New Pictures!

Received an email last night from Leslie Best, whose wife is the daughter of Sergeant William J. Davis of Company A. Bill Davis was the company clerk, and served with the unit through the war despite being wounded on Saipan. Les reports that the family recently found Bill's photo album, along with other mementos like ribbons and dog tags.

He then proceeded to blow my little mind with some of the pictures from that album.


An oft-reproduced image of the company on Iwo Jima - this one notable because of the neatly written (and censor-approved) key on the back.

Bill Davis sits outside the First Sergeant's office, presumably in the spring of 1944. Company A did not have anyone in the rank of First Sergeant at that time, though T/Sgt Arnold Richardson was referred to in a letter from Captain Schechter as "First Sergeant Richardson" - so he may have filled that role. As company clerk, Davis spent a good amount of his time in this tent.

Technical Sergeant Arnold R. Richardson at Camp Maui. Richardson was killed on July 5, 1944, trying to provide covering fire for Phil Wood's rescue mission.

TOJO! This little pooch originally belonged to a Japanese soldier stationed on Roi-Namur. One Marine looking for an unusual souvenir smuggled Tojo aboard ship and returned him to Camp Maui. Since he's tied up outside Captain Schechter's tent, he may have been the unofficial company mascot.


(Another picture of Tojo, from Al Perry's website. From left, Al, Bob Fleishauer, Bob Tierney.)

And there's Phil himself, standing with Kenneth Shea and Tom Johnson of the mortar section. Kimonos were evidently popular souvenirs; Phil had one that he took to wearing as a dressing gown.