August 7, 1942

[USMC 2571]

Guadalcanal.

Many good book titles about this battle/campaign.

One excellent book weaves the historical narrative as well as personal actions of various Marines----"Strong Man Armed" by Robert Leckie----the Marines against Japan in the Pacific War. Not just about Guadalcanal but about the whole Pacific War.

Let's remember those who fought and survived at Guadalcanal, as well as those who made the supreme sacrifice. Let's not forget our fellow Marines just because a lot of years have come and gone since August 7, 1942.
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[Mongoose]

God Bless those who walk in harms way....

[Zulu 36]

One of my great-uncles was KIA-BNR at Guadalcanal. He was a Marine captain and a dive bomber pilot. Killed while bombing Japanese ships.

[oldtop]

those were the Marines that showed us the way.... our Corps entered the modern era of warfare with them...... May they never be forgotten....

[Zulu 36]

I also worked with a retired Detroit PD detective lieutenant who had been a corporal in aviation at Guadalcanal. He survived the big battleship bombardment. He said it was the scariest thing he ever experienced in his life, bar none.

[USMC 2571]

Interesting.....I joined the Corps just 18 years after World War II ended. We never thought of it that way at the time. To us,World War II seemed just as distant in time as it does to us today.

But it's good to remember those who went before us. To honor them as much as possible for what they did.

[advanced]

Remember, back in our day there were many Marines from both WWII and Korea that were our staff NCO's and officers, great leadership - hard Corps. I was even told in PI that the MC still had 6 enlisted aviators from WWII left.

[Zulu 36]

Remember, back in our day there were many Marines from both WWII and Korea that were our staff NCO's and officers, great leadership - hard Corps. I was even told in PI that the MC still had 6 enlisted aviators from WWII left.

I believe the last one retired shortly after I went in (1971). If I remember the story correctly, he was a MGySgt and was the Commandant's pilot.

[oldtop]

I believe the last one retired shortly after I went in (1971). If I remember the story correctly, he was a MGySgt and was the Commandant's pilot.

Nope, there was still one MGySgt enlisted pilot stationed at El Toro in 1976 that flew C130's. He retired sometime in late 76 or 77...

[Zulu 36]

Nope, there was still one MGySgt enlisted pilot stationed at El Toro in 1976 that flew C130's. He retired sometime in late 76 or 77...

Quite likely. It's been a long time.

[Tennessee Top]

I worked with a Major at Camp LeJeune (1972) who saw combat in North Korea against the Chinese Communists. Can't remember ever serving with a WWII veteran.

Loved his stories about holding a defensive position in the hills against a Chinese horde. CHICOM's were all hyped up on drugs, blew horns while attacking, and only about one-in-five carried a weapon. When one with a weapon fell, dude behind him picked the weapon up, and kept advancing forward.

[Zulu 36]

TT,

I don't remember serving with any Marine WWII vets, but I did serve with a number of WWII vet Chief Hospital Corpsmen in 1973 at Montford Point. I was assigned to the Field Medical Service School when I got back from Vietnam as the Motor T NCO. The CO was a pre-WWII vet, the Leading Chief was also and he had been on the Bataan Death March. There were at least four or five other Chiefs who had been in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. They had scads of ribbons. The CO had a Silver Star from Korea when he was a Lt MSC officer. All sorts of Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts on those guys. One had landed on Tarawa. Some real tough dudes. The CO and Leading Chief were both Old Navy and were *******s to deal with if things didn't get done their way. The other old chiefs were generally pretty easy to get along with.