Profiles Spring-Summer 2013 HFDFW

 

Robert enlisted in the Marines on August 25, 1942 at the age of 17.

He served with the 3^rd Marine Division 3^rd Service Battalion, Motor Transport. His job was to supply ammunition, food, water and other implements of war to the Marines on the front line.

Robert saw action at locations such as Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima. While on Guadalcanal, he was tasked and proud to be transporting pilots to Henderson Field for their missions. While on Bougainville, his job was to protect squadrons such as Pappy Boyington and the famous “Baa Baa Black Sheep from Japanese snipers as they took off and landed at an airstrip that the Seabees had built for them.

Robert’s 3^rd Marines were rushed to Iwo Jima as the situation there had become desperate. They were to support the 4^th and 5^th Marine divisions that were fighting on the island. Robert landed on the 23^rd of February 1945 at the foot of Mt. Suribachi as the famous American flag on top was in full bloom. It was a great site to see.

At this point and after delivering ammunition to the 28^th Marine Regiment on the island, Robert and the other Marines that landed with him volunteered to do whatever was needed.  They were told that the most important job at the moment was that there was need for additional stretcher bearers to pick up the dead, wounded and body parts on the Iwo air strip and take to the burial details set up on the beach. With a heavy heart but wanting to do what was needed, Robert assisted with the grim task ahead of him.

Being a stretcher barrier was a particularly hazardous job. While transporting the wounded as quickly and gently as possible while stumbling from the weight of the Marine and the uneven ground, Japanese snipers loved to pick off the men who had picked up the wounded Marines.

Robert saw himself and his unit awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for the assault troops, United States Fleet Marine Force-Iwo Jima. There were also his 3 Navy Unit commendations for the Marines service on Guam, Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima.    

He was discharged from the Marines on September 17, 1945.