DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Tarawa Talk
HTML https://tarawatalk.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Tinian and the 2nd Marine Division
*****************************************************
#Post#: 319--------------------------------------------------
My dad on Tinian
By: MikeVE Date: January 18, 2022, 4:15 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I am pretty certain that this photograph was taken on Tinian.
My dad is in front with his BAR. I have a couple more of some
of the guys with his BAR and one of dad by himself. One thing I
never noticed and never asked him about is it doesn't appear he
is wearing his dog tags. I do not know if that is a Saint
Christopher medal, but he was not really a very religious guy.
#Post#: 364--------------------------------------------------
Re: My dad on Tinian
By: jstevens Date: August 17, 2022, 12:22 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
An outstanding photo for sure. I wonder why the Marines are not
wearing camo helmet covers?
Jon
#Post#: 366--------------------------------------------------
Re: My dad on Tinian
By: gunnygp Date: August 17, 2022, 6:12 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
What unit was your dad in? Every line company pic I know of
shows the men in camo helmets. Defense Battalion members and
other support units not so much but riflemen yes.
#Post#: 370--------------------------------------------------
Re: My dad on Tinian
By: MikeVE Date: August 25, 2022, 1:15 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
He landed on Tarawa as a member of K/3/2 but shortly after was
transferred to L/3/2 and was with that company the remainder of
the war.
#Post#: 371--------------------------------------------------
Re: My dad on Tinian
By: MikeVE Date: August 25, 2022, 1:40 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
As to the camo helmet covers, most of the Marines I have seen in
Tarawa videos and photos did have the camo helmet covers, but
some did not. Again, I think this was taken after the
surrender, he had enough points that he was in the first group
to come home so perhaps the guys in his squad or platoon decided
to take the camo covers off since the fighting was done. One of
the guys in his squad told me my Dad often fought just like in
this picture, bare chested, at least on Saipan and Tinian. So
many questions I have now but never asked when I had the chance.
#Post#: 372--------------------------------------------------
Re: My dad on Tinian
By: gunnygp Date: August 26, 2022, 4:18 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Your dad was a lucky guy Mike. Bad enough that his battalion
commander chose not to fight his way ashore as his men did. He
stayed out on the reef for hours! Finally landing instead on Red
Beach Two. So, your dads battalion suffered near 50% casualties
the first day. Later in the day a couple of tanks showed up and
his company (what was left of it) were able to join up with
other units and probe Green Beach, which they secured the next
day. Your dad must have been thru some real hell on that island.
No wonder he kept silent the rest of his life. Semper Fi to his
memory Mike.
#Post#: 373--------------------------------------------------
Re: My dad on Tinian
By: MikeVE Date: August 27, 2022, 2:22 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Thanks Gunny. Yeah, he became one of Ryan's Orphans and was
wounded on the first day. After my dad died, we found a roster
of the guys in the 2nd platoon, L company, after his transfer to
Major Ryan's company. I still have that roster that is from
1944, I suspect. Started looking in "Follow Me" for guys in
L/3/2 (at the time I did not know he had landed with K/3/2 but I
think all of remnants of K/3/2 wound up going to L/3/2 anyway)
and wrote them letters to see if they remembered my dad. I got
several phone calls and letters from those who knew him,
including one from Major Ryan (as you no doubt know, he retired
as a Major General but I have always referred to him at his rank
on Tarawa).
One Marine who was actually in my dad's squad (and helped him
back to an aid station when my dad was wounded on Saipan) asked
if I had a certain book on Tarawa (that I think was out of
print) and I had the book. He asked if I would send it to him
so he could read it. I did, and then about three months later
he sent it back, and had made notes in the book, marked on maps
where they landed, how far they had advanced on the first day,
etc.. As to Major Schoettel, in the margin beside a sentence
describing Schottel not landing with his men, this Marine wrote
"He did not want to land!" Another Marine sent me a 10 yen
paper note and on it all the guys in their squad had signed it,
one of them my dad. He also sent me a map of the island, with
red and blue map colors indicating certain things.
Yes, he was very lucky. I have often wondered about the odds of
any of them making it to shore and, once there, making it
through the fight. I suppose the answer is that they were
Marines.
Again, thanks for your kind words. I appreciate them very much.
*****************************************************