Posted on 10/25/2009 4:49:12 AM PDT by rellimpank
It's hard to envision -- or, for the dwindling few, to remember -- what the world looked like on Oct. 26, 1942, when a few thousand U.S. Marines stood essentially stranded on the God-forsaken jungle island of Guadalcanal, placed like a speed bump at the end of the long blue-water slot between New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, the most likely route for the Japanese Navy to take if they hoped to reach Australia.
On Guadalcanal, the Marines struggled to complete an airfield. Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto knew what that meant. No effort would be spared to dislodge these upstart Yanks. Before long, relentless Japanese counterattacks had driven supporting U.S. Navy vessels from inshore waters. The Marines were on their own.
As Platoon Sgt. Mitchell Paige and his 33 riflemen set about carefully placing their four water-cooled .30-caliber Brownings, manning their section of the thin khaki line that was expected to defend Henderson Field against the assault everyone expected on the night of Oct. 25, 1942, it's unlikely anyone thought they were about to provide the definitive answer to what had previously been a mainly theoretical question: How many able-bodied U.S. Marines does it take to hold a hill against a desperate attacking force of 2,000?
Nor did the commanders of the mighty Japanese Army, who had swept all before them for decades -- OK, they decided not to push Marshall Zhukov any further in Manchuria -- expect their advance to be halted on some God-forsaken jungle ridge manned by one thin line of Yanks in khaki in October 1942
(Excerpt) Read more at lvrj.com ...
Dad was at Guadalcanal with the 1st Mar D.
He graduated HS in 1938. Joined the Corps in 39. Hitchhiked to Savannah to join up.
He never talked much about it when I was growing up. It was only when I became his caregiver in the last 5 years of his life that he opened up a little.
I then found out from other relatives that he was considered a war hero in the family.
One thing I found out was that when the Jap Navy shelled Henderson field that a 14 inch shell landed next to his fox hole and it was a dud.
Thank God! Otherwise, I would not be here.
In 43 he was returned stateside to train new recruits and married my Mom who he met on a train years earlier when he was traveling to the west coast to ship out.
I think he was slated for the invasion of Japan when the A bomb ended the war.
Simper Fi! DaddyO
A great man,a great athlete, Top Sgt Marine and a great father.
Bloody Ridge.The term doesnt mean much these days but when we were kids it sure as hell did.
And the M2 still lives! Long may it wave. even after 76 years. Nothing better.http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=2370432,28#help
barbra ann
Thank God for the US Marines and John Moses Browning. Semper fi.
I guess I take the Derbyshire view, we'll be lucky if it's even anything like that close again.
Thanks for this post.
I emailed the link to my “list”.
Freedom ain’t free.
My Uncle was a First Marine Raider during WW2 and never said a word.
Yup. So were Marines like Al Schmidt and John Basilone. Heros all of ‘em. The Marines: No better friend, no worse enemy’’.
Damn right the M2 .05 Caliber Browning Heavy Machine Gun, “Ma Deuce’’ demands respect. And gets it. .
bflr after church
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Basilone
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
SERGEANT
JOHN BASILONE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines’ defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone’s sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (November 4, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. He was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.
He held off 3,000 Japanese troops at Guadalcanal, after his 15-member unit was reduced to two men.[2] Basilone was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, after which he was posthumously honored with the Navy Cross. He is the only enlisted Marine in World War II to have received the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, and a Purple Heart. Basilone is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
In April 2007, it was announced that Basilone’s deeds, along with Robert Leckie’s memoirs, Helmet for My Pillow, and Eugene B. Sledge's book With the Old Breed, would form the basis for the HBO series "The Pacific," the successor to "Band of Brothers."
I have high hopes for this coming series. More info on it at http://www.hbo.com/events/pacific/
Trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e99B80crU3E
I wonder of AG and O ever blush when they are alone with their thoughts?
What is in a man’s heart, is beyond the scope of average man’s ability to divine, IMHO. One would hope so, OTOH, based on our experience so far I would expect not.
re: “We were Soldiers”
I liked this movie very much. I thought the movie portrayed the surreal atmosphere of the Viet Nam conflict. It showed the homefront of what the wives and families of our soldiers experienced while the battle progressed.
On a side note, there was a Viet Nam combat vet in my church who said the movie really helped him come to terms with some issues he was still dealing with.
The one thing I didn’t quite “get” was Gibson’s attempt to equate the bravery of our soldiers with that of the enemy. I’m not denying that the VC weren’t brave in their cause - but, they were fighting for an evil, abhorrant one. Just as the Japanese fought to a suicidal extent - but all for a terrible thing. I just have a hard time admiring that.
If my memory serves me...there were a couple guys that survived in that film.
And how do you figure that guy was a hate-filled racist?
...in a P-38...
Was the German they let go at the Radar station...the same German that killed the G.I. with the knife up in that room????
What a great reminder of American heroism this story is!
Early on April 18, 1943, at 7:45 AM, Japanese Admiral Yamamoto's plane was approaching Ballale for a scheduled 8 o'clock inspection of units on that island. Suddenly, from 20,000 feet, high above his six fighter plane escort, a sortie of 18 P-38 fighters attacked. One P-38, in the first group of four, shot the wing off the bomber in which Yamamoto was riding. Before his escorts could even react, Yamamoto's aircraft went spiralling down and crashed into the sea. The Japanese had lost the naval officer that had planned and led the attack on Pearl Harbor just 16 months before. Many historians believe that his loss ended any hopes by the Japanese of winning the war.
But it was the heroic acts of 1942 that made the heroic P-38 flight launched in 1943 from Guadalcanal possible...
Thanks for posting this article. It is great.
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