10, unopened supply crates and gas drums. On one side a stuck of stretchers leaned Egainst a tree. Ji. fE.w yords off the trail in a · ceve of trees 11er e mounds of frt.sh ecrth with ruge,t.d woodon crosses stuck bf.hind them. Helmets swung from the. c:rossU3 c.nd on sane, dog-togs wer i;:; ti€.-d.

When no other boots c.rriv~d, we wer£ form~d to . move up th~ trcil, part of second ·battalion and onti-tcnk company. We moved inc. scattered column on e~ch side: of the trcil. Once o uetor tr.uck ond an cmmo truck passed. When we hod gone:: ubout two miles we could hoar rifles crock somewhere in the. distance, and we suw mC!l. in gr&en-und-brown spotted dungc:.rees moving mn0ng fo'Xholes \7i th the:ir rifles ct the reedy, anxiously eyt.ing the forbidding dcil-k jungle ocross th~ troiL We thought it strange but kipt on tclking. J. fe.1 of them, gloncing et us, laughe::.d ct the light kb!lkis \'le v1ere wearing. It pro'oobly did seem ridiculous to sec. c. column of troops moving towG.rd tht) front dressed cs though it were a Soturdoy parade.· Coming demi the trail we.a · a group of mt.n cc.rrying stretched out sht;;ltc.r hclvt.a. .Jimericcn d~d lcy in tht. ·shelter h;!ivcs. We passed them by arid lo~ked s~~isht ahead with fast-- mustez:e.d COUI;'Cg'1. ~ little further. down the trci.l necr the be:nd beside •Parachute .Drop" wns c bullet riddled jeep on ·the fringe of the jungle. Just a stone's throw from tho jeep across tht: road a wrecked bulldozer had careened off into the brush, blocking the trail.

Under a mosquito bcr on the othc.r side of the bulldozer lcy a wounded mun ~hom the Company H mui recognized cs Coptuin Dovid B. Ritchie, once their mortar platoon· lecder on Ochu. One of them went over and knelt down to talk to him. Before they could piece together the story of ~hat h!ld b!lppened, officers began shouting us into position on both sides of the trail • crews

CD.cle

• •.• Earlier thc.t .morning a .rE;gi.mtintul recon pcrty, o non-com end off i-cer from each campc.ny, hud b&en sent here. to seorch out assembly crees. They had just ·sGttled down in tht.ir or~os, .dropped their ~cks, opened •c• rction.s, when back around the bend between second ond provisional battalions c JIWchine gun cla~tered end greru::.des exploded.

Thre~ men come runniDg bc:.ck, one of them apperently wounded.

Captain PO.ul K. Mellichamp stopped them with e question. The: wounded one, en officer, ws.s. hysterical; the other two w~re too :frightened to talk.

When he hud c£lllled them he .learned their bulldozer had been embushed around :the bend. Someone remembered seeing Co;ptain Jock R. Cormeck, Regimental Intelligence Officer, end Captein Ritchie ilclkins down the trail behind the bulidozer. ( C!lptain Cormack itaB ,instantly killed :when the mchine gun r£1.ked the ,engineer party; Captoin Ritchie \'iaB wounde4. and died.shortly cJ'ter.)

Suddenly es -the machine gun begon firing it stopped, but it was still not safe· to Y&lk back into the trap Lt Ernest Woodward~ II, who bed £;one ah~ed with the first oottelion pcu;-ty cauE> beck ·to where l\dellichomp \'las trying to get the sto:ry from tht: thre(. men. Woodilard d1'opped everything · excep~ his rifle end e few clips of ammunition and circled back through the jungle to where ... 50 -

they hcd seen c 148th Int;cntry bivouac ~re~ intending to bring a potrol up the tr&il cround the cinbush. When he return~d to the bull. dozer with the l48th men the Jo:ps hod flE.d . 'f he mcchine gun had ripped through the le.t:t reo.r •1hecl, .thro4!;h the driver's suat cm had riddled the dash board. Th~re vms on~ deed men beside the jeep end there wos another o.cross th(; trcil, apparently cut down .-;1hen theyi had tri~d to duck into the jungle.

Two more lay besid& the bulldozer as tho ugh they hcd been hit jumping from the bull<lozer. The bull ets hod cut the c oble h_olding the 'dozer's scraper end it slumped on the ground in front of the machine.

A wotE-r truck coming dovm the; trail wes stopped imd the rounded officer put in it \7hile the men of the 148 .cerricd out the deed in shelter helves ••• Ina.teod of moving into tht UJsigned c:.sse.;1bly areas we decidc.d to set up the night's defE;nse _around this sector of the treil. Up eheod where Compmiy H machine guns wcre stuck D.t the hcoo of the trcil , J.merican rifl es , ommunition end machine gun_ pc:irts \·;c.re strewn cI'9und the orec. ..After h;;isty holes had b6en scraped out of thE: herd corcl men f ~ lle d their spore pc.rts .kits with extra perts they hodn't s~en since Fort Le111is. Where Company G wr:..s digging in beck down the trail, the •whickerill8 snickcr'of Jap rifles harassed their ~ecccful digging in end shot. oue guy in the o.,.,........, our first cesu€:lty o!l We·;r Georgie.

Before a hestily assembled patrol hEld routed the Jcp patrol, b€;lieved to Qe the same one that hnd ombushed the recon party, enotha- men wos woililded. Except for the occesioncl cr~ck of rifl~s, it was n quiet night. ~mm THE FIRST Gru~Y srn~KS OF ruUVN CREPI' THROUGH THE SKY, Mm SA1 WAIT.ING IN Li.ST NIGHT'S HJ.STY HOLIS, FOR ORDERS OF MOVES l:ND I'id'ROIS THEY KNEW 7'TOULD OOf:IE. IN '!HE FIRST JlND THIRD Bl.TT1.UON .AREAS PILTOONS i.SSIGNED JS PARl'OI.S W.L.1{E .l.LRF.i".DY PILING TH!UR PACKS BESIDE THE TRAIL WHIU: OFFICERS J.ND NON·CO!i:S GATHERED IN T'.:OS ·AND THR.l!:~S TO DISCUSS WP..AT THEY KNrn OF THE PIJ.NS.

From the: second buttolion section on July 24, Canpany E e.nd the first platoon of Campcny H m:chine guns ·were nioving ·out to relieve sooe unidentified outfit holding o woterpoint ct the north end of· the Liona trail wh~re it joins the Zenano trail •. In t he "distance they could still hear the inevi ta bl€; ri f l c. shots, 11hi ch were now e part of New Georgia-·like t~e sun or the trees .

They had just pass!3_d a wide curve in the trail when they noticed a sweet, sickly smell, a smell t.lien E>ven to the darkness eDi rot of the jungle. It wea a smell they r ecognized instCllltly. No one need to say it, every men knew • .b. little fl.I'ther D.heed grimy, bec.rlktd men in camoutlag&d dungsrees were loading . into jeE:;ps besids the trail. Without saying e word, not even to wiaecrcck ~bout the suntans ~s ell the othu-s h ed· done, they seuned gl~d ~o see their relief. Off to the right was e clec.ring on the b&nk of o disappointing. muddy little. creek, nc.rrow enough to j\lllp ~cross. Thut wi;s the wdt::rpoint. With c. sti:irt, the ·pcrty sew too why those men looked so r elieved ct le&vins. Strewn ecross the cle~ring in the bright sunlight were dozens of deod men UBd piles of wreckc..ge that once were jeeps. The overwhelmiOB smell of deoth hit them full in the fo.ce.

- 51 -

A:ft er tho first sick.::ning nianont th\,)y .moved closc.r , and they tha t t he duad mon Vlorc Americans . Some. were hunchud in holvs othors W6r v sprav1h :d on the €)round. Non9 of th<:m s .:;CJ110d. to have ' rit los and all of than had arms or logs or backs s•·1 athod in. bandages . There wore gapi~g holes wheiru thoy had buon shot at point blank range and bayonctud . S everal were strotchod out in front of a jeep , their fingers still du.g into tho ground , as thouf,h they had tried to pull thansclvos undor it, but none of th ~~ madu it .

Thvse had bocn wounded Jimcricans~ I n s ilent hoITor , tho men rvalizvd th~ implications of thu grisly scone . This must havc · b~cn a collecting stati on for thv woundod .

It 11as a good plac~--on tho trail to tho boach and nuar thv \'atcrpoint.

The Japs must have broke n through and murdered tho d ufeinsoi.:iss wounded awaiting evacuation . They had s oon duad men before, but wounded .Americans shot and bayoneted"Those dirty murdering sonovabitches," a man whispere<l tbi ckly hal f. to 11.imsel:r.

And just silence. Words were inadequate to express it.

On one side a bulldozer had started holes for burying . Nobody could tell how long they had been dead . Several days at l east. A count revealed 48 bodies , among than a medical officer, a chapla in and a .Fiji canmando. Apparently ther e had not been time for b_urying parties to come up. Now, down on _the .cre~ k bank they saw bloated bodies of Japs strewn almost atop each other; not only Americans were dead here .

But there Vlas no time to think about all this now. A d;;;fense was organize d and mon began clearing brush i n front of machtno gun positions, improving old holes, and digging new ones before dark. '!he btlrial would como in the morning .

Moanwhilo back.oµ the trail , the rest of the r~gimont had come up and was s till waiting. savJ

"V!ha t the hell arc Wf.l wai tin' for? If tho godd8Ll thing' s going to be a pushover li ko th.,y say, lot ' s g ct going !" . said a Oanpany I · rifleman sitting on the ede,., of his holu . The rest w<:ir t.: sprawled in and around their hofas, their he lmets off, smoking,. ThGir rifles ware loanQd against the brush, but still in reach. They w er~ tirod of the sun and v.iai ting, tho orders and countor-orders, the swoating.

ALL MORl\°ING TE.ERB H.hD Bii£K TA..LK OF A RBCu~· :C-AT.hO.L.t TO A LITl'LE HILL So.4li.'flliERE °i'•.l£ST OF 'lHE TR.A:EL. NOBODY .fil.;-~::h i'EAT TO l!X?ECT. 'lBE STORY 'r:;.b 'lliid' 'lHE ASSIGNED AS$~L1 JU<EA .AND Lit~.t. OF ~·.AR'IURE FOR THE filG ATTACK ON MUNDA, HAD TURN.ED OUT TO BE IN J.Ai> ~\US D.ST£RDAY , Ah"D N()h co.JP.ANY I HAD TO· CLI:.AH TB1. HIJ...1 ~o TH1: R.L.;GI ..1:t;;NT COU.i...D .,:;.OVE ON LI:~

\,ITH 'lllE 37TH DIVISIOR OUT.Fii"S CH 'llll; FIJU-00 .

A little over a hundred yards across th.;, trail, a group of small hills marked tho bogihning of a steadily rising .mass that, a mile and a half away , towor od ove r Munda airstrip.

- 52 -

We, the patrol, had b een .ready to go sinc0 daylight. Our packs and st c::cl helmets ·v1cr0 ·''I>ilcd under a clump of .brush. Ea ch .ma n would take only hi ·s hel:niet l~ner, a full cartridge b elt, rifle, and a hand granado. S 0v~ral of the belts had two grenad 0s on them--somebody playing safe--and one.:· man had slipped a f ev-1 E:>xtra clips into his shirt pocket. Maybe the campaign would be a "pushover", but you n ev or kn~'w about a patrol. One sniper can kill you just as dead as t~n machine

guns.

Finally Tim (1st Lt Walt0r Tyr.m.iak, s econd platoon leader, Company I, now Captain) was going over· the plan for what s ticm..:d like the tenth time tha_t morning. Did ev.::rybody understand? Any questions?

"Vie' 11 move in 200 ya:rds or more on· an azimuth of 270 dc:i gre.:cs and try to s~o what the hall's there. Tako it c~sy b ~ caus u th6re are Japs back thcro somoplace. We' 11 fan out across th.:.: trail and wh0n we get the dope we pull back hero. Everybody r~ ady?

Stu .(Sgt David G. Stowart, platoon guide., now 1st Sgt) shot the 270 degrees, signalod tho two Fiji scouts and the .Australian Corporal v.ilo had turned up from somewhere earli er to tako the l ead. · Thay moved slowly into tho jungl.:i. Almost instantly every man sons ~ d the Jap. Instinctively a finger slipped into thG tri g ger guard against tho safety, and each man threw a glanc t;; to tho mn.n ni.::arest .him. Some undefinablo sixth s 0nso--or mayb0 · thu smvll--told th~m the Jap was somewhere in .the dark yellow-gruun mass. Like on th1;; 'Canal-mere they didn't see: many Japs, on:ly in th0 stockade.: , or lying like bloatod sausag0s on tho trail, something always told th0m the invisible was thvre. Now they tried to distinguish form bcllind -all the roots, bush~::;, ailli plants thd.t .uil.5ht COilCotl..i a ma chi.no 6Wl or S.ui.i:)ur • .A hundred yards--the l ength of a football fiuld at homc--was a world in this jungle.

Tho patrol had fann0d out in closu tvams of throe and four.

Dick (Sgt Charles R. Dick, squad lead or) and his two scouts followed tho Fijians up the center, Cam0ron (Sgt Neil J. Cameron, now s· Sgt) and his pair of scouts on the riglit; · Stu and his scout on tho· left.

Tymniak moved b<Jtwuon ·Dick and Stu. The o·thcrs shifted across the roar. Often only feet apart, thoy·worc.;· !nviziblc to oach other, crawling and creeping through ~h~ network of underbrush, occasionally rising to a stoop to poor through a bruak in tho shrubbery or around a mass of trunk-line baeyan shoots. Time stopped as thoy inched fora ard• .Abruptly tho first scout, tho big black ono· with th0 bush of r ed hair, stopped. Ho slipp~d off his shoos. The other one, thv one that looked like an ovorgrown boy v;ith his British to;i1111y gun, did th0 sam o .

Thon slowly, doliboratoly, silcntly--morc like a pair of thoroughbrod pointers than mon--they movi:Jd again.

A fow yards moro and tho "bi~ one" stoppod ae;ain, as suC:.dcnly as the first timo. lie signal..::d the :ti v c:. ·man behind to hold fast. He. took off his clothes, all but his ··dark trunks, and slipped out or sight.

When he appeared again ho whispered thickly., "J'aps! 11 po~nting a black finger over the little brow that cut across in front of the hill.

"Go back to othorst" Then, as if to take a last quick look, h~ disappoarod again.

Tho ratatatatat of his taruny gun cut thv qui ct. Ho LlUSt havv pickod out a pillbox on tho ridge;. It l'Jas answorc.d by an angry tuar fran anot.her J' ap hole soruc;whcro. Shupe; on tho l eft saw tho scout drop behind a Stllllp, and covcr od the. black boy as h" sq,uirmod back to safety. The J'aps had announced thumswlv~s wh~n th0y saw the ir first target.

- 53·-

Cameron and his two scoute Cashman and D:llecheck (?fc John F .

Cashman and Pvt Anton Dolecheck~, had.kept abreast· a li-ttliJ to the right. Here and there they had seen.:J.\mel(i can ammo, entrenching tools, and rifles, evidence of so~11e ea:dier ·battle. The b:t.T..ish was beaten down ~n spots or blown out by .shells, and limbs of . trees, apparently slashed off by tree bursts and hurled into the underb~ush, made it bard to tell whether· it ~as -just another branch or a .c oncealed pillbox.

The high p-1-ing of a Jap bullet cracked the air and smashed into the brush overhead. It was follO\'~ed by another , an6 another, as though thoy wore deli berate, aimod shots. He'd missed, and Cameron pi' eked up .the · hole. It res "So cloae you. could .spit on tht;; sonovabi tch if tho wind was with you:" Realizing his error, the frightened sniper lobb~d a grenade ~nto if bush~ A r ·ragrilent hit Dolech0ck. ~imultan~ously Cameron and Clash cut loose--tlie pow-pow of the Ml accenting th(, BAR burst and tne wounded man rolled to cover, and the two scrambled be:hind a banyan tree.

Rising ·to peer around tho mass of banyan shoots, Cameron shouted , "Get some he.lp u; here. The oastards ar.e right in front of'. us! Pass it on to Tym~" Another string of shots and, "Hey, ~w na0d sane hE:>lP.. There's Japs ~dcr those branches."

From somewhere to the left came, "Where the holl ar& you? What's going on there?"

C&loron, poking his Ml around the edge again, answered, ·''That. ain't :popcorn popping!" , and hamnrered out another string.

He grabbed the grenade from his belt, pul'lcd the pin am stepped back into a l i ttlo hole ·between th(:) roots and ·tossed 1t into the brush on top of tho sniper box·. Still the Jap -was there. He l'C;achod for the gr0nade on Cashman's bclt--Cashman kept firing--and steppod back again . This one hit tho right corner of th~ box. .As it oxplod0d a machine gun burst cut across tho tree. He rais.:.:d his rifle and cmpti ed tho clip in that direction.

Reaching for another clip, he glanced up at Cashman, certain that tho machine guns had clipped· him, but he ~as still firing. Then he tolt a shock-as though ho'd put his fingur in e.n el~ctric sockat and noticed tho hole in his pants leg.

"Jeez, Cash, I'm hit~ It got .me~" ho yelled. pgt Di ck and Bono (Pvt Salvatoro Bono, .now Pt c} hoord him and sot out to where he was whon anotl:..er burst pinned them down behind a bare l i ttl.o lump of grrund. Cameron saw tbGQ1 nov3 and hoard Dick cursing tho bright suntans he was wearing. Ev.erytin10 ho squirmed :t he mach:i:·n o gun clattered. It struck Cameron as fUD.l!lY and h0 burst into a loud -laugh• Another machine gun opened up. Th& hul..l..,ts cracked thu air a fow inches from the tree;·. Cashman opened up with his BJJl as Cameron took a high· dive across a fa:llen ·branch and tumblvd to a saft; spot.

Cashman l oapod right bobind him and "d istracted the J"ap gwmer long enough to gl.ve Di ck a chance to scramble out l!>f sight.

Every clump of brush, every trCCi, ovary fall en branch on the hillside camu all ve with -a machine gun or rifle. Th~ fir~ incroased until thu brush soundod 88 · though it ~urt: being hackud doi"m behind the patrol.

- 54 -

Whan Stewart-. at. the left wi.th Shupe ,(Pfc toe 11. Shupe), ·heard Cc.meron•s yell.for help ho h~d POlayod it t~ four Company L men he ho.d se~t .25 yt?.rds:to the 1-Gft, but they wore pinned. down too. And 1:0· front .Of him was another s·nipor th~t n,eeded attem_tion.

Shupe was crawl:ing.·fonjard when Stu saw a sniper pol::..; his.· rifle out of a dugout. He took :aim and cmpti.cd half a cl{~" bof orc the sniper foll out of sight. Then ·both Shupe and .Stu picked. up a machine gun at the same instant and riddled thv gunner bcforo ho ha¢i -t _i.rild to turn on than.

1

WHILlt T'.ciE l.:IAC.'EL~ GUN AID RIFLE FLU. n; TiiE pCA,.PAi\-Y I s..i;cTOR MOt'1."T.ED I1~TO A 8M.ALL B.IU'TLE,. OTEl:R PATROl.S ~ •.Eili; S:KIRTING !rBE NJRlll . .AND SOUlli SLOP.ES· OF TliE RIDGE. 01\ Sil?.ARATE itII:S5I O~\S TO F'iEi{I. OUT THE J.APS, Tfu. '.I'liRE8 P.A!IROLS Will .AIJ.. HIT 'iff'i: .SJ.iihE RIDGE. A OOihl>.ANY K P.ARTY WAS APPROACHING IT mw A !RAV/ ON 'iHE lll::CT.

On the right a Company B patrol was inching its· way up thv north slopo and neared the. crost of the hi 11 with out dravu ns fi r'0. Tht; . junglo was thick and movanum; painfully slow. · I.u- two hou:r.-;:, \iu"'y ho.d crawled 150 yards. They could h ear th0 figp.t a l i ttlo to the; left and wore . certain thu 'J'ap dcfons~ must run around this s~d0 of. th~ hill too.

Th~ dozen mon ·woro tanned out .down .the junglc-0 .slop0 pcliind ·a F~Jian COillll'.IS.ndo and "Impori al" Wahl (Pvt J amvs 9. Wahl) th.:;i.r own scout.

SomC.timus· whun he crawled from one clump of br.ush .to anoth..;r thoy. saw his grc,on fa ti guo cap, Wb.i ch h..:i had ~1orn through Guacialcanal and which had carn<.Jd. him tho nalll.9 "Lnpcrial" b9causc it rcsarn.blvd th" cloth cap;. worn by th~ Japanoso Imperial Marinos.

A riflo'crackcd , nearby this time.

Tho Fijian sto:Ppod noar Wahl and for a moment they hu~cd the ground. But thbJ:'.o ~ere no mor0 soots. Tho scout pointvd to a pillbox not more than ton yards away.· Togcthor they lay in thu brush and mado a m.::sthodical. sonrch for hiddon posi tiOns. Near thu top of th..; hiil ·t hoy saw suspicious brush . pil.;s that could bo 10 or more pillboxes.

Tll.cy . signalcd. thu rost of th; patrol to pull back down th0 ridg e.

This was tho information tb.Eiy were after. It had- to bo ruportod to battalion. Beck in tho b{vouac area tho .man wore. ·wearing now grocn and .brown · dabb ud calfloufla~e suits which they variously celled leopard suits, monkey suits, or .:nore; commonly "zoot suits". Th..iy m:.r(; still laughing about the sniper who opcni:..d u:g uncomfortt::bly ~los-.;_ just DS thoy had takon off thoir ·s t.intans and _grccns and ~~r~·standing nak~d, waiting ·to bo issuud tho nef~ ·sill ts. Tb.vro w0rv c:;.cicks too at tho largu sizes drap 0d on .s mall m0n--ovorybody got a sizo 40 or 4~~ AT Ti:lli Rl!;GI1•. ·;;r~JJ.. CP TEE R.;;;PQ-{'l"..., OF 'l'fft~ T.•1H.i:.b ?.id'IiOlS · GJiVJ!°: . C.ERTluN rimrciii'ION TH.AT_ T'tlE J.APS ·.,.zi:~ STI:W.. hOLD!!\G Tf~ ·EI.LL MASS BE'ni{l!:ii!N. TEE '.IWO l48TH Th"'F~"'ffi.Y WIJ:i'B, Till:; &.ECTOR TliJi.T -(~ TO BE T.B.E 161 'S .ASillWBLY J.R& FCR '.Im'; BIG DRiv~ TO 'ilib .BEnCH. · IT fu!GiT 00-.L.Y BE A SMALL hOLDING FORCE L~:F'T TO~ OUR ADViu~CE. nN ORD:ilt .«ENT OUT FOR COlli?.nNY I SU.c-PORT~ BY '.ihi.]; .l>:lORl'.t.R PJ:.nTOON OF C~i.N'I .bll TO CLE!Jt ':em: RIOOE 'lHJa' .nFT"""~OON.

Riflomon .weru alrcody fc-Gling their uay up t -il..- · slope:; viJlcn mortar ·shells swisll~d overhead and crashod in quick succossion across th0 top. On the. l oft a platoon of Compo.ny I ~nd c. 'plotoon of Company K werc . attncking tho south slope whilo thu oth~r two platoons of Com!)any I hit tho right flank.

- 55 -

"RID BIARD" 'Im: S'lmY QCIBS mAT OOIDNl!!L DAL'lt1N OmE CONDOC'l'ED ImPICTIONS IN 1IBI'l'lS GLOV!S, RONNING BIS l'INalRS AIDNG THE 1fINDOW Sn.tS '.ro ll!'l'EOT THE .DOST. AT 34, ON! OF 'Im: 'YOUNGIST OOIDNEIS IN 'ml INFAN'lRY, "DUSTr' IS A VAN OF IJl:GBND, AIKIRKD AND n.ARBD, 'mE FIGORE OF 'l'BE ROMANTIC JUNGIJ: FIGHT.Ill, AN ~UG, ALTHOUGH 30ST1 DISCIPI.m.ARIAN, THE OLD VAN, D!NAmC AND AI.CXJF 1 .ALWA'YS 'l'RE OUTWARD PROFE.SSION.AL, IS DIFFICULT IN GARRISON LIFE. DtB'I'Y IS A STIC!Ll!:R Fm PORMALITY, RESPECT AND ABSOI.UTE OBEDIENCE. HAVING C'OLTIVA'Im> GREAT SELF-CON'mOL, BE Il!MAND3 IT. IN O'lHIRS. '.ro UNDERSTAND HIM ONE MUST UNlllRSTAND ms WU OF SOIJ)IJRING AND ms mnoTIOOS AND FLAMING PA'l!UO'l'I.SM. nm ms GUARD OOWN· BE BAS BEEN XNOWN 'ro SHOW GREAT INTmEST IN mE TACTICAL 1IJVDO:N'lB OF AN nm:cT ON ms VAP. "IDOK AT mAT <EASSllJPPIR TAD llJ'llNT BAD1 " 1IE ONCE OVll:RBSARD mK i:x:ct.All(.

HI IS A F.AKILY VAN, PROUD OF BIS nlD CHILmEN1 AND AN INV!'TmtATE RIAll!R OF COKICS. TALt. AND I.ZAN, SPORTING A RED BE.ARD, A SLOOCH HAT AND A HAU-.AFFECTED RANIEJ£RCHIEF .ABOUT BIS NICK, Bl IS A OOIORP'1JL .ABL1C FIGHTING DADIR WI'm A '.D!!RRIFIC WILL '10 WIN. IN A FICJB'l' A CALL OcmB'S '!'BROUGH FID4 AN OUT.POST 'mAT "J114" IS ON ms WAY IN. .ARRIVING .ABOUT DOSK BE aoIJ?B IXJWN A COP OF Oll>COLATE, CRAllIS IN'.ro A FOX-EIJLI AND WI'm A t.rrlD!: I.IaB'l' CONTINU!'S llORKING. TEIEN Bl IS O!'F AGAIN B!FORI DAWN.

"NORT" "'lm: Y>ST DECORA'IED SOLDIER IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC" IS AN UNASSOMI.NG, 001!'1'-SPODN auY wrm A FAVORITE PHRASE, "'LET'S GO GET '!Bl SLA~EYED BASTARDS." T/SGT IJ:ROY":Z. NORTON VOLUN:IURiD :FOR TB! PHIL!PPINES IN 1940 AND JOINED S 161 AT FORT LEWIS. Bl ORIG!NAU.Y J.NLISTKD IN THE NATIONAL GUARD IN BEND, ORIOON, WHERE BE WORDD IN A IDGGING CAMP. A CORPORAL IN GUADALCANAL, BE WAS' AW.ARDED '!'BE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS AND MADE A PERMANENT STAFF SI!!RGEANI' BY CONGRl!:Ss UPON 'lHE RECOtrt.!INDATION OF ms cmt4A.NDING CJINDAL, MAJ' GEN J'. IAWTON COLUNS, .AFmi RESCUING. ms WOUNDED CCY'ANY COMMANm:R AND WIPING OUT A MACm:NB GUN NEST IN THE MAtANIKAU FOCDT. "S'roMPY" mR'l'ON IS mIRTY, SHORT AND DARK wrm AN iARlUSl' MODIS'l'Y CLAIMING MOR! CRIDIT PQR TBB ~ FIT 'l'BAN :FOR R™SEIF. NORT IS CALLED STUBBORN AND BUI.!.-HIADBD, 'lHE TRAim WBIOH VAD HIM ACT ON IMPUISE AND TAD OUT A MACHINE GUN NP.ST AT FIBST SIGH'!'. A PLATOON SERIZANT IN NEW GIORGIA, BS FRE'l'l'lW 'ONHAPPll.Y IN 'lBE REAR, AND WELCOMED 'ml OPPOR'IUNITY 'ro RUSH UP FRONT WHEN 'IHINGS BEGAN TO HAPPEN. CAIK AND EASY GOING, EVEN' IN A TICZ' SPOT, BI'S T.BB TYPE OF MAN llJST DI.LOWS 1fOOLD FOLLOW AN !WHIRi - AND IX>.

IN TB! C<l«PANY I FEAT ON BARTLEY RIIXlE, DlSBIIJG UP TBS RILL, SHIRT OP.IN1 SIDVES CUT OFF AND A B!ARD ADORNING ms !'.ACK, NORT WAS INS'IRUMENTAL IN TAKING OCT A PILL-BOX AND I. MACHim! GUN NIST IN LESS THAN 'SN lUNUTES. ms 'lHIR'.EUN-MAN PLATOON WAS LARGELY DSPOH5IBI.Z !'OR BREAKING 'J'AP RSSISTAIDE ON ~ HEAVILY JORTIFili:D RIME. AWARDED THI OAK U.AF CBJfJ'l!!R, VIR'l'UAll.YA BIOOND D.s.c •• Bl EXPLAINED_, "U JUST DID IT. BOT U WIRE PIDTr IlAllNKD SCARED .iJrmB. IT WAS O'VJR."

2067

Mov1ng was easier when "the flowery mortar bursts slipped through

the hetl'V'T"-11JlSS

ehe~d.

soon as the:. b.::.rr:..:gc lifted en· cngry tc::::..:r of me.chine guns and rifle fire rcttled .:round the ridge ~m;l pullets clipped the brush on tht.l crest. Our men dropped cmOI)g the logs cnd roots end took up the f it:;ht, inching up behind th~ brcr;1 th6,t circled the hill. ·To crcwl beycnd· the t 11...s impossible--the chdn of pillbox.:.s ct the top crossfired on 0very inch of it. · In th t:. push up the south slope $gt Sinc~dr (Sgt Jcmes R. Sincldr, sf:cond plctoon guide) vies follo·;1ing closely behind c. 1:1q:ucd pinned down directly in front of c :for.vs.rd pillbox. There ?IC!f.; sovercl yells for more. gr enc.des. Sli];)ping .be.ck down under tho brush he cr£.wled up th1;; ·S'i d~ .:.nd thr1...w the grenc.des to c. rifl(;lllcJl necrby. 1. grencde lit directly in front of the dwsout. ~~6 Jc..p popped up c.nd ·, fi th c. sweep rolled it beck down th~ till. A frcgmcnt ripped into Sinclcir's left ttigh. J. bul.•st of fire from our iiq.c.s brought shooting· from oth~r before unseen positions. Sincl~ir scu c hole c few y~%'ds fro..i the dugout t::.hd the Jc.p in it bunging cr;cy c. t <mother squud.

He pushed Q.i.nsclf toward.- it . when CJ burst of shota hit him in· the leg.

Shouting •I'll get you sonovt:bltcht:s yet!•, he lecpe:d to his feet.

The Jc::p stuck out his rifle c.nd shot him in th€; chest. Sincl:..i r fell in front of the dugout, cl.most :::cross thti f lring slit.

AB

A STORM OF FIRim BROIC A..'® FILL!J> TH:: JUNGL:: IN A CO]'JTINUOUS TRAIN OF SOUND. · ON THE RIGHT ~ rilPr.i.IN !L.STIIDS {CIL'.RL::::B J. H.IST!NGS) AND HIS rro PIATOONS Hi.D A!JV1.NCr:D ~.ll·!OST TO T'd:: T OF OF THZ: BILL, TH:: .i.DVld~:: FALT!:D. ON1:: MAN COUNT!:ll 10 MACHIN:: GUNS,. FIRING Al.T:RN.ATiiIX IN LCNG BURSTS.

Some hcd the: reti:.t c.tc.t sound of Jop w.;:cpons , ond here c.nd there the dot-do-d&t-det-di:.-dct .of an .iwlerican mcchine gun. On .the south · end of the ridge the bccklx>ne of fire rec.ched ·further down. AdvD.D.ce over the· crest :.-c.s impossj.ble. Already stretcher be::.rers Blld aid men were cOinine, UP. the drew c.nd picking up the 7Vounded who hcd crewled c. few yards b<.ck to ·aifety. The net of .-!op pillboxes we.a strung close to the;; 'top of the hill c.nd the: fire wos concentruted on the cruit. Below it ·t h6re wt.s si::.fety close to the ground, but everytime c few m~n tried to slip.ccross it, unother pillbox unsee~ be:fore, cone c.livo ~ feu ycrds a~cy.

It vius impossible to go on. It wcs evident there _\-rere c.t lee.st 20 mechine guns end nobody knew how mcny snipers strung every fev1 feet in crosa... f:iring positions oll around the long m.rrow ridge-top. Returning the fire while more \70unded. were being ccrried down the drew, the t\70 plE:.toons on th~ . right withdrew to a smell knob thct hl.Ulg out obout 50 ycrds frcxn .the .rap hill. On the left, they '7ithdrCJW below the brow· ond joined 't heir coiilpD.nies, •K• on e little ~~ 11 southwest of the cttccked positiona snd 111 11 to 't'here the other ~10 ~lc.toons bed held· When the picture of . th~ ofternoon•s otteck woe complete, fiv~ of the ~illboxes wer~ known to h~ve be~n knocked out. Four men hod been killed und 14 wounded, including two Cam.p£ny M mortcr observ6rs odv~ncing stecd.i.ly with the .forwu-d &a,ULda. \Vhot \liLS thousht to be only s . deleyins nuisance potrol turned out · to be e Jap strong point, honey-combed with little cocoanut ~nd coral fortresses, impregncblt: to rifle fire unless you ceiught & J"e» firing from the slit. ~c.s

- 57 ·-

BY Di.RK TH:: R:OII'.CNT.LL CP ::~·.s ,:;3T;..BLISH:::D IN TE: s:.::..LL GLI:.'.RING LILN,.', TR.'.IL ':"li::::RE ::IGE'T OF OUR 8ll.'.M 1IORI'.J...R3 H...D 3::rr' UP N:.t.R TH:: 37I'H DIVISION CP. THI: l35TH FlF.TD .t.Rl'ILL~Y B:.Tl',:.LION ILD JOINED TH~ REGIMINI' TO ru:PL..~CI:: TH.L 89TH .TIHICH HLD B!:EN :.S.SIGN:O TO XIV CORffi LRI'IUZRY ON R:NDO"Vi.. S:XOND a~.t.UON :rrNr nrro DIVISIQN R:SI:RYE ON THE TRI.IL .WITH THE MISSION OF Sl!DURING TP..1: NORI'!-! ;..ND :1£.R OF THE DIVISION RIGHT FLJNK. FIRST i..ND TFJIID ill.TT.i.LIONS ·7rnE ORDER:O TO PRISS THZ ;.l'T.LCK ·,TI!Sr TO· TEI: ..'SSIGNED LI~ OF DI:P;.RTUR:; IN THJ:: I~IORNING. B~ID::

1.t the front ,.,here Canpcny I men he.cl. made & close circle of shallow holes sround the ~..nob striking off B~rtley Ridg~ men huddled in twos and thr~es. rifles pointing into th& bl~ck jungle night, knives in .hand. .:..t inte.rvc.ls all night sn J1u.erice.n B~.R .roe.red froc; the JElp rid8e. its ormigu tracers burning out of the sky. It wesrlt firing at & t~rget--just firing. On th~ other sid~ w~s a conf.usion of jabbEiring ond mov~eont in th~ brush. Once E:. . figure came up the Imo b and sto:ppGd, end they hce:rd him urinc.te in the. brush. Not e shot CElllle fro,a the pe;-imeter. Captain Hastings hod wc.rncd them :to us~ only their kni ve.B' beccuse o shot might bring on e J :.p att.s.ck. Nol?ody s~ept. They just set and stcrBd into the dork:less ~s the night dragged on n0ver-endiDBly. · i'lhen petchcs of dewn begon to show through the block jungle cenopy the tension of the night was broken cm somo of the men d.o zed off until orders tor the IOOrning attack were pcssed down from hole to hole. Tt.c sun \vaB hot already this ecrly in tht. morning Eind uven thinking c.bout tht:. eittock. it WtlB still he.rd to stey c.iwoke. Then when · the time nccred they IOOved down into th~ drew cs the mortc.rs opened e 15-minute burrE.ge. ·

THE PL:.N "L'S TO LTI'J~CK TH: STIDNG-POINT TO TH:: \i':ST \?ITH THIRD FIRST. Bi•Tl'.tllONS 1.BR:J.Sl'. ::.:.en BJ..Tr;.i,roN :::::NV:::LOfING TH:: :::::N:J.t!Y .FlJ.NK IN ITS ZDNE ..,.ND PUSHING a.CK 300 Yi.RIB TO ~·.rr~..IT N:Ti OR D:::RS. TH:S THIRD BJ...TTJ.LION ·-:1.s R::SUMING TF..!: DRIV:: ON TIC S OUI'H SLOP:: OF B~·.mr.=y RIOO:: B.::.EIND COMPJirf I: TH!: F~·~TROLS i~"D THB UNSOCC:SSFuL J.TT.1..CK OF THZ PRL7IOUS T\70 D:.YS. H..J) FORC::D TH:: .It. .FS TO msa.os= .THE G~'.L UND . OF TH:CTR NI!l'710RK OF F.IU.130JGS.

.:.ND

~gain, as it h~d the other ti111es. the, cttEJ.ck brought a torrent of fire from still more positions. ··lh~t hod appec.red the ftrst dcy to bt.. c Sl.JlE.ll holding fore~ wos now o ha.v: ly re-enforc~d deft;;nse with dozens of well-conceeled pillboxes cluttering evc.ry foot of the sma.l l ridl;$e top, . cross-firing on the' brow th.t.t formed thu crest of the ridge. It seemed E.lmost imp:>ssi ble that so much firt:; could cane from so srwll .&n <.:rec. Th& oov~mce was stopped ct th~ brow once again. U11 to 1 t the jungle wcs dense E....nd mo-veme.nt was possible under cover of the si:mll rise but beyc:>nd it to the 'iOJ> of the hill, the lmde~brush t.nd tr&&s· \oilere thinned out .::.nd ony movement £.iCross it v.ould be directly in front of one of the mt.ny pillboxes higher up. For on hour Compony· I hocked c.we._y c.t the ridge. pulling bock es the 60nm mortr.rs loosed a 00.rrage 0I:1 lmown ~os i tions, 'wt when they tried ag~in. the Jeps were bock U!P in their dugouts throwing th~ir . impenetrable wi:.ll of fire on th~ crest.

Amoog the \l\Ounded durine. the first £.ttl·empt Yius 2nd Lt Mc:rtin E. BW'tley who hi.d .tclcen the point ·posi tiont. in his first plctoon end lied i!,Ollt} nearly 50 yards without drowin.g e shot. He bt:.lted the

- 58·-

platoon and signaled Colville (Sgt Eichard R. Colville, platoon sergeant) to join him. Just as Colville got abreast 01' tho officer, a machine gun cut tbEm down, killing them both. From that day~ the ridge becawe known as Dartley Ridge.

Finally the battalion Vias order3d to ::;iull back tc t.t.e position it had occupied the night before, east of t.he ri d3Ei. Companies I end K had taken the brunt of the Jap fire and had lo~~ 15 men pusbi~ up on the southern slope, six killed and nine wo~nded.

On the right, first bat·t.i:ilion had moved fo~;-'lrd 800 yards without opposition and nas diggin[ in tor the nit;h-c.; ar.d, from the second battalion reserve, Canpany E was ord~rcd to ~cO'e .th~ extrtme north flank or the regimontal zono.

For tvro days Compeni es I and .K. bed hackod away at Bartley Ridge and it v:.a s '3Vident that thert: Wtire J aps ond pl"'nty of them in ·the hill mass th ~ t lay between us and the as~igucd linµ of doparture.

Immodi ttely, thi.i t aft.,;rnoon, plans wcr.::: maae for rt-nowinf the push tha next morning, June 26t.h. · A PLATOON OF .LIGHT T.fu.\'K& FROw Tri.E .lOT.t.i ~tl..'\E lliEk.~£ BATTALION li.AS ATTACh.ED 'l'O 'lhl:&D B.ATT&.10~\. 'Il::..AT .h.:.'.•.'.t:...u\OON .t> hZCCL:.,J.ISS~~~CE ·i,J.S li.:a..ADE Af\""D COMP.kNY A OE'. 1hl 65'.Ili li.i\GINAE.H B'"''l'TALION lil>B ~D FOR·,:AttD TO :COW.00.6E A 'ffiJJL FOft 'lh.i:. Tiu"\:r.6 'll:i.hOUC:ii ·fu.:.:. Di;.N:;;~ JUXGLE VJ.JLEY TO 'llil!. S~PE ·~ COII.?Al\'Y K ~ .O:&;N TlJhi~D BACK &hilER IN 'l.HE .DhY. JUS·r :a.i!.iFOAJ;j; D.k&K '.iliE nrI·~cK Ohl..i:.Ji .U+S IS.SUED. CCMP.Al\IES K Ai.'ID L ,11:Jill 'IO FO.i..LOir '.W:.:,, '.[~~K CO.LU...?\' ~:D ~C,'U.tt£ :.iiili ~bT- ~.EST LEG OF THE RIDGE, iio.I~ COMP.lilrr I rub~D I 'l~ .J.'J."i.'i!C~ o~~ •li:J!; m1'i.'IB- SOUIH LEG TO GAIN J:iS .auUCcii. Gha.Ji~D .if:> 1'00.;>l.ui.E :a·;.,:..~OR:f; 1W. T~:r.5 .~-1HkIV.W 0?..t:'OSITE 'llilli{.

TI:1E a'.L'Tn CK .vW3 TO JUJ:.U' OFi· .HT 0800 , JUJ..Y 26 '1B.

The early morning barrage mounted into an unprecedented crescendo of fire and thunder as mortar shells rushed ov ~rh~ad -in an unending stream and crashed into the hillside .in strings of ear-shattorµig· thuds. The tanks were lato--the barrago continued. Then finally a terrific fury of noisa blot·tod out .tho 0xplosions and the jungle turned 'into a smashing, screeching, shaking nightmare. But even the groat roar sounded good 'to the Tiflancn lvaitinc; to tollow the ju..ap..otf. It was like thv mortar barr&ge-it felt good to ·"follow 1 t up the -h ill.

Man. bbbbod up in the open hetohes · dirocti~ th~ colunn of tanks down the bulldoz~d trail up thu black junglo valley into .a bombed-out clearing at the bottom of the west slope. In a sca.tteDod column close behind the tan~s, Co.'llpany K rifler:icn .!!'.ovcd up. In the l oad tank , lst Lt French (Kenneth E. Fronch) thoir blood and thunder comp:tny t.:xocutivo officer \mo for ~hro6 days had boen leading patrols into the Jap hornet's nest, ~ebbed up and down in a hatch directing tho tanks and the: rit'lomen. The "Sldppera li8S a damn good man to follow.

With" a si3naling screech of sirons, the first thrao tan.kB swung north. up th..: bare ridge. The Jeps sure as hell knew we wero coming this t imo. ldachino guns fired in long rattling bursts, traversing across the fertb.er ridge until the tanks dropped into a shallow dip just buyond the

cr~st.

The mortars and machine guns had kept the

Jape low in their holes and only now and thcn ·did e · fuw shots crack ne::Jrby. But as soon as ·tho fire lift0d tho colwnn of t en.1cs an'd. tiE)n slowed end crashE)d into tho thick underbrush to b0gin th~ pu~h up the main ridge. The Jeps woru back up now and h~ll broku loos~ frcm ·all sidoa.

- 59 -

One oontinuous we.ve of fire and thunder filled the ju:cgle--orange balls musb.roancd out of th~ grc~n £loom. 1'h0 li~~l 0 dip wos a bullsoyc ancr ovcrYthing in tho Jap ar.iny was hitting in it. Th(:) 37's in tho tan.ks oponcd up, end th0 cannistor sholls bla sti..;~ into· thv dugouts that could novi bo picked up. A dc;.af<::ning 0 ~plonion--ono of the tanks cau€,b.t it point-blank. Smashing through thb bruah to get off tho bulls-eye, another stopped and th<; crvw jw:1p6d qut and scattert;d.

Riflanen in back w&ru catching hell-casuslti uG ;.;..:,re be;co;ning he£.vy.

French jwnpud from his tank once to brt;;ack up thG bunch huddling behind the tanks. Tho sirens scrD vCh0f t~0 sig~~l to withdraw and the t anks r~arbd back, crushing four r.1en who had t ak,_,r, cov~r behind them wh,on the firing began. Tho line sa{l'8ed, but push0d on as tho tanks drew back. Finally it v~ as impossible to movv further into tho ·torrent of fir1:1 and the riflouwn fell back to· vihat had t:ic:.<:m th~ ir morning starting point •

• • • TJ..l~ B.IL.L ~.~ HELL. wuCH OF IT::. bTOliY c...:N l~-V.:.!:R B1£ TOLD. IT I b 1.Jb.lfRE W.LY 3Y UiPLlC.!>TION L • 1hi:. LONu C~.hOi:UC.Ll:. OF .dl;ROIS.1.1--IN THE ID.'UTl'ERABLI. ..... jj;,.,.Hn~t.,:, Ol'· Th~ ~IU.l\T .IW?.l\ 'rcliO 3A'.C IN 'lhii;IR hOI.ES ''lliJ\T ~"IGllT .tti·'m Th OUGHT ABOC.H' ·i'W., O'll:i.tlili ;ll.0 ~1..HD B-'iliX Cn!dtlED OUT, .iU\'1) .J\BOUI' 'Jlii. J .AP.S STILL ON T1il. t>lLL•••

Every man who was on ~an.k hill r eme;:Di>ers th0 · "&kipper", Lt French, running the tan~ and the inf~ntry ,' sta~ding up Hh"-ro you'd swvar. he could reacp out and touch a hundred bullets, as though h o was '!~ding a dry run on the hills of Oahu instead of on ottack on a junG).e hill alive uith J"aps. Two days later he was kill~d leading another patrol up the same slope •••• There was Pvt henry

·~ieber

of Third Be ttali on Heed quarters Can-

pany, whoso radio pasi tion at the batta lion ·ep "<ms in tho line of' Jap fire but couldn't bu moved if tho batt~lion was to k~~p contact

iii th the tanks ·through . Regiment and with the: mortars. and died as ho VJas be ing evacuated.

He was woundoo

And ..Captain Paul Molllchamp 1 .Etegimuntal S-3 and at on~ · time aide to Genera l Collins, who.. saw the radio operator wound.:;d during the tank ~ithdrawl end took ovor, directing mortcr f'ir.:: into the .Tap positions ho could socJ from where ho crouch;:.ti b Qhind e tree. ~shot through the tree ripped into him, but h~ kdpt shouting fire ordors into tho radio until he lost consciousn~ss. ~ hour l a t&r he diud.

And Corporal .Martin thr~c

w.

B.~i tmail,

Company .K, tiho saw his squad

w.cn crushod by a withdrawing ten~, had moved to tho front to koep thw others advancing. .hlono ha knocked out a machino gun nast, killing the;, threo-man cre;w. lie was crawling up the hill again ·whcn a ~op sni,er ~ot him. loador and

1st Lt J ost.:ph B.:. ·G-cU.loway, Ccmpany I, was hit 1~ the.; c::rm while bringing up his plc.toon bvhind th-.: t an.ks. He kopt going, and \'Jh.:ln h.) ..tinally: collapsed from loss .of blood, he r..:;fusod h olp frcrn his platoon scrgoant--"Novcr mind me. Tho job is to take that hi·l l El.Ild hold it~ "-end he crawl ed back through tho brush u ·hundred y ards bofare .a litter team picked him up.

- 60 -

Sgt .trnest ll. Allison, Cc.1;1peny K vlatoon s1;;r·e...cnt , push...:d his platoon up on the crest to COVt)r the to.uk y;i thclrirrJl t·nJ ran frou1 one group to anoth0r tlir cctinf, fir<.: until h" we.~ hit by shrr.pnd. He lay where he fvll, still shoutiL.g ornwrs, and raf1;.secl to b-. moved until his men had pulled back~ A little l ate ho di0d • .And theN were. mi::ny others wound ed and killvd whil..: carr:ving out other v1ound0d. Nine rue:n were ki llcd thtot d~y, enc v':UJ.' 25' wound.;d.

BARI'LEY RIDGZ ·~1.Ab NOT bK n . u.l..ti-.'f~D .c'CCt>J:.o'l' . Oi:" J.n.&i L..;F";r B:EHI.i.W TO B.A.-u1So ClJH ADV.1-;.I\CJ!:, ~UT .J.;. ~rELl-OiiGr.NI~D ~.;1:,. n.:~::l'Ei.;.uill-:J::;D DEFE!.""S].. THE i.liOLE HI.LL ~::; D~ }.t:Wl\I' OJ!' '..t..ul:'. l SlST r;:E0:TnY ~;;.,..;; POQK...W.iiKED W jI'IH .Al.JliOST Lii?:C-~(i;.~Al;.u:. CuCOn}:U'l ' .LJ)G .P!.J.L90JC.:A:> P.ttC!.AD ·•.lT.d. co...~ him i.;ov~D 1•rih ]'.ni.oo BR.nl~Cb.~.

YUU uO'i' h :i!'.h... ir.l\Ih L\ F~Ol\'l1 OF TaE.i B]r FO:Eili YOU ~-V.!i.;i;; ~....i. ·~ . YOU CO!Jl..Li :fuiio-.; AiORT.nRS JiT 'IruiM. ALL DAY, BUT 'i'liEcU!; \iOUl.L :;,TIJ....L ~ J.hPS ;.rhER.c., iID..l:U't01u. J) u.i\li.i:.;!i '.il:.i:. LO~ J>ND ROOTS. EV.cJ\ ll' IOU G~WiJJD 'i'.t.J.!Ai OtJ'.i' O:h Olf.c. DUGCUT--O'I'l: .• :5 ~·wu.LD C01:IE BACK TO 'Ihii.. ~ hO.Lt;&. 'l".ri:1Y "nC:Ul..D l~~V.J:.it GIV..::. UF Ul~-L nmY V-..imE llE;~.

The next morning, July 27th, Li. FEonch 'Ylho had tc:.ken.::ccllllllend of Ca;1;iany K took another .Patrol t<? foel out a hill in front of the: first bettcl..ion of tho 145th IM!antry • . Until . th..; tank r.t t ack, th.:.re had bocn no :f'iro t'ran thero.. Then yesturda:,r ~verything in thu JQP

book hod com.:> from -that front. It pr.ovad what wo.s susp1.;ctod-Tank Hill w~s not po.rt of Bartley Ridgi:;. It wes e dist,inct i:.ill, sepcreted from D....rtley kidgc by a $h~ll.ow open .valluy. ,Company Kwas not on the J~;p l'lunk, but wae itse::lf .f lenkeci. by more nowly discovorod Jop positions. , Th<; picture was bcccming complc.tv. 'lb..;; 14i.>th 1 .:-> s.-;;cond bettulion was pushing ~....st ruid has passod the J.;,ps on tr.e north und was almost northwost of Bortl~y Ri~gs boforu it wus stoppvd by firo from the ·southwest. In tho moantimv, first battalion of th~ l~l, b~twcen third bsttf:·lion and the 145 outf.it had advanc\.:ld wost. &Iid occupied O'Brien Hill on July 26th wi tho\'t a shot. But whc.;n th~y tried to continue the push this morning of th~ 2'7th, th.-y wer\Sl . stop:p1.;d short of tho next hill by another string of pillboxes, which heid hvld its tire until Compr:ny C ht.d wedvd into it. It wos .c lee.r .t hat thv J"aps in tront ~f third ~nd rirst .bcttclion, lol, first cud sQcond bettal1 ons ,145, v1ere all part of the same strongpcint. Th.:.t strongpoint was surroundud now on th.:: -south, uost c.n<l north • .ALL DAY l.OHTMS POUND.lm 'lb]; &i.L LlA..% IN l5 14~'U'.rE BJ..>RR.i..GiS EVERY Tli4E A ?ATnOL lW.iPOl<TBD l\E\, .l"O&lTlON&._ SINC.:. 'D.1J:. :filC'dT O!' JULY 24'IH, The. EIGHT 8~ 1.iOR~°J&I OF C~.tu"'ff· B .nl\1) 11 ii.i.D BEi:?'~ &-.ir UP IN A cm1..IJL\G &bID:t Th..11. .~ '.il1E :w·ru Drv16IG..~ .t.:ID Tm. REGIldfil:r' fuU> IBE:IR CP' .3.

FOUit Dt,.Y$ 'Jl1..i:.Y Sh.0T "6U-l:" ·lO;ooo MORTAR

uma n:

@iElJ..S.

Thu centur ot the clue-r ing wes a huge b6mb cr&t C:.l1', now half filled with water, whore .il6adqulirtvriS vnd 1110rt<4:r.-r111:m ·gc.th<::rud to wash

and talk over reports 1'ror;l tho 'front linl."le, only !:. fuVi hundrod yards away. Most of them had not eva.n seen the frcnt lln<.1B. It. ~as like a l i ttlc; rugged Ccmtluni·ty onclosl3d an ell sides. by ~ew Goorgia jungle brokc.;n onJ.y by the Toad cutti..ng throush :frO!ll thl.! t ·r cil to th~ front.

There w&s hot chow twioe a day for thv mortsr m~n and doughnuts snd coffee at the 37th Di viBion CP.. Still tho wer was clwoys thoro for

- 61 -

tho rod-eyed·, bearded men of "CP Cit ·r ".

Day and night fire orders came from the for.na.rd observers, almost every hour, and the gunners began plopping shells into the tubes, never knowing 't'That their target was this tine. The constant thwung-thwung or shells leaving the guns and the smell of burnt powder gave them splitting hea\iaches but they were too bus~r or too tired to think about them. ~ey knew only the latest order \'186 "one round overy·ten seconds for 15 minutes". niat was the way it was hour after hour. Once four of the Company H guns threw out 500 rounds in one of those 15 minute barrages, the gunners and corporals alternately feeding shells as fast as their arms would move.

Base plates had sunk two feGt into tho solid coral and every day the men dug their positions deeper around them. When they had moved int~ the clearing after dark tho first day they had set up on tho top Of the ground. Now by following the base plates down, they had pos1t10ns just like the ones pictured in tho Infantry manuals. 'n:ro tubes burned out, turne d orange and :flaked. New. tubes. woro set in the sunken base plates and the next barrage WQnt on unintoruptod.

Behind tho guns, shell piles wore kept stacked high. J'e eps , trucks, everythiDg on whools kept ammunition coming up the trail, and sweating ammunition carriers and company he.e dquartors men--cooks and al.l--kept tho shell piles ready far 1.nstant firing. Dln'in~ t~ blistering daytime heat, men worked stripped . to the waist, or else in shorts. In spite of its high organization, thoro wns no uniform regulations in "CP Citytt and it wouldn't havo meant much if the r e had boon.

They wore giving the riflemen up tront all tho suppbrt they askod for and a helluva lot more.

Every night thoy had thoir sweating hero too. Thero rt10re always rumored r eports that the Japs hod infiltrated tho front lines and everybody in tho 9learing doubled tho guard in tht.ir holes at night, but tho firing went on. They suffored sniper firt. too. As soon es they loosed a barrage, tho sniper would pock at them from tho jungle. It became ~o ha.bi tual it wns commonplace.

Aftor tho first coup l o of days, it brought tho staff· officers and headquarters .:nsn from their holes, all intent on gottin.~ tho Jap t~omsclves.

On.co Sgt Bob W:ood~tt (Robert H. woocyatt, now s Sgt), Company H mortcr section leader, raised his Ml and. sightod on a khaki patch in a green tree top. Beside him, at the saIDfl instcnt, Sgt Cbzrl.Ely .Allbri ttan (Charles H. Allbritton, now T Sgt) spottod 1t·. It looked liko a crouched figure trying to climb up ths troe. Tho colloction of staf'f men. cooks, .a nd MP's, sweating out a crock ·at tbEi sniper, saw this and rnisod their rifles too. 'Ih:: first shot split tho sudden quiet and a continous roar Of Ml's, tOJll!Jy gi.ins, pistols and oven c shot gun cor:ie fran. the triggor-heppyttswee.ters" firing. 1:.1 ell c!iro~tions. Whon tho bat tla broke, a scarc.d "banana possum" jumpael f'rom. tho tree mid disappeared. 'Its brown fur had looke r~. like J'ap kha.ki • .Anothor time n photographer co.mo to tho cloaring. He vro.ntod on action picturo, so the martar-mon tol~ h.1z!l to hong around--tho next fire ardor wouldn't be long coming--thoy DDvor wcra. Tho photographer pickod himself n spot beside tbc guns nna when the phone ard or ccmG through, stoof. up, camora 1n hand, ready far an action picture. Vlhen the first shells · swooshed out, the sniper opened up agnin. The mortar-men stood upright,. hc.lf posing 'for the picture. Sgt Paul Sherry turned Elround and saw tbe· photographer tryi~ to dig c -to::itb.ole with his camera.

- 52 -

SYMBOL OF VICTORY -- THE AMERICAN FLAG A'roP THE CONTROL TOWER ON KOKENGOl.O HILL, MONDA AIRFIELD.

·iwa

i~o. 1 1·{ "/ )la.lo. ,_( v

'-i ;

//

LT COL "JOE" KA 'IE.AR.SKY, COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE lST BN 161 INF ON NEW GEORGIA, GETS HIS HAIR CUT AT TEE END OF THE MUNDA DRIVE.

IS IHA NUA ("BILLY") OF MALAITA, SOI.0.MJN ISL.ANOO. ONE OF THE SEVERAL BLACK GHOSTS OF THE JUNGLE WHO SERVED AS SCOUTS, KIILED MANY J..APS AND SAVED SOME OF OUR LIVES DURING PATROIS.

J.AP DU.AL-PURPOSE A-A GON NEAR MUNDA.

IN "A-A PARK'',

The hot days and wet nights, the constant headaches, ·t he sleepless sweating was :beginning to weFU.' on them. Evi:lry day a.mbu.lanoes f'rcm tbe front came tbrouga the clearing, teJdng wounde:i to the beach, and some stopped at the crti.ds cem-:ite!'y i~ ree.r of t~ .:no:·tar positions.

Then anot~r fire ard!lr would ccme frv.t!:. the OF... In ~p ~.ta cf 1.ts water-hole r.'l"\d coffee and dougl!uuts, " r7:"!? 0 -lt:-tt ~re s :.. ha ll ct it.s own, and because they never saw wil.llt part they we1'6 pla~~ing in ths battles a tew hundred yards away, the morts.r-me~ tho·..igb.t 1 t vrould never end.

There was no "big picture"-just f'i:-e orde:.'e.

MFANWEIIE, '!'¥..AT DAY1 JUL~ 27, WEII~"I!: TF~D B.~'J.'?.A L!ON KEP1' SENDING ·PA'mOLS TO TP.!'IB:·EIT..l.. AND B-4R'.P!EY R".QG!::s FI!13T B.H~1~.l\I"IC1'~ WAS S'lT....L TRYING ro PUSH ITS -'mVAECE ~J TBF. EilL llerr?OS.S 7HE V.AI:i:ZY F'P.OM Q! ffiJ.ZtlJ !IT!.L. AT THE SAME Tl"ME FIFS7 Bl: m.n~ro~ W.AS 'l'.P.YIUG TO r.·! ..:;s,~ ·r.~!Z GAFS BE'rnfil':N IT AND THIBD BA'l"J"..ALTGN ON Till!~ L~JT'l' AUC :n:r.sT Bkl"L',.::~o:~ OJ 'l'.EE 143'.il'J 00'.ANI'RY O~ TI1E RIGHT, A GAP HHICH EID J,PF..1£Juill!J ~'ll':'H 'l"rt""E ~?:l.~l'i"G OF TP.E REGIM!!:NTliL ZONE... TH/.iT M'JliNING TB'.3 SECOND D,":':'T.!:XJ:ON O! TilE 145'm INF.liNTRY WAS SENT IN BETf-'BE!iJ F:C"5T JIN:) T.HBD B.:.TTi1:L:t:OliJS ~IBILE COMPf;I"rr B OF THE 161 wr~s STILL TRYING TO CONTJ.CT ca.~JiNY B OF THE 148 ON THE

RIGm'.

Oau:pe.ny c earlier in the mO!Jling had been forced to pull back of'! the higher hill west of O'Brien mioh b6.d turne5 <.ut tc be ano-:her 1ap stronghold. i'.n .artiliery barrage was cu ~ short bP-ce.ust:; ·me 148' s lines were uncertain on the north.. C':8U:paey C tried f.igain.. The jungle in the valley between the two hills \"JOS brokan on.l:v b-y a· c01·al-packed road which the J"aps had hacked cut,. c alled Munda Tr&::.1.. Up the hill there were cleared patches where martar S.Z:.l\ e.rt.i..11~:.ry shells had hit, but even these were covered by J"aps. To add to the conf-~ion, the 1aps were using Ml' s and B;R' s a:Jll when so~body got a sri.ipe r 1 they saw ho v1ore an ill?lerican zoot-suit. While the oc1mpany was pinned down at the bottom of tbs ridge, the Japs ye lled to thom in E::lglish.

"Meedom is a cowa!.~t" 1st Lt Frodoric B. Mee.dews (now Captain} was their -Canpany c\X!!!Ifin.:l.er.

"1.mericans oe:t s~ ?i In their · hidft0n :l::oles, the 1aps were sure of themselves.

During tho atta~k, 2nd ~t Christia~ !IDuis K. Christian, onoo regimental Sergeent-Ma,Jor and Fi:r.at SJrgoa:it of Canpa:iy F and commissionE>d on Guadalcanal) was leading his :platooD toward e.· pillbox not tar up thei ridge. Its machine gun en~; looso and tbo .m.on trozo ·i·n covor.

"Chl:is" crawled through tba under brush along tho dugout a.nd hoavod grenades inside until tho ;pillbox was qu::.et . later, af'tor a counterattack :tran tho Japs, tho platoon withdro\v. Christian stayed forward to observe for our mortar tire and was kille d by a short burst. ( 'lhe hill became known as C:hrist-ie.n .Hill). When the. company pullod back oomplotoly, an artillery and mortar barraga was turn&d on th& hillsido and was kept up during the night.. Mart:u- Dhells crp.shed ~t intervals on tbD Jap bills 1n tl'ont Of t1rst and third battalions.. In the ti.rat battalion so ctor it turnod into. a duel and tlio Jape answorod with thoir mortars every ti.mo om- a.rtil.lory oponod on them. On Guadalcanal thoy had done that too, to make it look as though tho art illery bnrrago wcs tailing short. This was a new hill but an old trick·.

THE NEIT 'MORNING, JULY 28TH,

rr

- ·6 4 -

"J.S THE S:ME !!'HING.

PJ.'mOLS WERE

Om.m:RED TO '.IEE

mus TO FEEL OOT TA.t?.GETS FOR

./>.1! ARTil.LERY

~r.A.-O.A TION

BEFORE THE ATTACK. AllCPlrI THE MORTP'IB IZ'!' LOO.:.'""E ~'l!T:-I T!-iE ~l)R.~~G SALVO. .AFTER '.IHAT IT TIAS QUIET-- INCP..EDI:SLY Q.t':C:' P.:FllP. TEE NOISY

NIGHT. From the Company I perimeter a 10 man patrol li:id by "Tim" (Lt Walter Tymniak) left the peri!neter on Eastin~s Ei!.l an1 slip:,->en into the draw running aroUI:.d Bartlelr· It was. al!1wct r01.ni:ne nc-w. They had been here so often--and had been shot et so oi~en that they almost knew 1'hich clump of brus~ they could crawl to wHhout brin-ging a torrent Of Jap fire . ~e patrol fanne d and neared the crest-which had alTiars been their stopp·:ng po:nt. It was this !.ine of grcund which ~be Japs had their ma~hine guns covering.

Today the~ could t ake advBn.tage ot tho shell·~holes. Five days of mC!'t<lr flre bad ·left plenty of holes. Fran hole to hole they crawled f;L3t 011 their bell:.es, e.DXiously eyeing the mass Of broken brush ahead~ fie~:e and there they saw wh'lt Was left Of a pilJ.bOY. Where a mortar Shc•ll had h'i"t its target.

They were almost .on top Of the pillboxes--mid !lO~ a s!ict had been :fired. Vlhat the hell was wrong? Were th& b~ ste.rJ.s .t old ing up :for 8J10ther tri ck? They could see the du~out s clearly, but rl.u.or e t he he 11 trero tbe J"aps? Then, in the same instant, and vrithout a spoken word, they all got the same 1doa. ThiDga happened f ast.

On one side Nort (S Sgt I.eroy E. !lor·~on, so~ ond 1n command of the patrol, and now T s~) ana Cervantes (Pfc Jose; G, ccr1Ta1·.-.;:ca, BAR men) paired off. Norton slipped up wit!:J.1.n a :fow yards of a dugo~t . A J'ap inside popped his head up and back down agat:>J.. J'u.s~ J11h~n trom tho top ot tho hill a lone Jo.p cam.a '9JEllking. Th0 Jop in tho ·hoic came up with a light mo.chino gun and two otb£;r Japs shoneci thomsolvas in tho same position. Norton shot all four .

Noarby Pf'c :Too Shupa and Sgt Charley Dick i':ran bohind a tree saw a Jap in a snipor hole asleep . 1'.hoy stopped to ono sido and got him.

Tym, beside thom, saw a pillbax to the. right, Ho pulled thv pin of a grenade, let the lever po~ , and h eld it a few lon~ seconds then loosed it towards the slit-a direct hit. Then Nor·~O!l saw o heavy m:i.c~ine gun pillbox. a li ttlo to the :front o:r Tymnia.k holding a :rap who ms trying to sight the {;un on thom. Bo r ired ond hit the muzzle or tho J'op gun, spinning the gun out of action. Norton ye;ll'3d ;md Shupo took a run to tho pillbo:z: and bogan dragging tho logs off ·while. Norton ld.llod thrc.o ·:raps inside.

I.1.ttlo moro than ton minutos hod c l.Apaocl.

On the l eft, Sgt David Stownrt, Pfc Eugono Williams, Pfc ;rohnny Ce.sbman ond Pfc -Cliff Gibson {Clifford c. Gibson, now S Sgt) bod stortod a.notbor :tight. Willi ams looked into the opcni'Ilg Of o dugout and sow n holf-awako J'op just bocom:tJJG. conscious of the Yo:ik peering into his hole. Willioms got ··h im. .Ahec.d, Stownrt oow a ritle.m:::n rnise up to :fire. Stavro.rt shot ·am. s aw him fall. He snw an min stick out of the hole om the bright gkom of n wristwntch cnught his eye. He crawled up and ·tried to pull tho J'ap out of the hoio. Every time hu pulled on the nrm ·tho body got hE>l'.vier. He looked over the odgo mid sow o.nothor :Top under tho body pulling down cvury time he pull.£id up. Ro fired ogoin, took the mtch,- nnd stc.rtcd to. push on r.~in . A mcchin0 gun opened up from o pillbox to th& front. l}ibson slippoC. ~round it, leaned over tho top, rcmmod his BA't? into tho slit and spruyod o clip of shGlls into tho hole.

- ·65 - ·

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No orde~ had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-fl!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·al:iell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar eholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of 'tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .BARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. ·In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosionc 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJTTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I

... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dUgou.t t 0 another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JIIt ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken. ·

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .BARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT THE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs Vf<?I'G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnoi. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I

... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was b~ing fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scr·gea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront ot him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in the halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour. and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO ~~!INIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five clays of' ·tighting had ·1ett the. third battalion a raggod bunch of wea.ey mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge ·, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had t.aken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 1IAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE. ·

OQnpanies I am K settled• in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the· moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives 1ihoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY he ll broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I CP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (J1rthur s.

Too.t l:man), 'the fighting mass scrgea!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. I t hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt J.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was ."Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a -roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria Jf:;gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while ·too fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man l.8tcr. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, JULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

•- '

Five days of' tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs a~ knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. ·They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BAOK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .BARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN AROUND 'rnEIR HOIEa-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddJaad in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling .around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar shells crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Pe!!rson {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ opon by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut l'Tit)t. shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in the hole while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootbnan later. died.

man

~

m

THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE ~' I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I

... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE. .

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#lt on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating" • . Now and then a huge branch, partly broken ou by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy h;E::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away. ·· OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY he ll broke. loo-se. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap knee mortar sholls crashed among :the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (J1rthur s.

Too't l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in .cleaning up the pillboxes. I t hit ~Annie" Pe!!rson {1st Sgt J.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a -roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll 01' wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho ·wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of' tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce pa-tr-01 had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .BARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'front of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es wi.thou,t t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance.. .Arter :rive days of heavy· ·fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N ·THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; d·ay' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·e-wry holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (J1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt J.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in the halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (~c Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken. ·

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK

IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK TSlEE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA!'ED, BUT .B.AR~ RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '\1.BEN .A COONI' rTAS T.AFZN OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES; THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND THE CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS "HAD .ST.A'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE. Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'l.U"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY he ll broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. I t hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a -roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf '.ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of' tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

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By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tigµting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many sQUads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

'W.., didn't koo~ it thfJn--and it's a good· thing Vk didn 't--cut wo wcrw to spond the next 19 days wallowing in N...;:.! GtA)re;ia mud, chasing moving mowitains, parachute-drops cf food, and tho J£ps.

MOVING 1:4CiID.~AINS \;pf;; RIGHT.. wa. ]'\ ODR TfilRD Dh'I":LKLIOX GOT TO 'liru 27TH INFANTRY, ':il:ill 2'7TH "t..ASN'T ON :W001'il' BAO ~~ X~30DY lili-::i1 ~j~"CJ.:; 'Iltt-: HJ:L.L AiOOi.\"".l' ~ ·;,J18. 'lliii 27'J:h PA'.lliOll:i THOUGET T:"""JAT J:T UAS ABOUT T'i10 DAYS 11.A.11.Cli 'l'O Tti; .i.XORTli. til;; BIVOUACl.D 1.-Iili ili2Jrl TH.·.T ~-lG8.T. Hm, ':':i.hT BIVOO.H.C CCXf.l.J) ID. J.. EIJ..J.. J..l\""D ~ S~.~ ;.T 'Tu.1! SJuliw Tll:i:Jli; ~ill \Ji...i"ill TOO Tili:m TO FIGUR::; OUT. SO.liI...; GUIS R1T UP S-· ...n:L. .n-.rua.v~ BUT bQ.U.. OF us ·.1:.atE TO,O TIRED, OR D:::Cl.ThID IT ·~·Ji>S &.:TI'"...R TO LL.; 0:\ T'.d3~. IT Din.-: 1111 1i.A:KE JtN'f DIFFEElliNC-ii. 'IF·•; .wUD J.i\~ fu.J:l\ Rn::\ L~ .t...~xriO"t : . BUT 1.E SlJi!PI', TEE MUD PUDDLING "'CROS& OUR ~.STS JJID U.2 TO OUR CHINS •

..Early no:xt morning tho fon~ard co1iunand post of tho Rugimcnt moved up tollow ud by the. first and s0co~d battalions sl:>ggiog and sliding across the trail v•hich had bovn mado ovon lilOrc slic ~~ by tho rain and foot of the day before. It was gotti115 dark whon they got thor o . It was · tho same story. Zvcry day of Bairokc "\?US tho sar.1u story. Mud, mud, mud, broloon only by moro rain to make more mud .

The first battalion ot tho · 27th was attaoh~d to the. 161 that day, and it startod for Mount Bao in th·o morning with our third bat tali on follOWing. Whon tho march etoppvd, ·tboy had made abou·t two m:l,lvs and 1'1e;ur..:>d they wuro about half way thorc. The patrols .said that four milos was a two-day march, and thoy w'°rv right. It was get.ting VJOrso now. · Tho mud caltod on our "zoot suits" and th!;) ~ins · sof tunod it again.

It always rainod off and on, and it pourod mud down your nuck while you ltopt your hoad down to watch your stop. Samctimoe the rain suddunl.y stcppod and the sun broke through patchvs in tho jUDglo. The dabs vf paint on tho z~ot suits clvsod t~e woavo an~ ~de it it hot onough, now tho mud cakcxl on thaa, medo it almost .1ntolcrablo--alm·')St, because Bairokc proved that nothing is roal_ly intolorablv. Whon it. got hct wo witJh10>d it would i;ain, anu w:Uon it ciiu rain w1:1 auun wishuu lihv sun VA>Uld come out again. \'l.e scarce ly thought c.f tho J'aps thust.i first few days. l ie ware just tirod, VJut, and hungry. Tho can of "C" rations and tho chcoolato bar wo started with cJ.idn't go far. llarching tbrvugh the swamps wo didn't want to carry an u.nnec.::issary button, much l;.;ss a· pack of rationa--ovon if wu coulcl 4ave gotton them. '- o didn't want to do a gt>ddam thing but liv down in tho mud and :rust. But you don't ge:.t enywhoro sitting on your roars--Fcod was gottilig to bo a bi'tch, too.· Tho pl.an was that v1hon we got to Mount Bae, the Roginwntal &up!)ly' train .would ru·ovo up aftor tho anginovrs put a road in. 'lho ;...Dgin..:.urs--Canpany .h v:f tho 65th Engineer Battalion--ar.:; wonder-boys, but the mud to Bairckc had thQlll boat.

In tho fight fvr .Munda they wore always on our ho.:;°ls. Bofor.) n hill was takmi, a bulldozor was cutting a road tc · 1 t. That was good.

Thero' a noth1ng-unloss ·1 te our ertillory and mortars--that sounds b1:>tter than c bulldoz-.cr crashing through the; brush behind you. It's likv a lotter from homo. ·You figure, "What tho hvll, thuy'ro putting in roads--tho war mst b·o ovor." Those .boys kept rie,ht on caning, snipers or no snipors. Moody ( CDptein Willi em R. Moody) and his bulldozors didn't wcit for tho last shot to be tirod.

But this mud l'lflS too ·much. Thoy had all th.:>y could do to k oop - '19 -

By th6 time the patrol. bad reached.. the t.op of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get "Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington"), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .BARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 1-'TAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIOUS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANUT. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS "HAD STA'YED. AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps _in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode·d arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar eholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), ·the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Pe!!rson {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a -roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ opon by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut l'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho hole while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootbnan later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJTTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I

... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. ·They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken 1t. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearQy would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar eholls crashed among the holes. ~o cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (J1rthur s.

Too.t l:man), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt J.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

• Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in the halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's e.clvance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~·up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a linaman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat "the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .BARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE J.APS 'HAD STA'YED. AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but stilJ. ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (J1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt J.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in the halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I

... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill. it ha9 killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ "piiibox-e7S wi.thout .t. Ca$:ualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split .up into te8Ill$. and moved tram one dugout to another covering .eaeh . oth~r.~ s .acl-v.:ruice • . .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, on~ 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANUT. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#lt on the cl.oared hillside and the, noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". "Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every bolo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli. th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar eholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too't l:man), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground with ·a -roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson' S back ana 1£:gs WOI"G . blOV.~ Open by the shell .and Hastingst legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho woundod men. stayod in the hole while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~".Tn'.CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I

... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive day's of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD'-BEEU mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE~ '\1.BEN .A COONI' rTAS T.AFZN OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD ST.A'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'l.U"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY he ll broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (J1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. I t hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt J.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who was lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of' tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

jammed tho roads--cloan, Wi.do roads. Wo' w0nt into bivou~c and for over two wcoks w~ did nothing but swin1 a:r.d sl<;.:::p end go to tho mo'Vios ovcry night. Thero was no training, only an occ.asional "conditioning" march. Wo know now we wore going to Naw· Zooland--a m. wi tank oft i cur talkod to us about his country. ~A y~ n~ 'i!i.:iii ~TilJal\1(; SOill~\i~·s ~GIWS W.l W:EIW GOING TO CIVILIZn.TI ON FOR iL m;$T. W.E Tltll~D OF l3~, K....V.i.:R-~1DlNG hlUGS OF B~ LINED UP AT Ji BJtR, i.lQMJiN WI'IH SHOJiS ON, j•'lbYBE Bi.RRhCES, V.r:REKWIS IN 'IO'i'1NS ~ cr·rn;s, J\KD Pl;,(,PU, PEQPI;b; ~"D UiO..t<.E l;~O.L'LE.

On Novanbor 6th WG were alortod to loovv Gu:adolcanel, rind thE.: \'IC boarded tho Uni tod ;:;tat&s .hrmy '.l'rar;spcrt::;, '.i'orrens end David c. Shanks. Wo had !'ought for this rest •~ o w0rc.. h0ad.Jd for, and we wore happy.

naxt 4ay

( Beginn~g at top, Lef't to Right) · 1 - P:to .Arlen Olson µ111111 !l 1 1U> and Cpl .Al Cartwright nf.miro h~se on Now Zealand fa.rm 2 - Beer · .B ust in . e. 4-l!lOll Hut 3 - Kiv11s, ···Gels;. and 161 QuYs at Picnic, Po.tuna.hoc Ferm 4 - Mo.ori Villago, Rotorun : 5 ·- Hot Springs,· Rotoruo.

6 - Oonp Flo.g Pole·, .. lst Bn at Re.co Tro.ck, Pukokhoo · 7 Pfc Bruno Htlpto.s and Pfc· LOslio Ho.nklo ·harvost cabbcgos 8 - .Amor1otin treat.o r, Now . Zeclnu girls 9 - Pnrt of 2nd Bn Sto.tf' ·10 Farming 11 - Orionto.tion Foruo. o~ 'NoVr Cc.lo~onin: Topic-- "Chino. · Bur!!ln Indio Thontro" 12 - Chaplr.in MoGoldrick'·s Ct=ttholic Choir 13 - ...contest Inspection 14 - Red Cross Nows Centar 15 - Ecstor Morning . (1944) Outdoor Sorvioe ·1s - 'A Mortar oro\t on Yonouvor~ 17 - 1bo Now 161 Bnnd · 18 - Clmpld.:i Ccrpontor' s Protestnnt Ohoir .19 .. Sko.t clllng .Clr.ss on SUI!.cfoy outing C'.t· Nnket:y Hotol 20 • 2nd Bn's Winning Toom at~ Dacnthlon · (r.Sept•;,1944): LtoR Pvt Ooiroll J"n.okson, .P:t'c Ulysses Fortenberry, "Lt 'Col ".Bo.bo" Oa.r- . borry .(lookirig on), S/Sgt Bob .H'>ll!los (incliviclual wi.llner)• Colonel "Dusty" Do.lton (.no.king award), Pvt !Be ·s tone, Sgt john· V~ilD~ 21·Rotation Drnwing . 22 - R7tntees Lenve. far Boat 23 - Lt "Cold · steel" Tisdale giye~ orders and Pfc .Anthony Mu.o:f're .e xecutes thm in Mortar Contest 24 - Prov Bn a.t Orient!ltion Forum . 25: ·- OJle

or Cannon Co's M-7's on Maneuvers.

·

- - 86 --

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington .( Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hi~don from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut l'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patr.ol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comi~ up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one holo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck in, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:man), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Pearson's back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

By th6 time the patrol bad reached.. the "top of tr.e hill it had killed 21 Japs and knocked out.. l~ piiibox-es without t. casualty itseU. No order had started the attack. · They had just split up into teams and moved tram one dugout to another covering each other's advance. .Arter :rive days of heavy fighting to get 'Be:rtley Ridge, one 10 man reconnaissa~ce patrol had taken it. \11th the re-enforcements comiii up the hill was Earl "Pop" .Addington (Pfc Earl T. fiddington'), a lineman stringing a reel of wire and carrying a. phone. T-JI!l ca:iled the bP tllat the hill had been taken.

VlHE.N THE REST OF CCJTIPANY I C.Al.!E .UP, TEE DRIVE PUSH?JJ .A..~OUND TO TEE O'lRER SIDE OF 'IBE HILL VTITH THE MEN HE.O HAD B.EEN ON THE PA'IROL ·BACK IN THE FIGHT. BEFORE DUSK THREE OF TEEM HAD BEEN mmNIJED .AND EV.ACUA'!'ED, BUT .B.ARTIEY RIDGE U:.AS SECURE. '11.Hil:N .A COONI' 'VTAS T.AIG;:N OF TEE J.AP DEFENSES, THE HILL HAD 78 POSITIONS, 46 O.F 'lHE COCOANU'I,. LOG PIILBOXES. TEE HILL TOP WAS AIMCST .BARE AND Tm CORAL HAD BEEN POUNDED TO DUST BY MRTAR SHELI.S, BUT TEE JAPS 'HAD STA'YED. .AMERIO.AN EQ,UIR-ni.NT 11.AS STREWN .AROUND 'rnEIR HOIES-SWS: ·ot '.IHE MEN SP.11i THEIR FIRST AMERIChN CARBINES EERE IN J"J,p HOIE.S, Mt,~y OF WEM ST!ll COVERED HITH COSMOLINE.

Canpanies I am K settled in thoir ho~es far the Di[#lt, the moon was becaaing bright in the sky. Patches of' lif#l.t on the cl.oared hillside and the noise of the J"aps . in the draw a.r ound the hill kept the men "sweating". Now and then a huge branch, partly broken off by mortar fire d'lU"ing tb;; day' Would fall down end crash into the underbrush and in ·every holo .tmn would tighten ·their gri-p on th: knives thoy hE::ld ready.

There ha.cl been orders to use only knives, bayonets and hand grenadesthey had no hand grenades. A J"ap voice nearby would call out, and otbe rs would answer. In one h'olo, a man jabbed out at a . figure tli th his knife. The bite stuck i.n, but the Jap crawled away.

OUr men huddled in the ·shell holes, trying to keep hiddon from the Jape provrling around, but still ready to thrust out if any got near enough·• . Not a shot was being fired from thG perimeter.

SUddQnlY hell broke. loose. Grenades . explode'd arouna tho hill and J"ap lmeo mortar sholls crashed among the holes. Ono cplodod in the CQ:llpany I OP, abost a dire-ct hit on Sgt J.rt Tootlman (i1rthur s.

Too.t l:men), 'the fighting mass scrgea.!lt who that day had joined the riflemen in cleaning up the pillboxes. It hit ~Annie" Fem-son {1st Sgt 1.rmond D. Pearson) · lying next to him and Capt Hastings. The only to. escape boing hit was "Pop" ~Cdhlgton Who vras lying behind a small pimple of ground w1 th ·a roll of Wire in 'f'ront of him. Tho roll of wire caught t b0 shrapnel.

Poarson' s back aria 1£:gs WOI"G . :t>lov.~ open by the shell .and Hastings' legs wcro cut '\'Tith shrapnel. Tootbmaa' s whole body- .was torn by the explosion. 'lho wounded men. stayod in tho halo while tw fighting aro.tind them lasted another hour and a hal.f'. Tootl:man later. died.

man

m THE MORN.rm, J'ULY 29TH THE 'lWO COMPANIES "r.1ERE ORDERED TO HOLD .FAST. mAT NIGHT THEY WERE RELIEVED BY Ca.!P.ANY G 11S nm SECOND BJ TTJ;LION MOVED Uf 'ro CONTINUE THE ·~·.Tn',CX. THIRD :a~TL·.LION ~m:NT IUI'O DIVISION Rl!:.sl!RVE I

Five days of'tighting had ·1ett th~ third battalion a raggod bunch of weary mon. Many squads had only three or fo\ll' men left. Ccmpany I ... 66 -

ONE DAY IT ·HAPPENED. · m::PLA~~NW 22ND OF' J:ANU.ARY . ·. . .fJnrtE;l;). \ ... ··' .. , .. ·oN TEE .,: ' THEY CAME, B.4<r..AGE· AND .ALL." 'IBIS W~.S 'l'~ !!~ FiitST 1.'IM!:'. A l.J.RGE GROUP OF REP.LA~ :aAn ID;.""1$R.-SD oUR Mr~sT . ~~ ;i;~ ;:~~ ._J. F~~.:. m'r.f.Nc.u:.

'IBEY BROUGHT 1'fITH 'IHEM ~S .FP.ESH FROM ~ m'NISS> · '1~7· SONCJS MID NE?T LIFE. TIE HP.D_:FORGOTl'.!!!..t-J THl>T ~'T.E! 1lTL.''tE ·~s--rdmrc: Ls · ~: nRi:r-r"WE~~ THE SERvICE. TRll:Y ·vra:RE SOON FITi'Er1. t!n.'G .6(t~ SCH·:EMi•;OF iffl:ms; THEY, 1\IERE LSSIGNED TO UNITS ·wnottGEOU'i:' .THl~ F33':1.lliNT •·' :· B-l.'!'Tf.LlOi\B. ~~.CGVIRED MOCH NEW BLOOD Fm THEIR Cot·.~Mv"J.U:Cl•TIOi~, SEG'l'IOM3 J,.r:fri LlNE COMP:;NII:S .

SUDDENLY FOUND TEl!MSELVES 'l'lI'lII° T/O .SQ,Ui.Ds.. . ; ;.

Lt Col David H., Bucha~an 1 Th~rd :e.a ttalion Ccmi::iall.ding .Ol'ficer, took cOlonel Da'lton'rs place a.s . Regiment.al ·co~d,er'. •~hile't:qe · colona;L wa:s ill in the hospital. To express our gr-a-tii.\.'.U9 to the people· Of Pukekoho for the tr hospitality, after r.])ust y" r e turni d we held a show of ·J ap weapons· which were t~e Regiment's . "Pri~e o·~ ~-'larn. e · During the first shoydng it rained, but WO held it aga_i~ . COmp_lnto ")With. f. band, parad·e , end ·a · grandstand at the Pukekoh(;.·Hi gh Sch60J: athletic grounds.

'Jlo raisod about seventy-two pounds· fo:r Now ." Zealand vrar relief • .r.coustominS oursolvoe to tho ~w . languago w&~ not too difficult.

But we did run up against some troublos •..:·, ti[o sooz+ J,.oarnod that .a girl· friend was a "shoila" and to get to her . , .h~uso you·.took a ."trarh" ins'.lfee.d of a strootcar. If she workod in e. b"1~i.lding that ..hed an ·oiovator 'J6U callod 1 t a "lift". If you brought hEJr home lato · and y~m "knocked up" hor parents'· .you \'70ko t.ham up. If y'o11 vrentod to got ·,gµsolino you asked tor "potroltt or "bonzin0". If a Ki~ soldier you happened _t .o ~at in tho pub wantod to "shout" that m:;ant ho wanted to buy you a drink.

You soon fo~d .o ut. that to fool "crook" v.e.s to f eel pad, and that .an argumoll;t. or qu~rol :was". "fµ-gue: t}\o toss". · rlhil~, in Nbw zoalfllid, we ~cccivod a hoart-folt, warm · r .ccop!iion from tho people • ." They opened their hoarts and .thc·i .r holnes to .us.

We could not have asked. to have bcon treated v..ri th e. groator k_indnos.s and bospita~ity. They wero enough like us thot we 09).il.d feel ht homo.

Somo of the;.1r Wnys wero strange- a t first. Somr.. ot thc"ir s elf-imposed war time 'rostricti9ns woro annoying tp us, . ·~s \10 ,.~cir~ -~pt to forget thot they had b'oon ·a t ..war two years lonscr than \'IC .ho.d·• 0

• • •1'1c hod no wo.y _o'f knowing v1hother or not :it wo.s oct\l!llly official, but wo oxpocted a si.X month's· rost por.iod :-i n New Zoo.land • . /,t th~ ond 01' abnut throo months wo got tlio · ordor to · stort making cratqs nga.iri.. Via· wore one sad bunch. . 'lhoy ho.d modo somo ho.lf-~o~tpd attempts ot tro.ining--wocpons, marches, close. order drill-tl:iF "satiio old stuif .• They ·t r.iod o course 1n intelligence obsorvation, but 'abQut all our field glosses could focus on vioro to.rm g~r1s · inn fiold in tho distcnco. Wo waro having too.Jmlch :f'un-thore r1ero· too .dmm mt.ny· distractions-ab tboy move:! us out.

JUST ~O!m VIE IEF'l' NEW ZBbIJ.ND ONE OF TEE BOYS GOT i. LETTER l!RW 0

FRIENIS 1'.'HO Fomm' OUT THJ;T

m: W.t.s

LEi.VING.

IT ~.D:

"Vio are all genuinely sorry to know :fra::i y ·: > ur letter. of tho first that the unoxpccted: move , on notico; ti;> parts . unkl!~ . i~ ". ~ow likely to occur et any old ti.mo. This will deprive you of any furthor opp6rtunity .o f pe.ying us. another visit for perhops, as you .~-Y,· .a ·very long · tim.

- 90 -

We can well imagine your disappoint~nt over the suddeness of the nev1s and share your regrets in full measu:re as we were looki-ng forward with pleasant anticipation to having you with us again in the near future .

Always remember there is no question of your being indebted to us in any way for the modest hospitality that · was our pleasure to be able to extend to you. You:r congenial company and mai:;r little acts of generosity have more than repaid far any of our efforts in that direction.

So, . if' you still entertain any sense of being Un.der obligation please di spell it from yo.u r raind.

There is nothing further to add 'beyond expressing our hope that you will drop a fev1 lines at some opportune time to let ue know how things are with you. t'11shing you God speed, the best of good fortune in all you~-- endea."Yors, and a safe return to your family, we are your friends ••• " OF SIJCR· t1ERE THE PEOPIE OF NEU ZEALAND•••

- 91 -

NEW .Q.ll

LEDO.!fI~

WH/1T 'Mf.KES J. SOLDIER BI'ICH · 2~LL TEE TTI-!E? ·~t';).'BE J;!mIGESTION, BUT MORE LIKELY SCT:'"E SORT OF RE...CTION NJ;.rnsT BEING oBEDmJT. HE TRIES ro KEEP ms THOUGH'IS MID wo:ans UNRULY. :!:VEN THOlw ! .H:j:s ...\CTIONS Ht1VE TO FOLI.01'7 THE L\TEST "POOP· sm:ET" OF 00' S 1.ND ·DOW Ti.s·. WE Hi.VE ttf,FFECTIONNl'ELY" C/,ILED THIS. RQCK OF }!.()TJNTJ;INS, ':fflZR!1, :.ND nnlGI.J!:WE!!:DS EVER'Y'.l'HING IN OUR LONG VOOi.BUIJ~Y OF CURS::S f.ND .GUTTCR-1'ERJ.SES, l>T THE SJ.~~ T.IME WE'VE CONSOLED .OURSELVES ..~IITII TEE ~1;~ Tfi:.i' THESE L"1ST FEW M:>NTBS H.WE B!:EN I. Dt~MN SIGHT BET'IER.l'Si.N 0.0113.'/r;

It . was February. 24, 194'4 when tho USf,T Genornl John Pope .d ocked in Noum.6a and dumped most of tho 161 on New Caledonia ' a ShQro~ fThe US:•T O.l!or.go Cl~ docked a few '.days . iatc;r with the rast . of the ~ogi­ ment.) Wo piled into trucks and sut out on a long s cve.nty milo ttip into tho vlildernoss to comp. It hot and dusty, but it was peaceful. J.ll wo saw besidus a mizo of scraggly grc;on 'trq~s ·wl.th white birch-like bark (nio.ouli troos) war~ native.huts J'1ith not~ limits" signs on them. "God, there .must be D·lot of leprosy on this island," one guy commented, ae We roJ.lod ·on by. MP' s · s:tood gua.rd o.t aomo of the go.rdon gntes. It ~s an O!!l.On--days·Of . "Spit and.Polish" woro cuning.

Colonial Highway Number Ono runs the lonizth of. the island; \113 turnod off a fow milo~ northeast of It-. Foe. into' the woods near Ouatom c.irstrip ·whore our advn.nco party had bo on sweating to nako a livcnblo camp out . af rein and mosquitos. That first night WC bOd l"C" rotions nnd two quarts of. Jiustro.lia.n boor, which doosn•t sound like much, but drunk in o hurry on a portly empty storoch it can kno'c k a guy for o. loop. We crawled into our nosquito nots and slept.

Then it bogan--building up COI:Ip Ritchie (nom0d ofter Captain David B. Ritchie~ killed on New Goorgi~). One dcxis havo pride in .his orunp, even though ho bogrudgos tho vtork it takcs--tho .work is soon forgot t on, and a soldi9r has to b~ kept busy onywo.y to give him l osa ti~o far grousing and thinking. Today. nftsr six months, it's o little hard to recognize tho place • . Volley-ball courts, b cskctbull cobrts with lights fron PUr own gonor!,lt.orp, bas(.bnll diamonds, motor parks, k1 tchens w.ith concrote. floors, Qn o.thlotic fioi~. n · fi~o outdoqr thcntro with. benches, picturesque sign~ all over the nroa, n big Rud Cross hut with n crafts workshop--nll tho product r:Jt ~king n lot out of little, of .fighting tor nDJi "finagoling" mo.~cr.inle. fran hero and thcro--nirplone crates, gn~olino drUI!lS, and "C" rotion boxes. For 'tho. first timo we ho.yo had n Rod Cross .mOn-~R. E. Bond of Cleveland, Ohio--who has workod some mi.no;t' mrocles in gE;tting things tor us which tho J.rey novor would hnvo gotten.

was

THE GUYS. GET J.\1FUI:LY SICK OF DIGGil!G Li.TRINFS, . sm.rn, GOING K..P •• GETTING UP JJ"f' J, BUGIE, GOING TO . BED BY J, :mmt.E--BTJT THEIL-GUYS GET SIOK

OF FIGHTIID TOO. Ev'orywhcro wo go we build up our C<ll!Ip. Dotm in tho south Seos--that t ebulous, pieturosquo po.radise--to build up you.have to tear down mosquito brooding :P.lnec·s - . Under ·~ho heading of "mosquito control" vro'vo burnt br\J.sli, drained wntor, ru:id sproyi::.d oil until the mosqui toe hnvo probably wished JJO'd nover come.

In .hpril a brush -fire got .out of control in Oan.llon Coo.pony's o.rca and crept toword . o.n nm:io· pi.lo· of 105mm howitzor shells. 1.11 oftorts to halt tho blaze with fil-o extinguishers fniled and Cnptnin Thorkol M. Ho.aland, Cannon Caopany ·COll'.II'lllnder, ordorod his man to tnlte covor in c. nocrby ditch. "~l" Vanegas '{Corporc.l Alfonso Vnnogns) couldn't hoar - 92 -

him end ~s k.i lied when the first .she ll ~Xplode~ . Captain Blaland, who. with Fred ~strada .( $ Sgt .l'rederj,.ck w. Estrada) .ran into the inferno of exploding shells .t o try ciii.~ . ~ve: V,9.llsgafl ·, was sarious.l7 wounded .

Up and down the ·second bettalion area . cOmp?-IJ.ies ·w~re . 3t~nding retreat, r,igidly at · attenti on Whil e t}?.e bug.l e 'l;jounded.. .CJl.e· e:xplosion followe d another, shrapnel flew tbrough.;the a~:r · Here .e':.d. •~here' a soldier hit t he ground ~o jum._p. up . at . atterrtis;n:l · ~s e~e;h e:.q>_j.csic;m ended. Discipline hel d their ranks together-then they ran "for c0ver~ :rne second battalion, oannon end ·anti- tank company areas ....rere cleared the next day while.. t4~ '. J;atii:ainder· of t~ 'unexplc?~ed ·shells nere ·detona ted.

Lining. up tent pegs; polishing shoes , shining up mess gears, cleaning :t:if_les,. sha~ng . evecy. .~ay, ·:in.din~ or throrr,i!tg away ?'ll' t.Pil~t article .boxes , -in- con~tant . fear of a " s e.etail0 fur some s lip · iii police-up--they all ~olloWed in orde~and daily in.speotions , rounded out by ·b ig Satur?a¥ ir,spe ctions.. · And · p~~d~s-·-~lwa_ys ·on Sund~ys. All "~x~r a" po~is!l and work seems to .cane duriD.P, off'-~ime ••• , :rbe g~y wh~ wr6te t he so~: · I "!,(JVe A parade, probably ·ne~er :stood·-one • . They.'re hot, botherso~ things! a lways prec eded and ende d by a two-mile march to and from Ouatom airstrip ·vmere the Diyision r eviewing .stand is, anP. wher~ ..f\c;lmiral Bilsey and Lt· General Harmon have r eviewed the Division~ . '.Div!si o~l parades arc supplemented by· r agi.Jmntal ~ eviews.

It took a whiltl to. get showers-me.do out or gas. barrels. trntl.l wo found timo t9 build- thom, t'Te took oilr customary "whore' a bath!! · out Of steol ·holliiets . Vilter has. sanoti.me~ boon a problom Sinco it has to be hauled in by wa.ter-truok- i t was ~special ly a p'r oblem when they were pouring .t he .concrete .floor for th_e.· ~d . Cross hut. That all · the ~rater went intQ .eoncreto-but t he hut. h as bean woll worth going dirty tor a woek• .At fir~t t he food wasn't so good--at l (!ast wo didn't think it was • .Tho arIJt.Y-.and pop~ar megazines have not d~lude'd the public about army r .a tions.- ...Y:OU can live on them~ . ~ a guy gets sick. them:. Pork 1,uncheon .Loaf , called "Spam~., an9. canned viorina sausage s moa.l after imal g.cit tirosam.e,· and neny an 'o ld. vet· ·won't oat them; · not to mntion poWdorcd eggs, dohyd~ato~ po~atoes, dohydratod boeta, · carrO'ts, ontons, cab-' bago-. ~·t- •1ast we wont dut and kill ed dc·e r, of. :rzhich tho island has an abundanc e , · and ·we bougbt bGef from thp Fronch; but that was soori. stoppod boca use tho :meat is suppqsod to have TB or ..sOfilEjthing. Frush VOgetablos ..and -Oggs SOJJ;DhOW ·.are ·~oginning 'to ro'aCl:l US,' and by now thG cooks by clevor disguisirig ca,n na.kq us" oat 'almost anything• • • • It is a sad delusion for a. ·no\'1 r oploc or::icnt ti-om tho statos.

Ba ck thor o , in basic trai ning they toll you, "Koop your chin up, it will a ll bo diffOrlmt · wbon you 'got ovorsoas find c an call everybody· by his f irst nmnE>' , c.D.~ you won't: havo t o ·salute or st~nd· inspocti ons far everything trcm syphilis to worn shoelaces every ton minui;os1" Then he j oins tho 161, b~lc s . blow r ovu ilic, chow ca ll, sick o all, d rill ca ll, r ocall, ohow call, drill call,. ·r eca.ll, .assembly, r otroo~ , chow cull, light s out , Dlld to.pa. You s~lut C? · anything .'l'lhich l ooks Uko n bqr. ·a cnornls rido through t ho area . you st~d a t a ttenti on. Yqu suspoct your nearest buddy Of "b~cking" r.or · anothcr striPQ 0r.anotbor b ar • . And you compla in about tlic l t:ick of 1t1D.il fr~ ham0.:..- ond wish y0u•d ·mode o l ot .of friends in '-N:iw 7£>c1und, because -tho K+.wis s c am to eehd ·more l ottors thnn tho folks. ~ybo you•vo boon · Oiorseo.s too l 9ng-mo.ybe :tho7•ve .fo;rgotten you-Q:iid . then B six .months 'GlC. OlJ:ristmns· po.okage · cotohos Up With you

.

week

or

- ·93 -

and you.•re happy_ just locking at the m.e>idy cake. that's soldiering •.,..•.

But that'~ lif.e , and

There is a reason tor all this "Spit a,nd Polish""-well disc.1plin.At leas'!; tb.at' s. what .we're told and we believe it .ra:tber'·than ·-to go ·nuts: trYi.ng to t'igure_ out anothered troops are good fighting troops. reeson~

'

GENERAL MOLLINs, OOR. DIVISION ·coM~lfANIIl!R, SAID '!'HAT ~1 ' CAIEDONIA PROBABLY HAS S<l.m OF 'rnE FINES':- mAINING GROUND TO BE FOUND .ANYWHERE. !m!IT'S WHAT .llE~ I.ANDED HERE. FOR..:-ro.mAIN-ANl'.)· THAT'S .wHAT 11E'VE· DO~.

We started out •ti th lectures, weapons trainl.ng, range wbrk_, -close order drill, cam.pass V!ork,. map work--anybody who4 s had e.:rm.y training knows the rigamarole. : .But: lt!s. s~rious, - hard earnest work with us.~ Wo"ve refreshed our m.emorie:s, end learned new thine~, new t Gcl:iniquos ot fighting. ·Maybe our .next combat won-• t "Qe likEi Guad~lcanal or ·Now Georgia. We've got to. know. .how ·to ·!i.ght more than ·on~ kind of a war. ·you don't get training quite li~e ·- this in th£- statos--a steady progression from squad to platoon to compe.ny t q bet talion to rugiment to division naneu\rere. 'nlero•s ·somathtng d~am!ttic about a battle-tried outtit ·beginning at. · the bot.tan and perfecting itsolf~ . You''1o .got to go on these over-night marches with .your oyas :alinost p·oppi~ out · Of yoUr ~ead in an effort to keep e.WJike·; .you've got· to live .on.' .l.iotions mid. play mµ. in tho weeds; you've got to partake in -~ maneuvar whore all.-the weapons· and_ brains of a regi.~nt ·or· division .a rc . used., v11iero. every JJ18I1 e.n:l ne~hino is doing his part·, · oven· if ..tho bul).tits aron't real, to bo able appr~ciate -the drama in it. You'w. ·got to r~ C!uco pi~lboxos . . . on paper ·and then reduce real ones ?.!th ronl m0rtar_ shells ~nd -nlel ritle slugs. You've .got to hoe.r mortar. she Us wlirump · ahead Of you, and have e "short" :rotmd laJ;ld in your company (es -'i li Comoony J;>, killilgPtc .

Albert W. ·Morgan end Pvt Frederick R. WUlfo,\cuhlor' ) ·beforo y.au roaliZe this is roe.l training. ·

to

THESE FmsT MON'ms "OF .1944 HAVE BEEN ?~US ONES -IN mE HISTORY OF THE 1Vl.AR AND . IN ~ mSTCRY OF · '!BE .VICRLD. ·, RUSSIA Hi S SWEPT OVER -~ GERMANS ON EUROPE• S °EA&'TERN FRONT; . ITALY HAS BEN INVADED. AND ROME HAS F.AIJ:.EN;· PRANCE HAS BEKN INVADED AND PARIS HAS FAu.EN; GUAM, SAJ;P.AN, Bµ\K HAVE BEl!N 1:'.IRESTED FROM THE '1APS. '. AMERICA ..AND HER .ALLIES HAVE BEEN ON TFill! M:WE J.'U . OVER. 'lBE \TORLD. HERE ON T!1IS P~CIFIC 'ISL'\ND : rE•VE FOJ..LOlr.D IT ..u.t., ''TONIERI:t-!G HHAT OUR O'?N NEXT 'MOVE V1IU. . BE.

Tho -bettor soldier is not ozµy ·bettor trainod ~d bo.tter .d iscipl;t.nod but oleo bettor ititorm:;d-. We -hove onoush electricity now ·to i'un our ·radios, bought 1n Now Zealand or .- through tho PL · ~is island be.se gives us a daily_.n9\ys shoqt. We have a oontor =·1n .tho _R¢. .cross, Olld El 11ew8 and .·map "bulletin boord in. every ocmipaey. '!be drDJDa o:r war' and vi~tor.iqs · and strategy \JD.fblds ' beforo us ~very .day.

Woekly tar thirty-three oon~ec.utive timos we've had 011,1' oriontation forums·,.· a·cmot1.nxH3 lecture ·a nd dlscussiori ·pcriocl.s·, somtimos "town hall" forums whero the onlis:t;eQ man· cc.n revte'\v ·e.ri.d intorprot the nO\'lB. Long bo:toro world strctogy has -been put into effect, V:o•ve discussed such topi.c·a as "Routes to ~eri.i:n" ~ "Routes to Tokyo", "InsiS1e to.pan'!, "The Chine-Burma-India Theatre". We~vo tried to lonrn frcm battle reports;

•ewe

- . 94 --

we've studied torrain, loarned· about our thentro of operations, discussed the -"Soldier's Bill of Rights", proposed post-war vrorlds_, war c.leotions.

A high potcontcgo o!'tho'uligiblo voters in the RGgiment have applied for war b_a llots. We wnnt to hove a voice in making tho kind of world we intend to live in.

UNDER ·THE ARM'!. R<Yl'ATION PROGRAM, MEN WHO EAVE BEEN OVERSEAS TllO YEA.115 QR MJRE l!AVE BE:GUN 'ro 00 ~ • . THEY ARE LEAVING IN DRIBLE'lS, BU THE

FACT THAT EVEN SCME .ARE - ~lR.i.'llNG--SArnrG "SO I.ONG" t PACKING BARRACK BAGS, .AND CI.D.[BING INro TffiJ9KS 'ro GO TO NOUMEA .A.ND LO.AD ON A· RETORUING S!IIP--GIVES .THE. "REST OF US HOPE. .

IN JULY AND .AUGUST COIDNEL DAL'roN RETURNED ROMK ON A FtJRI.OUG!1. LT OOLONEL LINDEMAN .ASSUMED COltV"AND OF THE REGD.mJT Dt!RING BIS .AffiENCE ••••

It'.s not all work. · Speciol Sorvio.Er ·a ctiVitic;s have reached their peak heru. Tho !px ·m-Li~ts, only popor in tho Division, is published every lroek. ~artcd on GUndalcnnol under . Pvt Richard S. Lo itarca • Volume 11\70 of tho m.:.Lights, ocU.toi by Pfc Barney · Rice (Barnard G. Rice), has deve;loped into a .sheet chronicling oil our RegimoIItol o.oti vi ties_, complete With e vpGkly pin-uii gi_rl. · After the Now Georgia csmJnign our old bend was pretty· vroll knockc.d t 'o pieces by co.sunltie.s p.nd . cvacuo.ti ons. They r .ar.mo.d· e. smru:1 ·ttJ"om" unit end tour°i>d the . batto.lis>ns during thoso lut dhys on New Georgia, and in 'Now Zoo.land thay .playod for nn -avorago · of ·:f'ivo dimoes a iv9ok. ·Wb:in Bew Jaledonia c~o along, tho Division took over the bond because our..organizational st~ngth could .no longer includo tbani~ ·Now wo ~ave a ncw ".bmid, · diroc~ed by .P.v'1; Richard J. ·J.lcior organized- and rehearsed on the . men's own .ti.mu. Tho new 161 $Wing Band mdo its d6but ot our nieo.tre on Saturdcy, June 5rd. Guitarist stovo Farris (Ptc stephen Ferris) wns the star attrnction. Since thon tbD band has toured the 27th nnd ·35th ._Infantries, our brot~r regiloonts .in the Division, and bose hospitals, and .hos broadcast qvor thf. Mosquito NetWal"k, A.E.s.

Station; nt Noumoo.; Now Caledoiua • .Almost every c ·a mpaey has o basket-ball, volley-bell or eof'ttball team. Thbro hcve ~on . 1nter-rDgimont pl4yptfa .and int~·diVision ·pl~yotts~ . Wo 1 ve-.iield .t wo :big' treck JD£jc)ts,. the :.1 nrgost:' was our OrganiZ!ltion · ~ ·moot on May 20, 194~: (M.'¥ 9, 1898 is o;Uiciall:y our Orgnnization "Day.) W'e pos:tponod .our meet this yc.ar 11 days because: of rain • . -'l'ho first b~ttalion .won . th~. m;;et, -and Cpl ·Pnul P~ Kinsfo.ther (now S/Sgt) ot C0mpcu:iy ..F won. .tho annual manual · ·a t arms · drill-down tor tho ThOillEls G• .Ast6n Trophy_ .( Colonai .Themas G• .Aston wo.s commanding Offioor of. the ~ogiJwht, 1922_.1937. ') · We hpvti . 16~ moVic.s ovory. othor night., .from gruat pictures · liko Modame Ouri-e to sti.Dkeroos . .like What's Buzzin' .Cousin? Evdr.Y onco in o l.vhilo .n USO show _,.comos--b.oth :Bob .Hope@d. JE1ciit'"i3onny .hav(; .c.nturto.inod the .Division .nt ~irstr.i.p.

Whorcvcr GI' s · tagct~., ontertn1mnent, sports ,.!llld shows spri:lg up•-you oan•t keQp a _gooa ounoh ot guys aown. A· 1ot o~ our vn.i.l sh~s have boon bottor:·t.h!m so.inc of tbs bi;d USO shows whioh -have ocons1ontilly cane · 01µ" _wni sporting n_·~cw h?lJ!ClY hngs. Yot t~ USO end its volunteors do· a grond Job; they've nover lnokad otir thanks. Tho second battalion produood our first · ~nricty show~~ookct Review" on 11.orch 25th, :follovred by the third.. bntic.liC'.n var~oty, "Footlookc.r Fognrty•.s Follies", dirGotpd by 2nd.' Lt .john .c. ]'ognrty, o.nd first · battalion'.s "Roil~oking Rwnblors"

oit.a-tom. get

- 95 -

which was a long combination bf' variety skits and a black-face mi~trel sh0'.1. our lest stage show tea tured ~ ·zany. bunch '.ot five GI' s called "The Flamethrower FiV:e~.

One of the generals on a usua·l Jeep tour ·through o~ Ritchie quipped a~out our Red cro~s: , "1here•e ·the · l61 Country Club." Well. ma·ybe . it is. It hS.s becan.e 8 recreation center for · the .Regiment-big basketball games going on under lights in the back; a line several hundred teet long waiting tor cotfe.e .and .-d ougbnuts i n t'ront; ping pong end · art classes· ~ofri.g on ·1n the "circus "tent annex"; bridge,. ]filioohle, monopoly, and the radio blaring news inside in the "main lounge"; a bunch ot men making jewelry out of wrecked airplane fuselase in the crattshop.; and a group ot conscientious home-loving soldiers writing l etters in the reading end wr1ting room. It . sound~ like the lite, but there are sixteen. other hours in an al;'my day too .

Occasionally wo get hold or a litt le "butter~ly rum", a potent native product, suspected to contain a mixture of kerosene, gasoline, water and alcohol.

Olr camp abounds with pets. On GUadelcanal Company E had a puppy called ~ss-kit"-he 'd been taken away f'ro.m tis mothor too soon and ho 11188 scared. Pvt V.enuol Domin'?;ueZ (now Corporal) adopted him; tho little mutt had to be tod powiored milk through en improvised nipple madG out ot an arm;v prophylaotic with a hol~ punchod in the end. Ho usod to howl at night end Dominguez bad to 1"1x him up· a box covered by a mosquito n ot and hang him in a tree. "Moss-kit" .::nist have gotten "junglo-rot" be cause ho wont orozy attar tv10 or tbroo months and· ran away into tho jungle.

At Bairoko on New Georgia, "Torpodo" Shope.rd, Third Bottalion Hoadquartors Company (Pvt Paul R. Shopnrd} caught o monkoy, "Georgie. f'rom Now Georgia", but had to so U hor to tho a ir o orp s on our way to New Zoolnnd.

On leaving Now Zcalnnd we bod on order not to to.lee any pots _e.lcng with us, but when we got on the ~that r ainy night o couple of barracks bags buJ.8od suspiciously. canpeny E had a ~w dog, nomod "Mickie", nnd Campnny H ho d a new replocomont, "PW.nino", :t"or "Atnbrino", its GUDdolor..nol pot. 'Whon we got hero, wo found tho islond ovorrun with nll kinds ot dogs-so wo•vo supplemente d our manogorio with o goat which weekly ohongoe ownors by its cmn choic e , n fawn nQDI) d "Brunbi", s everal parrots which Campnny G kno~kod out of trees with sling shots, and Too 5 Hemry Scholl' a b!lby pi~, cnllod "Parky", who diod and wee given a "tull military" bu:r.ii.U. OOR NEW OAIXOONIA STORY IS lm' ENDED.

RDMCRS J.RE

~lllB~D.

ONE Dt\Y U'RE l«JVIID- OCT, ~NEXT n\Y WE'IL m: HERE Fm '!BE mRATION. OOCASIONALLY S<METHIID EXCITING HAPPEm LIKE THE 'l'IME mIEN "BAMBOO ANNIE", A NATIVE WCMAN OF DISREPOTE, WAS BEGUILING U Ml!:N .AND EVADING .ALL THE MP' S BV ROAMING THE WOODS FOUD.'JED BY A OOOPU.: OF STRAY NEW Of,IEDQNIA 'MONGRBTB. Wo bide our time on this !'ranch Islond. A tow of us nrc. luoky onough to spend o few days ot camp Stovons, E'. rost camp nonr Noumva, or ot th;) rost camp nonr Bouroil whoro there is swimm.1ng nnd glooming send on tho booch. tle've sean Noumooi ccllod tho "POris or the Paoi:f1c", where mnrtnes r.Jld soldiers· and sailors crowd the walks nn.C. try out their tow words ot Fronch, ond where 1hore aro too mony uni:torms, too JDEmY

- 96 -

open sewers, and too little booze.

We're familiar with "butterfly rtm", w.i. th ·d ·i rt roads : that get Sl~ and muddy When it rains., With the 'rl'en°c h el'OSSr'cxfd villages Of Boulapari and Ia ~oe., and with native ·m1as10na like the -beautiful one a.cross the island at ~kety.

Now we wonder what comes next... holds ••••••••

':.'1here we · go...

mi.at - the future

SKETCHESefCALEDOnlA

Closest to a soldier's heart is the thought of home. From those days of Ft. Lewis in 1940 to New Caledonia the 161 has been an the move; slowly but surely Japan has been pushed back, fran the Aleutians to the Solomons.

It has been .Americans with guts who have borne the brunt-all with one hope, to win a great and complete victory end get back to real living.

The thought of the Bridge spanning the golden arch and symbolizing our greatness has sanetimes kept us going. One day we will pass under it again with steamboats whistling and crowds on the pier--waiting. The Golden Gate-it is almost a battle cry.

The 161 is a changing outfit. Old timers go home, replacenents come in. But the core remains, marking a great regiment. other outfits in our division, corps or army have their story too-we all have.

Some stories may be bigger than ours, and some more exciting. BUt stories are tradition. We cling to our tradition and we are proud of it.

It hasn1 t been an oasy job to toll our story. Those wo m:intion are not all of us. wo•vo perhaps neglected our medics, our enginoer dotachment and tho roads thoy•ve built, our artillory support, our ration toams, our chaplains, our cooks-and many, many others. But what the holl, wo're a team and mat happens to a fO'Tn of us happens in a measure to ell of us. There are in any hour of o fight, or ony day of army life, enough heroic deeds, tragedies or laughs to fill a book by thomsclvos. In keeping our story down to a roadablo length we've had to be s e lective ••• No, our story vrill never bo complete except in our colle ctive mamories. Tho things wo toll about aro only part Of our po.st history-and tomoITOW e.wni ts us. Whoro we go mid Wio.t evonts lio in thc. days ahead porhaps no ono knows. We do know tho.t we all go forward with courage, hope, and tho vdll to Win and prosarvo our victory.

Somewhere along the line we piclrod up n slogan-"Golden Gato in Fort:v:Eight"-and although tho and is in sight wo still ropeo.t it, halt in jost, half fr an the hoort.

NtJMBER, OF 11Jli·-.t.Nb· OFFICER.S ·IN. l6lST--INFANTRY 1940 - 1944

l,804 (?)

Dlduotion ( 1940)

(Est imat es)

2,773.

Hawaii (1941)

3,472

Guadalcanal (1942)

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New Georgia (1943)

:J

3,472

3,472 New Zealand

(1943)

3,183

New Caledonia 0.944)

1 1

1

1

0

----------DECORJ.TIONS

:o.sc n~

SS SM

BzS Bron2o stor

Distinguished Sorvice Cross Legion of Morit Silvor :Soldier• s Modal

star

l•bbot, Ro.y c.

J.ccurso, Mi cho.el J1chtonborg, /.rnold R. J,guilo.r, Joo J. ~ lboo, Charles E. lillan , .11-lilliam J. l•llison, Ernost M. /.ltgilbors , Joseph B. J.rnngo, J'ohn E. /:.ndorson, Edwin D. 1.ndorson, Wilbur E. J.u.ding , rorcy i.noy, F.r.rl E. Jintonotti, Mario J.ronc1s, !Dstor J. JJ,"mstrong , la-thur ~. :..rm.strong, Jrunos ?.

J.rnold, Rupert N.

J.rthurs, Russolr ·c.

Ashleytt Walter ·a.

Atkins a. Tsmi:is R. Atkiri.s 1 . lloyd :r, :.urruid ·, Robert E. Bo.il.o y," Chorl o s Bailey, Marvin li.

Baker, George R. Ballew, ·Cloud.a· E·.

Barbour, ;,narow E·•.

Barnes , · Konncth w.

Berrett , .:.rvo.

Barrett, lU.chora· ?.

Bartlett, Brnal oyC. Bart l ey, Martin E. Bo:rt atstta , 1.1 bort ·-0.

vr.

:&-.shnw, · cocil C.

Bnttors , John o.

Bock, EC:.word Bolll'Ilw.nn, Brynnt C. Bell, Woo c'Erd .Bendel, Solac.on Borg, Bernard E. Berger, Gottrriod F. Berney, Richard N. Bird, Stc.c'lman B. Bishop, L:stor B. Blolro, Oo.rl C•.

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Drnch.-on, VHUinci jBrnr1lcy, J.r;.roy Dray, r~mo D Droitk:'a:..ttz, /.l bort Brennan, :Fro.ucis J. Eri gb.t, Chr::-los l •• Drooks, Roy s.

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Bro11m, Jurns Ii •.

Brown, Jum s N.

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Drown; Llst<ir J.

X'H

l'H

Brm\'11., Sim ·n.

Bl*

Bruco ~ Joseph D. Buchan·o n, David H.

rn

Pii

Bullock, Mlc t1.

Durch, Earl ~.

Durgosc , Jobn H•.

Dus soil, Nolan Dutlor, Hooo'r L.

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