This rocky tip terminated all northern movement, and on pausing, we recalled the countless times direction had been changed, and the amount of ground over which we had plodded since June 15. As so often happens, the lower echelons could not comprehend some of the tactical decisions of top commanders. For the small unit picture is necessarily incomplete and narrow in scope. And likewise a lack of detailed, on-the-spot knowledge often causes commanding officers to fail to appreciate local situations.
Hence we could not comprehend the logic or reasoning behind the recurrent rumor that a Tinian invasion by the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions was imminent. And upon return to our battalion bivouac area on the high ground south of Marpi Point we were greeted not by rumor, but by an order for a two-day southward trek for continued mopping-up operations. Naval releases disclosing that Japs were still being dug out ten months later, shows the wisdom of the assignment. But at the time we weary foot troops could not appreciate it, and we would gladly have declined the task in favor of any and all other troops on the island.
Along with the unwanted order came reinforcements in the for of a long stream of men straight off shipborad, and struggling under weighty packs containing all their gear. New faces always evoke interest, and the arrival of these green men was a stimulant to morale. We survivors were intensely proud of having carried through the operation and of the manner in which the battalion had performed. We were proud of ourselves and our division, and here were new personnel on which to build and fatten the ego, and, as we fancied, to look upon us with respect, admiration, and even awe. Knowledge of one's accomplishments and importance can be invaluable occasionally. So it was pleasant to enjoy the role of "greatness" as they sweated their way up the hill and into camp. Early on the final day of our fourth week on Saipan we moved up on to the highest local ground and deployed facing to the south, The cause for our maneuver was immediately apparent as we flushed several dozen well-provisioned enemy while merely in the initial stages of deployment--once again with small casualties to ourselves.
The cave-bound Japs were living on two sources of supply: the stores they had secreted prior to our arrival, and the stores left behind during our rapid drive to Marpi Point. For it was normal to be somewhat oversupplied at night in order to be able to cope with any situation. Hence when we moved out in the morning the weight of this excess material prohibited its removal by hand, and transportation was not always subsequently available. It was an unavoidable battle condition at the time, but it was costly for it provided the enemy with much needed food, and even graver, it furnished him with some small arms, ammunition, and grenades. Thus it was that a few men fell before our own weapons in Japanese hands.
The beginning of this day contained the major portion of the action, and throughout the remainder of it we advanced steadily, carefully combing the woods,detecting enemy periodically, and blasting caves with all the demolitions we could pack. Our encampment that night was disturbed by only one or two intruders,who were quickly and finally dealt with.
The weather I have not mentioned often, though at times it took on an exaggerated importance. The climate was decidedly more temperate than that of the Marshalls, and fortunately on most days we had either a light shower or scattered cloud cover. Thus the hot sun, though very tiring and sweat-producing, was controlled to an extent that it did not reduce our numbers. It was uncomfortable, but it wasn't a crippler.
Rain was welcomed in the daylight hours and hated at night. And it invariably came in the wrong ratio. The daytime showers were light but cooling, whereas at night it was normally a sacrifice of body and clothes to keep a dry and clean weapon.
But on the second and final day of mop-up, conditions were reversed, and floundered all day through thick muck and driving rain. And added to the water hazard was our return to the roughest sort of up-and-down terrain.
Luckily we encountered few of the enemy save for one jungle-covered ravine where we rooted out a score of armed Japs. It was our last killing on the island, and while we accounted for more than twenty, we lost three of our own in the skirmish and were lucky not to lose more in an area infested with caves and thick vegetation, and through which we could move by trail alone. To me the incident was supporting evidence for the contention that once shaken, the Jap is easily disorganized and then often acts stupidly and even fearfully. Certainly he should have inflicted heavier casualties on difficult ground with which only he was familiar.
That last fight ended the Battle of Saipan for those of us who had lasted for a part or the whole of twenty-nine tiring days of combat. Awaiting us was a bivouac area (a simulated rest camp), far more densely populated with flies than Marines. And after that--TINIAN!
Those four weeks of conquest were a period in which we learned small things: that supply is all-important; that a mosquito headnet is indispensable; a pick-mattock can be more valuable than a shovel;or a poncho is next in importance only to a weapon and ammunition, or rations. We underwent no grand scale changes in thought. If we did not know what we were fighting for on June 15, on July 13 our minds were no clearer on the subject.
Death and destruction came to be the natural order. Wounded comrades were given little sympathy unless the wound was critical. Mostly they were envied for being out of it. No pangs of conscience were felt over civilian death, for dead people and wrecked buildings had become commonplace.
We felt no more tired on "D plus 28" than on "D plus 3", probably less so. For after the first four days we were in a constant state of fatigue, but becoming inured to it. Our sensitivities were gradually dulled--hence the lessening of sympathy. Even the death of close friends seldom affected men visibly. That might come later when physical pressure had been relaxed. Our hatred for the enemy increased little, if any. Substantially the same amount of satisfaction was felt upon killing an enemy soldier at all times throughout the operation.
Essentially it was a period of prolonged physical exertion, spotted with moments of bravery, fear, anger, and cruelty. Individually, and as a unit, our task was completed to the satisfaction of all. We were content to stop and rest.
- Captain Frederic Stott, 1/24, "Saipan Under Fire."
In operations on Saipan, Able Company lost the following:
KILLED IN ACTION or DIED OF WOUNDS - 23
1st Lt. Philip Emerson "Eagle" Wood, Jr.
Technical Sergeant Arnold Ross Richardson
Sergeant Arthur B. "Mumu" Ervin, Jr.
Sergeant Armond D. Leisure
Corporal Albert Benjamin Duryea
Corporal Thomas Francis McCay
Corporal Norman Henry Reber
Corporal Blaine Riley
Corporal Carl Joseph Willenborg
PFC David W. Brunjes
PFC Jack C. Comer
PFC Fred Davis, Jr.
PFC DeWitt Landre "Dee" Dietrich
PFC Sperling Green Garrett
PFC Frank Roscoe Hester
PFC Lawrence Elmer Knight
PFC Davis Vernon Kruse
PFC John Lloyd Manson
PFC William J. Olson
PFC Alan Milton Smith
PFC Robert W. Vail, Jr.
PFC Henry Niles Woods
WOUNDED IN ACTION - 102
Captain Irving "Buck" Schechter
1st Lt. Harry Dare Reynolds, Jr. (second wound)
1st Lt. David E. "Smitty" Smith
1st Lt. Roy I. Wood, Jr.
Gunnery Sergeant Walter B. Russell
Platoon Sergeant Parker S. McBride
Platoon Sergeant John Yaniga
Technical Sergeant Michael J. Graziadei
Sergeant Warren J. Buchanan
Sergeant Dallas M. Colburn
Sergeant William W. Comer, Jr.
Sergeant Clifford J. Devoy
Sergeant Jack Tarleton Sayers
Sergeant Carl F. Schott
Sergeant Kermit Shaw
Sergeant Maynard S. Worthington
Corporal Lee R. Anderson
Corporal Lionel V. Bolduc
Corporal Ernest Cubero
Corporal Kenneth Russell Gray
Corporal James A. Lemma
Corporal William J. Quinn (second wound)
Corporal Vernon D. Rigdon
PFC George D. Burch
PFC Winston Mckay Cabe
PFC Harold E. Carter, Jr.
PFC James J. Chvatal, Jr.
PFC Robert L. Conway
PFC John Martin Corcoran
PFC John J. Czepiel
PFC William J. Davis
PFC James L. De Nicola
PFC Richard H. Dues
PFC Luca A. Durante
PFC Robert Frederick Fleischauer
PFC Douglas B. Footit
PFC John J. "JJ" Franey, Jr.
PFC Merle Leon "Mother" Geesaman
PFC Edward J. Hackett
PFC Robert N. Harris
PFC Cecil Floyd Hendershot (second wound)
PFC Claude Thomas Henderson Jr.
PFC Wallace Morgan Holt
PFC William J. Imm, Jr.
PFC Frederick D. Iverson
PFC Lawrence J. Jaster
PFC Ernest M. Jeffrey
PFC Tom L. Johnson
PFC Raymond J. Jordan
PFC Howard M. Kerr
PFC Verner A. Lilja, Jr.
PFC William Paul Loutzenhiser
PFC Tommy Lynchard
PFC Peter Markovitch
PFC Richard C. McGinnis
PFC Gerald D. Miller
PFC Hershell O. Miller
PFC Dale L. Owings
PFC Laurent Rene Palardy
PFC Lawrence Felix Pantlin
PFC Printis M. Parsons
PFC Aldo Passante
PFC Gerald F. Patterson
PFC Hamilton T. Pendergast
PFC Dominick Piccolomini
PFC John G. Rayley, Jr.
PFC Lionel Perez "Pappy" Salazar (twice)
PFC George A. "Gunga" Smith
PFC David W. Spohn
PFC Charles Lee "Cease" Stafford
PFC John R. Svoboda
PFC Fred Eugene Thomas
PFC Robert E. Tierney
PFC Robert M. Walter
PFC Robert L. Williams (twice)
PFC Robert N. Wise
PFC Robert P. Wynne
Private John C. Adelmann
Private Wallace W. Duncan
Private William Vernon Ellerd
Private James C. Fields (twice)
Private James Walter Freeman
Private Wilford M. Goode
Private Walker Hamilton
Private Ernest T. Henderson
Private James William Jackson
Private Junior E. Jones
Private Lester C. Kincaid
Private Andrew Loban
Private Glen Marshall
Private Clyde F. Mason, Jr.
Private Robert W. Mason
Private Herbert J. Mauritz
Private Vern J. Neeson
Private George W. Pelish
Private Anthony A. Pramberger
Private William F. Savoy
Private Robert D. Sivertson
Private Vernon E. Smith
Private Philip Valley, Jr.
Private Kenneth S. Wilson
MEDICAL PERSONNEL
PhM3c Eloy Manzanares, of Garcia, CO. WIA, date and age unknown.
PhM2c John Offer, of Lawrence, MA. KIA, June 29 1944, age 22.
[The Corpsmen are in a separate category as they were assigned per battalion, rather than by company. Corpsmen took enormous losses throughout the Pacific war; Al Perry noted that by July 25 on Tinian none of the familiar faces were left and there were brand new Corpsmen attending to Able Company's wounded.]
Joined from the Headquarters Battalion Casual Company, 2nd Marine Division:
July 12, 1944
PFC Philip J. Frocida
PFC Richard J. Powell
PFC George Raspotnik, Jr.
PFC Anthony P. Santagto
PFC Robert U. Santerre
PFC Herman N. Schwabl
PFC Charles Edward Seader
PFC George W. Secor
Returned from Hospital:
July 12:
PFC Robert Fleischauer
PFC Robert N. Harris
PFC Wallace Morgan Holt
July 13:
1st Lt. Roy Wood
PFC Roy Alford
Private Claude Lorton Godwin
July 15:
PFC Clyde Mason
July 16:
PFC William Loutzenhiser
July 17:
PFC Douglas Footit
PFC Junior Jones
July 19:
PFC James Adams
PROMOTIONS, July 18.
To Sergeant:
Edward Horan
Thomas Hurley
Wilbur Plitt
Joseph Wendte
To Corporal:
Winston Cabe
Edward DuBeck
Jeff Jowers
Howard Haff
Donald Hart
Clyde Yates
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