Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Battle of Peleliu — Revisiting a Meat-Grinder of the Pacific War” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/battle-of-peleliu/.
Battle of Peleliu — Revisiting a Meat-Grinder of the Pacific War
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
HayesGreener
Ronin
Great article. The Marines can get it done, no matter what
ex13F
Master Class
As a teen I worked summers for a farmer who had been a Marine on Iwo Jima. Occasionally he would just remember something aloud and I would soak it up. Helluva man. Later I met Capt. Dye at a gun show in Colorado when Robert K. Brown and the original SOF magazine crew was still around. Once again, helluva man.
HayesGreener
Ronin
When I was a kid there was a carpenter who did work on our place who had been a Marine and made multiple beach landings in the Pacific theatre. He was a Sgt and carried a Thompson and 1911 throughout the war. He told me of fabricating an ammo carrier so he could carry more Thompson magazines. I remember him telling me he didn't want an M1 because most of the shooting was up close and ersonal. He once told me he had accumulated a bunch of family photos that he had taken off dead Japanese soldiers. After the war was over he mailed the photos back to Japan to be returned to the families. He was a great hero in my mind.
Back then there were many WWI and WWII veterans around, and even a few from the Spanish American War. As a kid I didn't understand the importance of the oral history. I so wish I had had the foresight to talk to those veterans more in depth to learn of their experiences.
Back then there were many WWI and WWII veterans around, and even a few from the Spanish American War. As a kid I didn't understand the importance of the oral history. I so wish I had had the foresight to talk to those veterans more in depth to learn of their experiences.
Sld1959
Ronin
One thing he did say was that a lot of them put thier Marine Corp bolo knives to good use in the jungle, and it was not just on palm trees. Told me that when he gave it to me, I have since handed it down to his grand daughters husband when it got to heavy for me to swing for long periods.
N
nmedge
Guest
My grandfather was in WW1, my uncle and father were in WW2. Even as a child it was eye opening to hear what they said and went thru. I miss those old timers!
Icepick Mike
Operator
My all time favorite uncle was in the 1st Marine Div. He was wounded on Guadalcanal but returned to duty. He never talked much about any of the islands after Guadalcanal that he landed and fought on. I still have the Japanese rifle and bayonet he brought back from Guadalcanal, even has a few rounds with it. He was a really good guy and I still remember the stories he told me about Guadalcanal. RIP Marine. Excellent article and enjoyed reading it
Billy M. Rhodes
Alpha
My father, Billy Rhodes, served from The Canal to China, partly with the 6th Marines. He was also on Okinawa. I served from 1961 to 1967. I enjoyed this article and I also enjoyed Captain Dye's article on tanks in the recent Armory Life Magazine. I mailed the article to one of my HS classmates who retried as a Lt. Col. commanding tanks. Billy M. Rhodes Ed. S.
kenpomaniac1958
Master Class
Great article, thanks for posting. I've had the privilege of talking to a few World War II veterans over the years.Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Battle of Peleliu — Revisiting a Meat-Grinder of the Pacific War” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/battle-of-peleliu/.
I'm a former Marine('76-'79) who lives about 1/2 hour drive from the Iwo Jima memorial next the the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas. I have worked as a volunteer at the Iwo Jima memorial. It's a great place to visit if you're down in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
I really like articles like these. I was stationed in the area on the USS Tripoli (31st MAU). I've spent time on Okinawa, Philippines, Japan, Korea, etc. The heat and humidity there is like no other. (I grew up in South Texas and moved back and retired here and the heat/humidity in the Philippines and Okinawa was a lot worse than Texas.).
The military personnel in World War II in the Pacific theater had it pretty rough. May their sacrifices never be forgotten.
kenpomaniac1958
Master Class
I train in FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) and I used a Bolo when I was in the Philippines. They are handy tools.
I grew up in South Texas and was taught how to use a machete when I was young by a landscaper who was born in Mexico and moved to the US as a young adult. I have a couple of machetes that I still use and train with.
The Moros from the Philippines were/are considered some of the best fighters with blades in the world. Marines got the nickname "leatherneck" from the leather collars they had to wear to protect against the blades from Filipino warriors back in the day.
gordie
Operator
My father in law served in the pacific theater in the Army, he was a commo type running wire from point to point, the Marines always had my respect. As an Army type I was aware of the saying " when the Army retreats they go back -when the Marines retreat they go forward". Great series and having Capt.Dye as an advisor I can see why.
Sld1959
Ronin
I have used bolos, barongs, and parangs extensively and I have to say the Marine corps bolo/hospital is far heavier and more clumsy for its size than any genuine native product. It works, yep its wicked, but its heavy and wears your arm out faster than any machete or belt ax I have used. It's not a tool for extended jungle sessions which is why I gave it away.
My father, who spent his time as an MP on Oahu (he was there when the Japanese attacked) told me that my middle name, Paul, was given in honor of his best friend, who died on Peleliu. His name was Lawrence Paul.Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Battle of Peleliu — Revisiting a Meat-Grinder of the Pacific War” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/battle-of-peleliu/.
kellswater
Alpha
My very existence is a miracle. My father drove an amphibious tractor for the landing at Peleliu. Was rotated back home to the Washington Naval Ordinance facility. Met my mother there on a blind date. She had come to DC as a secretary for a Marine general - he liked her so much that after mom and dad were engaged, he told Dad if he would re-enlist he could have any billet he wanted (he did not re-enlist). Dad never talked about Peleliu when I was growing up, but when I was in college he gave me With the Old Breed by E.B. Sledge, Peleliu: Tragic Triumph by Bill Ross, and his original "Special Air and Gunnery Target Map" (now framed in my hallway). Great article - I have always wanted to make a trip to Peleliu as described by Captain Dye, but does not look like I will get that chance.
kenpomaniac1958
Master Class
Yes sir, I understand...
I have a pair of "Ironwood" Escrima sticks from the Philippines and they are very heavy compared to the Escrima sticks made out of Rattan. I use the Ironwood sticks for stretching more than striking training. Sometimes I train Heaven 6 with them but not for long.
I sometimes also train Heaven 6 with my machetes. If you don't use good body mechanics when using bigger knives you can hurt yourself easily. That's why we teach students with sticks for the safety factor and then way down the road we sometimes move to live blades.
Most machetes (at least the ones I have) are lighter than Bolos. It's useful to understand the uses and advantages/disadvantages of different types of blades.
The Hispanic landscaper taught me how to do different kinds of cuts with a machete when I was younger. And then my knowledge took another leap forward when I started training Escrima in the 1980's. I had an uncle who was a butcher and watching him work with a knife was both beautiful but scary. Fortunately he was not a violent man..
I witnessed knife/machete fights in Progreso and Matamoros Mexico when I was a "wee young lad" visiting my grandfather and other relatives in Mexico.
This morning I received a Kershaw-Emerson CQC-10K folding knife I ordered from Amazon. I got a heck of a deal using my Amazon Reward points...
It's my second Kershaw-Emerson and is as impressive as the 4XL model I've had for a few months...My great uncle was with the para troops that went in on the night before D-Day in Europe. He was wounded in St. Mere Egliese. I only found out about it after he had past away and did a family history search. All that time I had known him and not once did he ever even mention being a trooper. He certainly must have seen and experienced more than could be imagined. Capt. Dye was also an advisor and in the mini - series Band-of-Brothers.
Sld1959
Ronin
Actually, i believe, that's a fairly common misconception. If my memory is correct, the Marines were issued the leather collars in the late 1700s for use against swords. The Brit Royal Marines were issued a similar collar and thier knickname for it was boot neck and it eventually was turned in leatherneck for US Marines.
They eventually went out of common use but were I believe reissued during the Moro campaign.
Been a while since I looked into that side of swords.
Lefttackle#73
Alpha
My stepfather was at Peleliu and the Cape. As a matter of fact he was in the picture of the Marines behind the DUKW. He got his third Purple Heart and was carried off the island and returned home. He carried Jap metal in his back from a grenade until he died.
My father-in-law, Clifton Dantin, was on Pelileu. He was part of the Army 81st that Maj. Gen. Rupertus left floating in the Pacific early on because he reportedly didn't want to "share the glory" with the Army. Clif didn't talk much about Pelilieu except that the Army was generally forgotten, although they went in to relieve the Marines and continued that fight. He respectfully said those Marines came off that island crying ... and he said that being because he understood just how bad that battle had been. It wasn't that they weren't brave, it was that the battle was so awful.
He was part of an anti-tank gun crew. At one point they were overrun, had to bug out taking the firing pin from the gun, but were able to return and re-engage. The his buddy had lost the pin through a hole in his pocket, but they found another from a damaged gun. My father-in-law earned a Purple Heart. The other guy was awarded for securing the pin (even though he lost it ... don't know if the record included that part).
Although he was from South Louisiana, he married a native Hawaiian after the war. She had been a teenager babysitting an officer's kids just outside Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th. She suffered asthma the rest of her life from the smoke of that awful day. She went on to work in Provost Marshall's office during the War.
That was truly an honorable and tough generation who understood patriotism, loyalty, and honor.
He was part of an anti-tank gun crew. At one point they were overrun, had to bug out taking the firing pin from the gun, but were able to return and re-engage. The his buddy had lost the pin through a hole in his pocket, but they found another from a damaged gun. My father-in-law earned a Purple Heart. The other guy was awarded for securing the pin (even though he lost it ... don't know if the record included that part).
Although he was from South Louisiana, he married a native Hawaiian after the war. She had been a teenager babysitting an officer's kids just outside Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th. She suffered asthma the rest of her life from the smoke of that awful day. She went on to work in Provost Marshall's office during the War.
That was truly an honorable and tough generation who understood patriotism, loyalty, and honor.