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RE A DY, WI L L I N G A N D AB L E . . . RE S E RV E WA R R I O R ART I S T S DE L I V E R VI S UA L DI V E R S I T Y

IN THE ATTACK. . . METALLIC MARINES LEAD THE WAY. . . MUSEUM’S FIRST SEA KNIGHT

HIGHLIGHTS OF MARINE CORPS RESERVE HISTORY. . . ‘782’ GEAR OF WORLD WAR II

BULLETIN OF THE MARINE CORPS HISTORICAL PROGRAMHISTORICAL BULLETIN VOLUME XXX, NUMBER 4 2004

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DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release; distribution isunlimited.

PCN 10401220100

HISTORYAND MUSEUMSDIVISION

DIRECTOR EMERITUSBGen Edwin H. Simmons, USMC (Ret)

DIRECTORCol John W. Ripley, USMC (Ret)

Secretary to the Director:Mrs. Carol BeaupreDEPUTY DIRECTOR

Col Jon T. Hoffman, USMCR

HISTORICAL BRANCHBranch Head/Chief Historian: Mr. Charles D. Melson.History Writing Section: Mr. Charles R. Smith; LtColMichael J. Kibler; Mrs. Wanda F. Renfrow. Oral HistorySection: Dr. Gary D. Solis; Dr. Fred H. Allison.Reference Section: Mr. Danny J. Crawford; Mr. Robert V.Aquilina; Miss Lena M. Kaljot; Ms. Kara Newcomer; Ms.Annette D. Amerman; Mrs. Shelia Boyd. Library: MissEvelyn A. Englander. Archives Section: Mr. Frederick J.Graboske; Miss Christine T. Laba; Mrs. Hong-weiJeffers; Mr. Robert Piehel; Mr. John J. Rhodes, Mr.Christopher L. Doyle.

FIELD HISTORY BRANCHOiC: Col Nicholas E. Reynolds, USMCR. FieldHistorians: Col Reed R. Bonadonna, USMCR; ColJeffrey Acosta, USMCR; LtCol David T. Watters, USMCR;LtCol Nathan S. Lowrey, USMCR; LtCol David E. Kelly,USMCR; Maj Melissa D. Mihocko, USMCR; Maj John P.Piedmont, USMCR; Capt Chris M. Kennedy, USMCR;CWO3 William E. Hutson, USMCR; CWO3 Michael R.Sears, USMCR. Combat Artist: SSgt Michael D. Fay,USMCR. Ops Chief: SSgt Dennis P. Shannon, USMCR.

MUSEUMS BRANCHBranch Head: Mr. Robert J. Sullivan. AdministrativeAssistant: Mrs. Kathryn R. Trout. Marine Corps CuratorSection: Mr. Charles Anthony Wood; Mrs. Jennifer L.Castro. National Museum Section: Mr. Kenneth L.Smith-Christmas; Mr. Dieter Stenger; Mr. Neil B.Abelsma; Mr. Mark R. Henry; Mr. Michael E. Starn; Mr.William K. Alexander; Mr. Alfred V. Houde, Jr.; Mr.Charles G. Grow; Mr. James T. D’Angina. RestorationSection: Mr. Mitch Garringer; Mr. Alan M. Berry; Mr.Vibol Svy; Sgt Richard D. Bowman Jr., USMC; Cpl UmarB. Naseer, USMC. Exhibits Section: Mr. James A. Fairfax;Mr. Gordon Heim; Mr. Ronnie D. Alexander. S-4A/Security: Capt William N. Wright, USMC; Sgt RakeneL. Lee, USMC; Sgt David E. Peterson, USMC; Cpl LionelF. Smith, USMC; Cpl Justin R. Simonitsch, USMC; CplIsaac Moreno, USMC; Cpl Lawrence D. Boeck, Jr.,USMC.

SUPPORT STAFFS-1: 1stLt Joel P. Braniecki, USMC; GySgt Mario Fields,USMC; Cpl Gregory D. Miller, USMC; PFC AkvileGurskyte. S-3: LtCol Paul J.Weber, USMC; Ms. ElizabethSaunier; SSgt Freddie E. Wayne, USMC. S-4: Maj DavidA. Runyan, USMC; Sgt Michelle J. Hill, USMC; Cpl CesarM. Telles, USMC; PFC Matthew E. Acker, USMC; Mrs.Linda Clark; Mrs. JoAnn Navarro.

FORTITUDINE STAFFEditor-in-Chief, Col Jon T. Hoffman, USMCR. SeniorEditor, Mr. Scott N. Summerill. Graphic Designers: Mr.William S. Hill; Mrs. Catherine A. Kerns. Webmaster:Vacant.

Marine Corps Historical CenterBuilding 58, Washington Navy Yard1254 Charles Morris Street, Southeast

Washington Navy Yard, D.C. 20374-5040Telephone (202) 433-7607

Motto of the United States Marine Corps in the 1812 era.Historical Bulletin Vol. XXX, No.4 2004

“We can only know who we are by being certain of who we have been.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THE COVERCol Donna J. Neary, USMCR(Ret), painted this oil on canvasdepicting the 19 February 1945landing when Marines andsailors of the 4th MarineDivision hit the black volcanicsand of Iwo Jima. This painting,commissioned specifically byMajGen Arnold Punaro, thecommanding general of 4thMarDiv, was unveiled at a com-memoration and change ofcommand ceremony on 19August 2000. It is now a perma-nent part of the Marine CorpsArt Collection.

2 Fortitudine,Vol. XXX, No.4, 2004

Memorandum from the Director: Marine Corps Total ForceCol John W. Ripley, USMC (Ret) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Heritage Center News: In the AttackCol Jon T. Hoffman, USMCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Marine Corps Chronology: Highlights of Marine Corps Reserve HistoryKara R. Newcomer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

History Writing: Few Reserve Histories on Shelves, More NeededCharles R. Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Ordnance Collection: Metallic Marines Lead the WayW. Keith Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Oral History: World War II Oral Histories at Library of CongressDr. Fred H. Allison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Marine Corps Reserve: Ready,Willing and AbleMaj Thomas W. Crecca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Combat Art: Reserve Warrior Artists Deliver Visual DiversityCharles G. Grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Uniform and Heraldry Collection: A Trip Back in Time: Korean War Parka AcquisitionW. Keith Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Archives: Lack of Records Could Cost Reservists’ BenefitsFrederick J. Graboske . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Aviation Collection: Museum’s First Sea KnightJames T. D’ Angina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Field History: Reserve Historians Help Marines Understand Big PictureCol Nicholas E. Reynolds, USMCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Exhibit News: Uday Doesn’t Need it AnymoreJames A. Fairfax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

In Memoriam: BGen Frank J. Breth PassesRobert V. Aquilina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Historical Quiz: Marines Corps Reserve WWII Medal of Honor RecipientsLena M. Kaljot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Books in Review: ‘782’ Gear of World War IICharles D. Melson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Book Notes: Marine Corps Reserve BooksEvelyn A. Englander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Answers to the Historical Quiz: Marine Corps Reserve WWII Medal of Honor RecipientsLena M. Kaljot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

This quarterly bulletin of the Marine Corps historical program is published for Marines, at the rate of one copyfor every nine on active duty, to provide education and training in the uses of military and Marine Corps his-tory. Other interested readers may purchase single copies or four-issue subscriptions from the Superintendentof Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office. The appropriate order form appears in this issue.

Gen Leonard F. Chapman Jr.24th Commandant of the Marine Corps

1990. More than a few senior com-manders have observed, “Wherewould we be without them.”

As you read this issue focused onthe Marine Corps Reserve, take

particular pleasure and pride in know-ing that those reservists who callthemselves “Marine” have never con-sidered this a part-time job. Rather, itis a way of life. Whether active orreserve Marine, all who don the uni-form and answer their country’s callare distinguished, lifetime members ofan elite fighting organization that has,since the birth of our nation, provenits critical significance time and timeagain. ❑ 1775❑

Fortitudine, Vol. XXX, No.4, 2004 3

Memorandum from the Director

Col John W. Ripley, USMC

The Seamless Merging ofReserve and Active DutyComponents Creates aPotent FightingOrganization

We use the term “Total Force” todescribe and, more importantly,

to inform others of just what theMarine Corps brings to the fight. Ourbrothers-in-arms often think this refersto the enviable Marine Air-GroundTask Force, or MAGTF, which isunique to our Corps. It is that, but italso is much more. Total Force meansthe inclusion and full integration ofthe Marine Corps Reserve throughoutour Corps in operational units as wellas our headquarters and staffs world-wide. As we have seen in recent worldevents, our Marines have once againanswered the mail and responded tothe call for duty across the globe.

While no one would have thoughtotherwise, it is significant, and appro-priate, to note that the Total Forceteam of active and reserve Marines isworking well. Just as Marines did inprevious wars, both components havemelded into a formidable force toserve the nation’s call in Iraq as well asother hotspots in the war against ter-rorism.

Since 11 September 2001, the MarineCorps Reserve has provided exem-plary support to the total Marine Corpseffort of defending freedom both

abroad and here at home. Reserveswere compelled to leave their families,homes and jobs to once again dontheir “Marine green,” or the more pre-dominate desert tan, uniform andserve their nation on active duty. Menand women of the 4th MarineDivision, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing and4th Force Service Support Group arecurrently demonstrating the result oftheir training and readiness where itcounts—on the front lines.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom,Marine reservists functioned as a vitalpart of the Total Force with superbresults. They were fully integrated intothe 1st Marine Expeditionary Forceduring operations in Iraq. For severaldays, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines ledthe advance of Regimental CombatTeam One to Baghdad. Reserveamphibious assault vehicles, lightarmored vehicles and tanks were onthe front lines, and in fact, it was the4th Light Armored ReconnaissanceBattalion that scored the first two Iraqiarmor kills. On the logistics front, 6thEngineer Support Battalion built thelargest tactical fuel farm in MarineCorps history, and Marine CorpsReserve C-130 aircraft flew the major-ity of the assault support missions. Inthe Marine Central CommandOperations Center, ReserveComponent Marines occupied mostpositions. During the post-war phaseof Operation Iraqi Freedom, tworeserve infantry battalions governedentire provinces in Iraq. This list goesinspiringly on and reveals to historiansa remarkable pattern of commitmentand success that highlights the criticalimportance of our Reserve forces,both on the unit and individual levels.The pattern not only appears in thecurrent operations, but is quicklyobvious when looking back to theoutbreak of the Korean War in 1950and Desert Shield/Desert Storm in

Marine Corps Total Force

This 1930s Marine Corps Reserverecruiting poster was designed by MSgtPaul Woyshner, USMC, for use inWashington, D.C. There were 300 ofthese posters initially produced for dis-tribution. MSgt Woyshner designedrecruiting posters and served in theMarine Corps during World War I andWorld War II. His uniform sported 10hash marks for service spanning morethan 40 years.Official logo of Marine Forces Reserve

Museums Division and other MarineCorps elements in attendance, theFoundation’s leadership put pens onpaper and sealed the deal. The cost ofPhase I of the National Museum pro-ject is $41 million. The Foundationalready has received donations andpledges exceeding $30 million andhas a line of credit in place to coverthe remaining amount while it contin-ues its fund-raising campaign.

Centex wasted no time in getting towork. It inherited a site prepared

by McGrath Construction Companyunder a contract paid for by theMarine Corps. Prince William Countyalso has funded the extension ofwater and sewer lines to the HeritageCenter grounds. With an entranceroad and some utilities already inplace and the majority of the sitecleared and graded, Centex will startimmediately on earthwork at the hill-top location of the building itself. Thiswill involve excavation in some placesand filling and compacting in others.

The National Museum of the MarineCorps passed a major milestone in

April when the Marine Corps HeritageFoundation signed a contract to buildPhase I of the museum. This eventculminated years of architectural plan-ning and months of winnowing the listof potential builders.

After seeking proposals from allinterested firms, the Marine Corps andthe Foundation requested formal bidsfrom four companies. Both a technicalpanel and a cost panel evaluatedmaterials submitted by the competi-tors. The work of these two bodieswas reviewed by a source selectionadvisory board composed of seniorrepresentatives of the Foundation, theHistory and Museums Division,Headquarters Marine Corps, MarineCorps Base Quantico and theDepartment of the Navy’s EngineeringField Activity Chesapeake Division.The board unanimously endorsed oneproposal as the strongest. LtGenRonald Christmas, USMC (Retired),made the final selection on behalf ofthe Foundation.

The winner of the competition wasCentex Construction Company of

Fairfax, Virginia, the Mid-Atlanticregional subsidiary of the Dallas-basedCentex Construction Group. One ofthe top five contracting firms in thenation, Centex has a history of build-ing public facilities. One of its highestprofile projects currently underway isthe underground visitor center for theU.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.Centex also has erected the Dallas ArtMuseum in Texas and theInternational Game and FishAssociation’s World Fishing Center inDania Beach, Florida. A number of itsother completed buildings includelarge glass atriums, a central feature ofthe National Museum.

The formal contract signing tookplace on 12 April at Harry Lee Hall onMarine Corps Base Quantico. Withrepresentatives of the History and

Another important early part of theproject will be the forming and pour-ing of large, below-ground reinforcedconcrete shear foundations, whichwill support the 40-foot-high wallsand the 200-foot-high steel mast of theNational Museum’s monumental cen-tral atrium.

Construction of Phase I of thebuilding is scheduled for comple-

tion in the spring of 2006. Installationof the exhibits will take place throughthe fall of that year to prepare for thegrand opening, which is slated for late2006. Phase I will include the centralatrium; the orientation theater; theFast Track spine of the museum withits capsule history of the Corps; gal-leries dedicated to Making Marines,World War II, Korea and Vietnam; agift shop and restaurant; and limitedoffice space for the Foundation andthe History and Museums Division.Galleries devoted to the other eras ofMarine Corps history will follow inPhase II. ❑ 1775❑

Heritage Center News

In the Attackby Col Jon T. Hoffman, USMCR

Deputy Director

An aerial view of the site for the new National Museum of the Marine Corps bor-dered by Interstate 95 (top) and Route 1 (bottom) at Quantico, Virginia.


Marine Corps Chronology

Highlights of Marine Corps Reserve Historyby Kara R. NewcomerReference Historian

made schooling available in 200 keyoccupational fields.

July 1962 – The Organized MarineCorps Reserve was reorganized to pro-vide a distinct unit mobilization struc-ture embodied in the 4th MarineDivision, 4th Marine Aircraft Wingteam and Force Troops units.

3 August 1977 – The headquarters ofthe 4th Marine Division was relocatedto New Orleans, Louisiana.

August 1990 to February 1991 – ThePersian Gulf War saw the largest mobi-lization of the Marine Corps Reservesince the Korean War. Reservistsserved in all elements of the I MarineExpeditionary Force and comprised 15percent of all Marines in the theater.

6 June 1992 – Marine Reserve Forcewas activated and was the largestcommand in the Marine Corps. Twoyears later, on 10 November 1994,MarResFor was redesignated asMarine Forces Reserve in a movemeant to keep the reserve force’s visi-bility in line with its Fleet MarineForce Command counterparts.

4 June to 13 August 1994 – Marinereserve forces conducted ExercisePinnacle Advance, the largest peace-time training exercise in the MarineCorps Reserve’s history. The exerciseinvolved 16,000 Marines and tookplace at sites in Southern California,Nevada and Arizona.

11 September 2001 to Present –Numerous reserve units have beencalled to active duty due to the currentworld situation. Some reserve unitshave assumed rotations in the UnitDeployment Program to places suchas Okinawa to allow for the expandedneed for troops in Southwest Asia andAfghanistan, while others have joinedthe Marine Corps active component inOperations Enduring Freedom andIraqi Freedom, or have taken over fordeployed units in the United States.

❑ 1775❑

29 August 1916 – PresidentWoodrow Wilson signed an Act autho-rizing a Marine Corps Reserve. Prior tothis, Marine reservists had participatedin the naval militias of numerousstates bordering bodies of water.

April 1917 to November 1918 – TheMarine Corps Reserve increased from35 to 6,440 on active duty as a resultof World War I.

12 August 1918 – The Secretary ofthe Navy authorized enrollment ofwomen in the Marine Corps Reserve.

28 February 1925 – Congress passedan act that superceded the Act of 1916for the creation, organization, admin-istration and maintenance of theMarine Corps Reserves. The expandedAct provided for the establishment ofaviation reserve units.

25 June 1938 – The Naval ReserveAct of 1938 abolished the act of 1925and provided the reserve would con-sist of the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve,the Organized Marine Corps Reserveand a Volunteer Marine CorpsReserve.

December 1941 to August 1945 – Of

the 589,852 Marines to serve duringWorld War II, approximately 70 per-cent were from the Marine CorpsReserve, including women servingwithin the Women’s Reserve. Of the82 Marine Medal of Honor recipients,44 were reservists.

December 1948 – Marine CorpsReserve Maj William Hendricks initiat-ed the first official “Toys for Tots”campaign. It was established as anationwide public affairs project by1953.

August 1950 to July 1953 – Morethan 130,000 reservists served in theKorean War. There were 13 Medal ofHonor recipients among the Reserves.Also, a Navy or Marine reservist flewevery third aviation combat mission.

9 July 1952 – Congress passed theArmed Forces Reserve Act of 1952,providing for a Ready Reserve, aStandby Reserve and a RetiredReserve.

9 August 1955 – The Armed ForcesReserve Act of 1955 was passed. TheAct established a six-month initialactive-duty training program and

Photo by: Sgt Joshua Bozeman

The Toys for Tots train chugs past the reviewing stand during the City of Albany,Georgia’s Celebration of Lights Parade in December 2002, while a reserve Marinesalutes the guests of honor.

Fortitudine,Vol. XXX, No.4, 2004 5

In scanning the bookshelf of officialMarine Corps historical publications,

one could easily overlook a long outof print, 300-page book, which fromits binding appears to belong to themultivolume history of Marine Corpsoperations in World War II. But it doesnot. It is a history of the Marine CorpsReserve by the reserve officers ofPublic Affairs Unit 4-1 and publishedby the Division of Reserves,Headquarters Marine Corps, in 1966.Support by Gen Wallace M. Greene,Jr., as Chief of Staff and later asCommandant, the “GoldenAnniversary Edition” covers the 50crucial years from 1916, whenCongress authorized a Marine CorpsReserve, to 1966 when the 4th MarineDivision, 4th Marine Aircraft Wingteam had became an integral part ofthe “muscle of American armedstrength.” It closed, as Gen Greenenoted in the foreword, “a curious gapin Marine history.”

While many official historical publi-cations printed before 1966 containedreferences to the reserves, there wereonly two that dealt with the reserves atlength. The first was Mobilization ofthe Marine Corps Reserve in theKorean Conflict, 1950-1951, by ErnestH. Giusti. A concise narrative of themajor events surrounding the call-upof individuals and reserve units andthe policies affecting service in Korea,the short mimeograph history wasintended to provide staff officers witha ready source of reliable informationon a reserve mobilization “that waswell executed” and to answer ques-tions from the general public on thesame subject.

The second was Marine CorpsWomen’s Reserve in World War II, byLtCol Pat Meid, USMCR, originallypublished in 1964 and revised in 1968.Established by law as part of theMarine Corps Reserve in July 1942, theMarine Corps Women’s Reserve was toprovide qualified and trained womenfor duty in the shore establishments ofthe Marine Corps, thereby releasing

ual reservists had been widely used invarious historical and combat artefforts, now there would be close par-ticipation by the Marine Corps Reservein the historical program.

While the reservists would partici-pate in all aspects of the Marine Corps’historical program, a major task of theunit was to produce a series of histo-ries covering every reserve regimentand squadron in the Fleet MarineForce. But sadly, this lofty goal waslost as reserve historians weredeployed to cover an ever-increasingnumber of exercises and combat oper-ations. Although many histories werestarted, only three were completed: ABrief History of the 14th Marines, byLtCol Ronald J. Brown, USMCR; ABrief History of the 25th Marines, byCol Joseph B. Ruth, Jr., USMCR, thefirst commanding officer of thereserve training unit; and A History ofMarine Fighter Attack Squadron 321,by Cdr Peter B. Mersky, USNR.

The gap in Marine Corps history, ofwhich Gen Greene wrote in 1966,

has opened again. A number of non-official, division-level field historieshave been produced, and currentlythere is an on-going project to coverreservists in the recent Afghanistanand Iraq operations, but more needsto be done by individual regimentsand squadrons. The History andMuseums Division is more than happyto work with regimental and squadronhistorians in producing unit histories.However, units wanting to obtain offi-cial status and approval need to sub-mit the history manuscript to theDirector of Marine Corps History andMuseums for review and editing, and,if appropriate, publication and distrib-ution throughout the Marine Corps.

“Our reserves are not reserves inisolation,” Gen Greene noted, “theyare part of the team.” As part of theteam, their history needs to be pre-served and made available to otherMarines and to the American people.

❑ 1775❑

additional male Marines for combatduty. LtCol Meid’s history covers theactivities of the more than 23,000women who enlisted during the war.

The World War II history of womanMarine reservists was followed in 1974by a history of women Marines inWorld War I. Working with the consid-erable amount of research materialaccumulated by LtCol Meid and for-mer Director of Women Marines ColJeanette I Sustad, Capt Linda L. Hewitt,USMCR, tells the story of this group of305 intrepid young women who worethe forest green uniform with itsfamous globe and anchor insignia.Holding the ranks of private, corporaland sergeant, these women Marinereservists performed their clerical jobs,mostly at Headquarters Marine Corps,“with dispatch and loyalty.”

When BGen Edwin H. Simmonsbecame director of the newly

established Marine Corps History andMuseums Division in 1971, one of thefirst items on his list was the creationof a Marine Corps Reserve historicalunit. That item became a reality inOctober 1976 when the Commandantauthorized the activation of VolunteerTraining Unit (Historical) 1-8, whichlater evolved into MobilizationTraining Unit DC-7. Although individ-

History Writing

Few Reserve Histories on Shelves, More Neededby Charles R. Smith

History Writing Head


Ordnance Collection

Metallic Marines Lead the Wayby W. Keith Alexander

Research Historian

Quantico, Virginia. After his commis-sioning in the Marine Corps Reserves,then 2dLt Godolphin attended theUnited States Navy’s Combat AirIntelligence School at Quonset Point,Rhode Island. From there he attendedthe Marine Corps’ Air Liaison School atCamp Bradford, Virginia. Godolphinthen shipped out for overseas dutywith the 4th Marine Division. In a post-war letter to Godolphin, MajGen FieldHarris wrote, “I note with gratificationyour splendid record.” Godolphin’sactions during the war earned him theBronze Star with a Combat V. AfterWorld War II, Capt Godolphinremained a member of the MarineCorps Reserve, where he helped todevelop the Corps’ doctrine for closeair support. LtCol Godolphin retiredfrom the Marine Corps Reserve on 31October 1957.

Also serving in the Philippines wasanother Marine Reserve officer, SamuelHolt McAloney. McAloney was born on22 January 1904. His parents ensuredhe had a proper education by enrollinghim in the prestigious Philip ExeterAcademy, followed by DartmouthCollege. After graduating fromDartmouth in 1926, he tried severaljobs before joining the Texas Air Corpsas a Cadet in 1930. Apparently,McAloney failed to master the art of fly-ing and this noted deficiency led to hishonorable discharge a year later.McAloney eventually moved to NewYork City, where he worked as themanaging editor for Franklin Spier,Inc., one of the largest advertising firmsin the world. McAloney was living withhis wife in the Connecticut countrysidewhen the Japanese attacked PearlHarbor, and at the age of 38, he volun-teered for the Marine Corps andentered active duty on 1 February 1943.After graduation from Reserve OfficerTraining Course, 2ndLt McAloneyattended and graduated with honorsfrom three schools: the Army/Air ForceAir Intelligence School in Harrisburg,Pennsylvania; the Navy’s Air CombatIntelligence class at Quonset Point,

On 7 December 1941, the Japaneseattacked the United States Naval

Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The sur-prise aerial bombardment sent shockwaves throughout American society,similar to those spawned from the ter-rorist attacks on 11 September 2001.After the Pearl Harbor bombing, youngmen from all walks of life volunteeredto serve their country as members ofthe U.S. Marine Corps. In certaininstances, these volunteers were older,married and well established in lifeprior to the war. In fact, some of theyounger Marines affectionatelydescribed the older men as “MetallicMarines” because they “had silver intheir hair, gold in their teeth and lead intheir ass.” Many of the Metallic Marineswere members of the Marine Corps’ AirLiaison Parties (ALPs) that served in thePhilippines.

During early October 1944, BGenClaude A. Larkin briefed LtCol Keith B.McCutcheon on the upcomingPhilippines operation. Marine Corps airunits, such as Marine Air Group 24,were assigned to provide close air sup-port to several army infantry divisions.To ensure adequate air support,McCutcheon assembled a team thatincluded several Marine Corps reservistssuch as Capt Francis R. B. Godolphinand Capt Samuel Holt McAloney, whohad previously served in the 4th MarineDivision’s Joint Assault Signal Company(JASCO) together.

One of the key players in the MarineALPs, Capt Godolphin was born on 8April 1903. He was well into an impres-sive civilian career when the war start-ed, serving at Princeton University asdean of the classics department. Whenhe entered the Marine Corps on 10February 1943,Godolphin was near-ly 40, married andhad one child.Godolphin’s firstexperience with theMarines was at theReserve OfficerTraining Course at

Rhode Island; andthe Marine Corps’Air Liaison School atNorfolk, Virginia.The Marine Corpsassigned CaptMcAloney to the 4thMarine Division’sJASCO. During the

Philippines Campaign, McAloneyreceived the Bronze Star with CombatV and the Purple Heart. After the war,MajGen Harris wrote, “your command-ing officers, without exception havereferred to your performance of dutiesas ‘Excellent.’” McAloney later served inthe Korean War before retiring from theMarine Corps Reserve in February1964.

Both Marine Corps Reserve officers,along with their colleagues, played avital role in retaking the Philippines.Marine Air Liaison Parties coordinatedthe close air support missions betweenthe different Marine and army units.Their efforts helped the various Marinesquadrons drop 19,167 bombs ontoenemy targets. Perhaps their greatestmoment occurred when they accompa-nied two army divisions for 38 days onthe drive to Manila. In fact, Godolphinand McAloney used Marine bombers toprotect the 1st Cavalry Division’s leftflank as the unit moved through hostileterritory. Whether pounding theJapanese Shimbu line or supportingguerrilla forces along the MarakinaRiver, the Marine Air Liaison Parties seta standard in the Philippines that allMarines strive to emulate.

To honor the Marine Air LiaisonParties, the National Museum of theMarine Corps is planning a displayabout them. This model shows a slight-ly older man sitting in his jeep whiletalking on the radio. What is not readi-ly apparent in the scene is probably themost important point; that while thesemen had the age and social standing tosit out the war, they left their comfort-able lifestyles for combat duty as mem-bers of the United States Marine CorpsReserves. ❑ 1775❑Richard B. Godolphin

Samuel H. McAloney


Oral History

World War II Oral Histories at Library of Congressby Dr. Fred H. Allison

Oral Historian

processed the recordings. Bloch lis-tened to many of the nearly 2,000recordings (about 500 hours) to classi-fy, determine the historical value andquantify the sound quality of each. Hethen logged essential information andwrote short summations of the con-tent, which are still used as a findingaid for the collection.

These recordings were the result ofan agreement between Dr. Harold

Spivack, chief of the Library ofCongress Museum Division, and BGenRobert L. Denig, chief of the Marines’public information office. Dr. Spivackwanted recordings of the songs andfolk music of the native Pacific peo-ples. He offered recording equipmentto all the military services. Only theMarine Corps accepted the offer. Notbecause Marines loved the native folkmusic, but because recording equip-ment was not in the Table ofEquipment for an infantry battalionand BGen Denig saw this as an oppor-tunity. Once he had the gear, it waseasier to convince Marine Corps lead-ers to attach correspondents to com-bat units.

BGen Denig’s initiative and thecombat correspondents’ dedicationresulted in extensive radio airtime forthe Marine Corps. It also educatedAmericans on the Corps’ role in thewar. The historical value of these com-bat recordings, however, is immeasur-able. The recordings capture theessence of being a World War IIMarine. The sounds of the battlefieldare there, too. Since Marines did theinterviews, they have an authenticitythat might not be implicit with record-ings made by civilian news people.The recordings represent an untappedhistorical resource. For their potential,they have received little attention fromresearchers, scholars and writers.

The Marine Corps also held up itspart of the deal with Dr. Spivack anddutifully made recordings of nativefolk music. ❑ 1775❑

microphone and reports on the com-bat mission he had just flown overRabaul.

Like all Marines, the combat corre-spondents were riflemen too. Sgt

Alvin Flanagan, a Marine reporter inthe middle of the ferocious fighting ofPeleliu’s first day, carried a 40-poundradio to transmit battle descriptions toa communications ship where arecording was made. The bulky gearand long antenna made him an easytarget. Grenades and mortar shellsmissed him by inches. He had toexchange his microphone for a car-bine at one point. He escapedunscathed, but other combat corre-spondents were not so fortunate. Eachof the three correspondents servingwith the 9th Marines became casual-ties on D-Day at Guam.

The Marine Corps’ involvement withthese recordings did not end withWorld War II. The recordings went tothe Library of Congress after the warwhere SSgt Robert W. Bloch, USMC,

The Marine Corps oral history col-lection had its official beginning in

1965, but there are earlier recordingsof Marines maintained at the Library ofCongress. These recordings comefrom World War II and were made inthe Pacific Theater by U.S. Marinecombat correspondents. Although therecordings were made for public rela-tions purposes, they now serve as amagnificent historical resource onMarines in World War II.

Making interviews in the field dur-ing World War II was logistically diffi-cult as recorders were bulky and hadto be mounted in a vehicle.Nevertheless, combat correspondentswere on the scene at places steeped inMarine Corps history: Bougainville,Tinian, Guam, Peleliu and Iwo Jima.

While many of the recordings are ofMarines on troopships saying “hello”to mom, others come direct from thebattlefield. On one recording, combatcorrespondent Sgt Alvin Josephy, Jr.splashes ashore alongside Marines inthe initial assault on Guam. The longcord of his microphone trails off intothe back of a half-track that carried therecording device. “The water’s up tomy knee,” he said. “You can’t go toofast. There’s heavy fire falling on us …oh, one boy’s been hit. Four men areputting him in the rubber boat …there’s one Marine lying on his backon the beach—there’s a Marine lyingon his back with blood pouring out ofhim ….”

Combat correspondents landed withthe 4th Marines at Iwo Jima, theirrecording gear mounted on a special-ly built ammunition cart. They wentinto action on the front lines andrecorded a complete description ofthe fighting while rocket fire, strafingand mortar bursts provided a battle-ground backdrop to the narrative. Inanother, Marine Corps aviation legendMaj Gregory “Pappy” Boyington isrecorded. The recording captures thesound of his Corsair taxiing in andshutting down. He then strides to the

Photo by Cpl N. W. Myers

While the technology for recordinginterviews improved after WWII, com-bat correspondents in Vietnam stillhad to lug heavy reel-to-reel recordersaround to do their job.

8 Fortitudine, Vol. XXX, No.4, 2004

Marine Corps Reserve: Ready,Willing and Ableby Maj Thomas W. Crecca

History Writer

The Marine Corps Reserve has beenextensively involved in protecting

America’s freedom since it was estab-lished on 29 August 1916. From theBattle of Belleau Wood to currentoperations in Iraq, Marine reservistshave distinguished themselves as anintegral part of the total force. In thewake of the terrorist attacks on theWorld Trade Center and the Pentagonon 11 September 2001, reservists havebeen thrust alongside their active dutycounterparts in taking the fight to theenemy. Additionally, the demands ofthe war on terrorism have promptedthe Marine Corps Reserve to take mis-sions generally assigned to active dutyunits.

Since the World War I, the MarineCorps Reserve has served a vital rolein augmenting active duty forces tomeet demands in manpower, equip-ment and skilled proficiency for spe-cific missions. In the first part of the20th Century, Marine reservists filledthe ranks of an expanding Corps anddistinguished themselves in combat inEurope, the Pacific and Korea. Thetraining and integration of thereservists in peacetime exercises aswell as in combat was more prevalentlater in the century, especially in thewake of the Vietnam War and theabolishment of national conscription.As the concept of a total force becamea reality, greater emphasis was placedon outfitting reserve units with thesame modern equipment as activeforces and incorporating reserve unitsfrom the company to regimental levelin peacetime training and wartimeoperations. By the close of the 20thCentury, a large Marine Corps Reservecontingent provided a vital contribu-tion to the I Marine ExpeditionaryForce (MEF) in the execution of a bril-liant military campaign in OperationsDesert Shield and Desert Storm.

In the aftermath of Operation DesertStorm, a force level command wasestablished on par with Marine ForcesAtlantic and Marine Forces Pacific.This command eventually becameMarine Forces Reserve and was head-quartered in New Orleans, Louisiana,

where it was co-located with its sub-ordinate commands of the 4th MarineDivision, 4th Force Service SupportGroup (FSSG) and 4th Marine AircraftWing (MAW).

Reminiscent of the legendary WorldWar I recruiting posters of “Tell ThatTo The Marines,” “First In The Fight”and “The Spirit of 1917,” today’sMarine Corps Reserve has continuedits long-standing tradition of meetingthe nation’s call to arms. Reservistsmobilized for Operations EnduringFreedom and Iraqi Freedom havesteadfastly demonstrated their desireto serve their country despite havingto manage such sacrifices as takingreductions in pay, putting their educa-tional and professional goals on hold

and dealing with long separationsfrom their families.

The contribution of the reserve goesbeyond merely adding manpower tothe total force; reservists bring uniqueskills from their civilian professionsthat greatly enhanced their militarycontribution. There were a significantnumber of commercial pilots servingin 4th MAW units where their civilianskills kept their military proficiency ata very high level, allowing a seamlesstransition into their military role. Forexample, the Fort Worth, Texasdetachment of KC-130 pilots fromMarine Aerial Refueling Squadron 234(VMGR-234) were able to quicklymobilize and deploy to Jacobabad,Pakistan, in support of Operation

Photo by: Sgt Rob Henderson

Marines of 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance pack up to move north into Iraqto join the war against the Ba’ath regime.


Anaconda in Afghanistan. Anotherexample is the employment of 2dBattalion, 25th Marines (2/25) and 3dBattalion, 23d Marines (3/23) in therebuilding of Iraqi police forces in AnNasiriyah and Al Kut. Both units had asignificant number of Marines withextensive law enforcement back-grounds, skills that were essential inmeeting the mission requirements.

Operation Noble EagleIn the current Global War on

Terrorism, reserve Marines share avery personal link to the attacks of 11September when a handful ofreservists were killed while serving intheir civilian jobs. When the two com-mercial airlines slammed into theWorld Trade Center, GySgt MatthewGarvey and Cpl Sean Tallon, bothmembers of the New York City FireDepartment, died in evacuation oper-ations at the twin towers. GySgtGarvey served in the 6thCommunication Battalion in Brooklyn,New York and Cpl Tallon served inthe 2d Battalion, 25th Marines, inGarden City, New York. While manyof the Marine reservists in New YorkCity were rapidly responding to crisis

at the fallen towers, Marine ForcesReserve activated the Marine CorpsEmergency Preparedness LiaisonOfficers to assist the FederalEmergency Management Agency inthe New York and Washington, D.C.areas.

As the nation was recovering fromthe shock of the terrorist attacks onthe World Trade Center and thePentagon, as well as the failed attackof United Airlines Flight 93, whichcrashed in the Pennsylvania country-side near Somerset, there remainedconcern of continued attacks fromcommercial airlines. Marine FighterAttack Squadron 321 (VMFA-321),located at Andrews Air Force Base,had just completed a drill weekendwhen the Marines of this unit quicklyreturned to their training center. AirNational Guard units from AndrewsAir Force Base had put combat airpatrols in the skies late in the morningof 11 September, but additional air-craft and aircrews were needed toprovide relief for the current mission.By the morning of 12 September, air-craft from VMFA-321 were in the airconducting combat air patrols in theWashington D.C. area. The unit con-tinued flying sorties until ordered tostand down on 13 September.

Operation Enduring FreedomWith the start of Operation Enduring

Freedom in the fall of 2001, Marinereservists became extensively involvedin support operations overseas as wellas homeland defense. In November2001, B Company, 1st Battalion, 23dMarines (1/23) was activated anddeployed to U.S. Naval BaseGuantanamo Bay, Cuba, to provideinstallation security and release twoactive duty Fleet Anti-TerrorismSecurity Team platoons for other mis-sions. In addition to guarding the 17-mile line with Cuba, the Marines of1/23 also assisted in guarding terroristdetainees at Camp X-Ray.

To provide additional support andstrengthen the Marine Corps’ contribu-tion to homeland security, 2/25 and 2dBattalion, 23d Marines (2/23) weremobilized and participated in theQuick Reaction Forces rotation on theeast and west coasts.

Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th

Marines (1/24) was activated anddeployed to provide security for thecommand logistics element of JointTask Force Horn of Africa. The com-mand logistics element, composed ofreservists, established operations atCamp Lemonier, Djibouti.

Great demand was placed on theemployment of KC-130 transportplanes and CH-53E helicopters foroperations in South and SouthwestAsia. The reserve KC-130 squad-rons—VMGR-234 and VMGR-452—andthe reserve CH-53E squadrons—MarineHeavy Helicopter Squadron 769(HMH-769) and HMH-772—were acti-vated to support missions from thePersian Gulf to Afghanistan.

Finally, Central Command estab-lished Joint Task Force ConsequenceManagement in Kuwait to respondshould terrorists attack using biologi-cal, chemical, or nuclear weapons.

Photo by: LCpl Matthew J. Apprendi

Marine reservist Sgt Jerry Koehler,Company B, 1st Battalion, 23rdMarines, embraces his sons, Brandonand Zachary, after returning from adeployment to U.S. Naval BaseGuantanamo Bay, Cuba, in supportof Operation Enduring Freedom.

Photo by: Sgt Sam Kille

An amphibious assault vehicle makesit’s way to the well deck of the USSPortland (LSD-37) off the coast ofCamp Lejeune, North Carolina, 24July 2002, to deploy with MarineForces UNITAS to South America.Approximately 300 reserve Marinesand Navy corpsmen participated intraining exercises with the maritimeforces of several Latin American coun-tries.


Reservists made up 40 percent of thisorganization, which was eventuallycommanded by reserve BGen CraigBoddington.

Operation Iraqi FreedomThe Marine Corps Reserve contin-

ued to make integral contributions inthe war against Saddam Hussein’s bru-tal regime in Iraq. Almost 60 percentof the personnel in the combat opera-tions center of I MEF were reservists.Units from the 4th Marine Division,4th FSSG and 4th MAW provided vitalcombat power in Operation IraqiFreedom. Serving with RegimentalCombat Team 1, 2/23 was involved incombat missions from the line ofdeparture along the Kuwaiti and Iraqiborder to the securing of the UnitedNations compound in Baghdad. The4th and 8th Tank Battalions, 4th LightArmor Reconnaissance Battalion and4th Amphibious Assault VehicleBattalion also were involved in exten-sive combat operations throughoutIraq. Marines from 2/25 and 3/23 con-ducted independent operations incor-porating military missions and civilgovernment functions in the AnNasiriyah and Al Kut provinces.Although not deployed as artillery-men, 100 Marines from 1st Battalion,14th Marines were mobilized andserved with the mortuary affairsdetachment.

Marines from 4th FSSG providedvital combat service support to I MEFby mobilizing and deploying the 6thEngineer Support Battalion, 6th MotorTransport Battalion, 6th Communi-cation Battalion, 4th Landing SupportBattalion and 4th Medical Battalion.The 6th Engineer Support Battalionconstructed a 90-mile long hose-reelfuel system from Kuwait into Iraq andbuilt a 155-meter long improved rib-bon bridge across the Tigris River. The6th Motor Transport Battalion aug-mented the 1st Transportation SupportGroup and traveled more than 1.3 mil-lion miles, hauling more than 5,000tons of ammunition, 7 million gallonsof fuel and water and 13,000 troops.The 6th Communication Battalion, 4thLanding Support Battalion and 4thMedical Battalion provided personnel,professional expertise and equipmentto I MEF.

The 4th MAW continued to providemuch needed aviation support toOperation Iraqi Freedom. As inOperation Enduring Freedom, the KC-130 squadrons of VMGR-234 andVMGR-452, and the CH-53Es fromHMH-772 conducted logistical, refuel-ing and assault support missions.Finally, the 3d and 4th Civil AffairsGroups provided critical assistance inreconstruction efforts throughout Iraq.

As a result of the demand ofOperation Iraqi Freedom on activeduty units, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines,and C Company, 4th Light ArmorReconnaissance Battalion were placedin the unit deployment program rota-tion to Okinawa from June throughDecember 2003.

Current PostureIn the course of the numerous mis-

sions and operations performed bythe Marine Corps since 11 September2001, the reserves have illustrated thesuccess of the total force concept. Theclose integration of reserve and activeduty personnel in peacetime training

exercises has paid huge dividends inthe rapid mobilization and deploy-ment of Marine forces around theworld. The Marine Corps is currentlyengaged in the next operation in Iraqand the reserves are playing an inte-gral role, comprising as much as 12percent of the more than 20,000Marines deployed to that country. Thisphase is scheduled to include tworotations of seven months each.Approximately 3,000 reservists willparticipate in the first rotation, with3,500 in the second rotation.

The contribution of the MarineCorps Reserve has proven essential tothe Marine Corps’ ability to maintainits role as the nation’s premier force inreadiness. The process of mobilizingand deploying individuals and units inactive duty support operations hadsome definite growing pains, but thecomments of several general officersinvolved in Operation Iraqi Freedomindicate the overall performance ofthe reserves was exemplary. TheCommandant of the Marine Corps,Gen Michael W. Hagee, said: “OurMarine reservists are Marines first, andthere was absolutely no difference inperformance on the ground, in the air,in logistics.” LtGen James T. Conway,the commanding general of I MEF,noted: “We could not have done whatwe did without the reserves.” Finally,BGen Richard F. Natonski, the com-mander of Task Force Tarawa, stated:“I can’t say enough for the reserves …they were every bit as good as theactive forces and proved it time andtime again, in combat and Phase IVoperations. Our reserve was envied asmuch by the Army as our [Marine Air-Ground Task Force] capability.”

The events of 11 September andsubsequent operations tested themetal of the Marine Corps Reserve likeit has never been tested before. TheMarine Corps Historical Center is cur-rently developing the first official his-torical monograph discussing theextensive involvement of the MarineCorps Reserve since 11 September2001, and the research overwhelming-ly shows that Marine reservistsanswered the call to arms with honorand proved this critically importantforce of serving citizens is truly ready,willing and able. ❑ 1775❑

Photo by: Cpl Matthew J. Apprendi

LCpl Christopher R. Goski unloads hisbaggage at Camp Lejeune, NorthCarolina. Goski and approximately300 other reservists were returninghome after more than six monthsdeployed in Djibouti, Africa in supportof Operation Enduring Freedom.


While some active duty Marineshave performed well as combat artists,their reserve counterparts provide avisual diversity that tells the Corps’story from myriad vantage points. Themajority of reserve artists are veteransof multiple wars and conflicts. Warriorartists devotedly record the timelessessence of being a Marine with anauthenticity that can only be pro-duced by having “been there.”

❑ 1775❑

The Marine Corps ArtCollection is a growing testa-ment to the value ofreservists. It contains thou-

sands of works produced by citizenwarriors who heed their country’s callto paint, sketch and sculpt Marines inaction. Career fine artists and art pro-fessors don well-traveled uniformsand brave harsh environs to depictMarines and corpsmen in every climeand locale.

Combat Art

Reserve Warrior Artists Deliver Visual Diversityby Charles G. Grow

Art Curator

This work drawn in pencil by then-Capt Donna J. Neary,USMCR, entitled “Norwegian Horse Transport - NATONorway,” portrays a Norwegian soldier and horse from the“KLOP KP” (Clove Company) Brigade, North, Maukstad

Moen Camp at Skjold, Norway, on March 8, 1984, duringExercise Teamwork 84, a NATO exercise designed to bring thedisparate militaries of member nations together in simulatedcombat situations to build unity and operational continuity.

This work illustrated one of the “Enlist Now” posters that depict-ed famous battles of WWII. This specific image was used on theposter entitled, “Saipan and Tinian.” Painted in oil on a panelby Capt William H. Victor “Vic” Guinness, USMCR.


In this acrylic painting entitled, “Chaplains -Eve of Battle, ” Col H. Avery Chenoweth,USMCR, portrays Navy chaplains Lt SteveDugaitas (left) and Capt Stanley Scott review-ing the 91st Psalm of the Old Testament, whichcalls for God’s protection in battle, in prepara-tion for the coming day’s operation.

Sgt Paul Arlt, USMCR, painted this watercolor entitled, “SCAT Squadron Base at Bougainville,” in 1944. Here, Arlt portraysthe ground crew of the Solomons Combat Air Transport Squadron preparing their plane for flight. Unarmed, the squadronran the gauntlet of Japanese fire while delivering ammunition and supplies to isolated groups of Marines.

In his watercolor entitled, “BLT 2/8 Withdrawal,” Col Peter Michael Gish,USMCR, shows that modern Marines carry more gear than their fathersor grandfathers, dispelling the myth that heavy packs are transported byhelicopter or truck. Here, Battalion Landing Team 2/8 departs Iraq dur-ing Operation Provide Comfort in 1991.


Uniform and Heraldry Collection

A Trip Back in Time: Korean War Parka Acquisitionby W. Keith Alexander

Research Historian

In February 2004, W. KeithAlexander and Cpl Justin Simonitsch

traveled to West Liberty, Kentucky toretrieve the parka worn by Medal ofHonor recipient Col William E. Barber.Although recovering the parka wasthe primary mission, the two membersof the Museums Branch garneredmore than an artifact during the trip.In fact, they had an opportunity totravel down memory lane with ColBarber’s friend, Lindbergh Amyx, aretired Marine.

Col Barber was raised in WestLiberty, a rural community builtaround tobacco growing during the1920s and 1930s. Mayor Robert W.Nickell portrayed West Liberty as aclose-knit society where everyoneshared ties.

William Barber joined the Marineswhen he was 21 years old, shortlybefore the onset of World War II inMarch 1940. Apparently, the MarineCorps liked Barber’s leadership skillsand he was sent to Officer CandidatesSchool, from which he graduated inAugust 1943. Barber’s only World WarII battle was at Iwo Jima, where as ayoung lieutenant he incurred a woundand was evacuated. The Kentuckynative was awarded a Silver Star forhis leadership at Iwo Jima.

The world changed when the NorthKoreans attacked South Korea in June1950. Shortly after the onslaught, theMarine Corps sent a small brigade tothe port city of Pusan to help defendthe perimeter while thousands ofreservists were called to active duty.Once the 1st Marine Division, whichincluded Amyx, was ready for combat,the Marine Corps shipped it to Korea.Upon arrival, the Marine division con-ducted the amphibious assault atInchon, liberated Seoul and drove intoNorth Korea. By late November 1950,the Marines had reached the ChosinReservoir near the Yalu River, the bor-der between North Korea and China.

In late November 1950, Capt Barberarrived from Japan wearing “starched

and pressed dungarees” to assumecommand of Fox Company, 2dBattalion, 7th Marines, in Korea.

Capt Barber’s first assignment was toguard the 3-mile long Toktong Pass,which overlooked the Marines onlyroute of egress out of the reservoir.According to Amyx, it was imperativethat Barber’s troops hold their positionsince the Chinese had surrounded the1st Marine Division with seven divi-sions. The Kentucky officer arrived atthe pass shortly before his men.Barber climbed the hill and walkedalong the ground as he studied theterrain. He decided to deploy his com-pany near the hilltop on the reverseslope. In addition, Capt Barber madehis Marines dig fighting holes in thefrozen ground. Later, Barber stated hisorder caused “those people to bitch.”Nevertheless, Barber’s decision savedmany lives that night.

For the next five days and six nights,Barber’s company resisted againstoverwhelming numbers. At one point,the regimental commander, ColHomer Litzenberg, ordered Barber to

fall back, but Barber knew if histroops left, other Marines would betrapped. Capt Barber asked, andreceived, permission to disregard theorder. After Barber was wounded, heremained on the field while hisMarines carried him along the line ona stretcher as the Kentucky nativeyelled words of encouragement to histroops. Finally, LtCol Raymond G.Davis led an expedition that brokethrough the Chinese lines and reachedBarber’s unit.

Shortly thereafter, Barber was takento an aid-station where he noticed aMarine without a parka. The captaingave the junior Marine his blood-stained coat to wear. Years later, theformer Marine returned the parka toCol Barber, who then loaned the coatto the Old Jail Museum, where it wasthe center of attention in his home-town. Almost two years after thecolonel’s death, his daughter, Mrs.Sharon Waldo, graciously presentedthe parka to the new NationalMuseum of the Marine Corps.

❑ 1775❑

Photo by: W. Keith Alexander

Mrs. Sharon Waldo (left), daughter of Col William E. Barber, and LindberghAmyx, USMC (Ret), presented Col Barber’s Chosin Reservoir parka to Cpl JustinSimonitsch, USMC, on 23 February 2004. The coat will be on display at the newNational Museum of the Marines Corps when it opens.


The mere existence of records doesnot mean the information con-

tained in them is of high quality.Marine Corps Order P5750.1G, whichhas been in effect since 1965, requiresMarine Corps Reserve units to reportannually. All of the year’s commandchronologies are gathered by MarineForces Reserve in New Orleans,Louisiana, which then forwards thechronologies to Marine CorpsHeadquarters. Battalions andsquadrons that have been deployedusually cover their activities insome detail, as in OperationsDesert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.The problem for Marine Corpshistorians lies in the deploy-ments of smaller components,such as companies and detach-ments. These organizations donot normally produce commandchronologies or after actionreports. The result is that evi-dence of these deployments mayconsist of nothing more than amention in the parent unit’scommand chronology: “BravoCompany deployed toOperation Iraqi Freedom,” or“28 members of this commandwere deployed to OperationDesert Storm,” or “Members ofthis command were deployed toPanama in support of OperationJust Cause.” The lack of speci-ficity greatly inhibits the abilityof historians to produce full andaccurate accounts of the accom-plishments of these units. Thislack of information, and indeedevidence, may even precludethe future granting of healthbenefits to individuals by theDepartment of Veterans Affairs.

Dr. David Chu, the Under Secretaryof Defense for Personnel andReadiness, has challenged the militaryservices and the combined commandsto improve their records managementplans and practices. His goal is toenable his staff to conduct accurate

Archives

Lack of Records Could Cost Reservists’ Benefitsby Frederick J. GraboskeArchives Section Head

studies of personnel, medical andoperational records. As Americanforces conduct extensive deploymentsin less developed areas of the world,the troops may be susceptible tounusual pathogens and medical prob-lems, or they may suffer exposure tochemical or biological weapons. Dr.Chu intends to have records availableto enable his team to conduct rapidinvestigations of problems as theybecome evident.

Our command chronology system is

as good as, or better than, the opera-tional systems used elsewhere in theDepartment of Defense. However, onearea that needs improvement isreporting by detachments, many ofwhich are from Marine Corps Reserveunits. If individuals are deployed toanother unit and function simply asplace-fillers, there is no need for a

separate report from the detachment.There is a need for a separate com-mand chronology if the detachmentfunctions as a group. The senior offi-cer or noncommissioned officershould prepare a command chronolo-gy as described in P5750.1H, submit-ting one copy to the parent unit andone copy to the unit to which they areattached. These reports should be pre-pared monthly beginning the monthof the deployment until the detach-ment returns to its home base.

Supporting documents areimportant supplements to therecord. Personnel and health-related records are managedthrough channels other than thecommand chronologies, but allexisting operational recordsshould be included as supportingdocuments: warning orders,deployment orders, operationplans and orders, frag orders,after action reports, staff journals,all serially-numbered reportssuch as SitReps, EOD reports,mission debriefs, environmentalreports, maps and overlays, BDAreports, NBC reports, environ-mental reports, etc. There is norequirement to create such docu-ments, only to save them and for-ward them as supporting docu-ments with the commandchronology. This is equally astrue for Marine Forces Reservecomponents as it is for the activeduty units. These kinds of docu-ments are useful to Marine Corpsanalysts and historians, but theyhave no value to the unit after itreturns to its home base.

By SECNAVINST 5212.5,Headquarters is the repository for alloperational records. If any command(reserve or active duty) still holdsrecords of Operations EnduringFreedom or Iraqi Freedom, please for-ward them directly to Headquarters,no matter what the media format orthe security classification. ❑ 1775❑

Illustration by: Charles G. Grow

We know our guys chewed the same dirt, but head-quarters doesn’t. No command chronology . . . nobattle streamer!


Aviation Collection

Museum’s First Sea Knightby James T. D’Angina

Assistant Aviation Curator

1964. But it was not until March 1966when the Sea Knight made its combatdebut with HMM-164. Replacing thehighly regarded Sikorsky H-34Seahorse, the Sea Knight had much tolive up to. The H-34 had earned agreat reputation during its long careerwith the Marines, but by May 1967,the end of its first year in combat, theCH-46 had gained a good reputationafter more than 32,000 combinedhours in the Vietnam theater of oper-ations.

But a series of accidents plagued theCH-46 fleet in late 1967 when multipleincidents occurred in which CH-46helicopters ripped in half in midair.Modifications were made to the air-craft by the Marine Corps and BoeingVertol to strengthen the aft pylon,which eliminated the problem, andbefore long, the CH-46 won back theconfidence of its crews. In 1969, the

AU.S. Navy helicopter crew fromHelicopter Combat Support

Squadron Eight, the Dragon Whales,in Norfolk, Virginia, prepared theirCH-46D Sea Knight for its final flightto the National Museum of the MarineCorps in Quantico, Virginia, on 13November 2003. The helicopter crewwas met in Quantico by museum offi-cials as they shut down their CH-46DSea Knight for the last time.

This is only the second CH-46 to bestruck from service for the sole pur-pose of being displayed in a museum.The CH-46 is Marine Corps Museum’snewest aircraft and was originallyassigned to the Marine Corps in May1968. This aircraft flew in Vietnamwith Marine Medium HelicopterSquadron 265 (HMM-265) out of PhuBai from 1969 to 1970 and served withthe Marine Corps until it was trans-ferred to the Navy in 1977. The Navy’sDragon Whales (HC-8) was the air-craft’s final squadron. As a part of theNational Museum of the Marine Corps,the helicopter will serve as a portalthrough which visitors will be trans-ported onto a recreation of Hill 881S,Khe Sanh, Vietnam.

The helicopter, which eventuallybecame the Sea Knight, had gonethrough many variations, starting asthe Vertol Model 107. The first proto-type of the Vertol Model 107 flew inApril 1958. The U.S. Army tested threemodified versions built under the des-ignation YHC-1A, but opted for thelarger YHC-1B, later known as theCH-47 Chinook. The Boeing VertolModel 107 II received upgradedengines and found new life in thecommercial market.

The Marine Corps wanted to convertthe Model 107 II to a medium-liftassault transport aircraft, whichrequired numerous modifications.Originally designated the HRB-1, theaircraft was re-designated CH-46A andfirst flew in October 1962. HMM-265,stationed at New River Air Station,North Carolina, took delivery of thefirst three production CH-46As in

Sea Knight completely relieved MarineH-34s of duty in Vietnam. The CH-46has served the Marine Corps with dis-tinction for more than 40 years and isscheduled to remain in service untilthe V-22 Osprey becomes available.

Two historically significant CH-46sstill fly in the fleet today. The first isBureau Number 153389. One of thataircraft’s crew chiefs, PFC RaymondMichael Clausen, received the Medalof Honor for his actions on 31 January1970. The second CH-46, BureauNumber 154803, flew U.S.Ambassador Graham A. Martin fromthe U.S. Embassy during the evacua-tion of Saigon in Operation FrequentWind. Because of their historical sig-nificance, the National Museum of theMarine Corps has requested these air-craft become a part of the museum’scollection when they are stricken fromthe inventory. ❑ 1775❑

The recently-acquired CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter flew with Marine MediumHelicopter Squadron 265 out of Phu Bai during the Vietnam War. Here, the firstof its kind for the National Museum of the Marine Corps waits outside the restora-tion shop to be drained of fuel.

CH-46D Sea KnightManufacturer: Boeing VertolType: Combat Assault HelicopterAccommodations: Crew of three with up to 17 troops or 15 stretchersPower plant: Two General Electric T58-GE-10 shaft turbine enginesDimensions: Fuselage length 44 feet 10 inches; rotor diameter 51 feet each; height 16 feet8.5 inchesWeights: 13,065 lbs empty; 23,000 lbs grossPerformance: Maximum speed 166 mph; cruising speed 154 mph; service ceiling 14,000feet; range 230 statute milesNickname: Phrog


The Marine Corps has damn fewMarines working as historians—

too few, I say.In a recent article in the Marine

Corps Gazette, MajGen James N. Mattismade a forceful case for the relevanceof history. He wrote that commanderscould learn from those who have gonebefore them. They faced some of thesame problems, often on the same ter-rain, and a study of their solutions (orfailures) more than repays the fewhours it takes to read about them. Atthe very least, history tells the com-mander about the context in which hewill have to fight. The problems mightbe new, but the memories are stillthere. For example, the starting pointfor the people of Iraq is a legacy firstof colonialism, and then of dictator-ship. Oppression and violent changehave occasionally gone hand in handfor hundreds of years. This is the per-spective from which individual Iraqissee the world and it is something thecommander on the ground needs toknow, at least in general terms, whenhe drives up to the mayor’s office in atown in Iraq.

Over the years, Marine Corpsreservists have played a leading role inproducing the history that comman-ders need. Realizing there was a poolof talented historians, artists and writ-ers in the Marine Corps Reserve, then-Director of Marine Corps History andMuseums, BGen Edwin H. Simmons,institutionalized Marine Corps Reserveparticipation in the work of the divi-sion in the 1970s and 1980s. He creat-ed units that could deploy to the fieldto capture history as it was beingmade, and which could create histori-cal products like monographs andpaintings. Two of the things that standout from his account of those years,which appeared in the pages ofFortitudine in 2001, was how muchresistance he faced from other seniorMarines who apparently did notacknowledge the need for an activehistorical program, and how some of

the same reservists served the pro-gram over a span of one or twodecades.

More and more Marine leaders arecoming to identify with the point ofview represented by Simmons andMattis. In his book on the Iraq War,one-time Marine Corps University pro-fessor Williamson Murray attributessome of the successes in that war tothe fact that the officer corps was notonly well-trained but also more edu-cated than before. To make much thesame point, General Charles C. Krulakmight say there were many great“strategic corporals” on the battlefieldin 2003 because those Marines knewtheir TTPs and had an appreciation forthe “big picture,” which fed theirinstinct for doing the right thing at theright time. But getting the big pictureis hard without knowing history, andfor that we need Marine historians.

This is where reservists come in. Atits best, the Marine Corps Reserveidentifies and nurtures qualified pro-fessionals whose particular talents canserve the Corps in time of need. Itkeeps them current as Marines—main-taining the right balance between gen-eral knowledge and particular exper-tise. The value to the Marine Corps of

field historians and combat artists isprimarily in their respective fields, butthey also have to be credible Marines.The rationale may be likened to hav-ing aviators attend the Basic Schoolbefore going to flight school. TheMarine Corps comes first, then thespecial skill. We have benefited enor-mously from having the same Reservehistorians working on particularaspects of Marine Corps history overtime. These individuals have years ofexperience in a primary MOS alongwith a particular skill that is needed inthe Field History program. Their long-term commitment has allowed themto develop their special skills andbuild a body of expertise that cannotbe acquired overnight, but is oftenneeded on short notice.

The bottom line is the History andMuseums Division can point to a longline of successful Marine CorpsReserve deployments and invaluableproducts. The numbers speak forthemselves. A rough count revealsthat nearly half of the combat art andhistorical publications available atHeadquarters’ are the work ofreservists, many of whom have servedthe program on and off for years.

❑ 1775❑

Field History

Reserve Historians Help Marines Understand Big Pictureby Col Nicholas E. Reynolds, USMCR

Field History Branch OIC

Maj Melissa D. Mihocko, shown here at Babylon, was one of the 14 reservists whodeployed to Central Command’s area of operation during Operation IraqiFreedom. Like many of the members of this “high demand/low density” unit, MajMihocko has been mobilized twice since joining the unit in March 2002. Duringcombat operations, she served with 1st Force Service Support Group and is cur-rently working on a monograph about combat service support.


The Office of the Commandant ofthe Marine Corps recently asked

the Exhibits Section of the History andMuseums Division to design and fabri-cate a furniture-quality display panelfor a most unique and interestingacquisition; a captured KalashnikovAKM assault rifle with folding stock,electro-plated in gold.

This assault rifle, one of six gold-plated Kalashnikovs captured byMarines and sailors of I MarineExpeditionary Force in the recentOperation Iraqi Freedom, is thought tohave been created and maintained bySaddam Hussein and members of hisregime to be used as gifts and presen-tation items to friends and supportersof the regime. The weapon now willbe permanently exhibited within theOffice of the Commandant of theMarine Corps. The remaining fivegold-plated weapons will be displayedto promote pride, mission accomplish-ment and foster an appreciation forunit history and battle lineage.

These gold assault rifles, countlessstatues and images of Saddam Husseinand numerous lavish and ostentatiouspalaces are but a few brazen examplesof the extreme nature of this pastregime in Iraq. The plating of thesefirearms in gold is reminiscent ofbygone times when many firearmsand weapons commonly featuredimpressive engineering and wereoften crafted as fine works of art.

Collectors and weapons enthusiasthave long held a fascination for

the workmanship and sheer aestheticbeauty of many small arms datingfrom the earliest centuries of firearmdevelopment, design and manufactur-ing. Weapons featuring high standardsof the gunsmith’s art are commonlyadorned with gold and silver inlay,stocks veneered with ebony, strips ofengraved stag antler, mother-of-pearl,copper, brass, finely crafted inscrip-tions, engraving, decorations and artis-

tic castings. Examples of these embell-ishments of firearm production can befound in weapons dating back to the1400s and throughout the centuries tomodern day.

The AKM is an improved version ofthe highly recognized AK-47 assault

Exhibit News

Uday Doesn’t Need it Anymoreby James A. Fairfax

Exhibits Section Head

Photo by: Charles G. Grow

This is one of six gold-plated Kalashnikov AKM rifles captured by I MEF duringOperation Iraqi Freedom. It will be displayed in the office of the Commandant ofthe Marine Corps in the case designed and built by the Exhibits Section of theHistory and Museums Division.

Photo by: Charles G. Grow

GySgt Mario Fields puts the final shineon the gold-plated Kalashnikov AKMrifle presented to the Commandant ofthe Marine Corps by I MEF. The rifle isone of six such gold-plated weaponscaptured during Operation IraqiFreedom. Saddam Hussein may havecreated the rifles as gifts to supporters.

rifle designed by the respected WorldWar II Soviet weapons designer, then-Capt Mikhail Kalashnikov. TheKalashnikov rifles were manufacturedby various countries of the formerSoviet Bloc and have come to beknown by collectors as exceptionalassault rifles. The AK-47 also has thedubious notoriety as being theweapon of choice for numerous insur-gents and modern-day terroristgroups.

For the display that will showcasethis new acquisition, a brass plate

affixed to the cherry wood mountedpanel has been prepared and reads:

Presented to the Commandant ofthe Marine Corps

By C G IMEFWeapon captured by Marines and

Sailors of I MarineExpeditionary Force

Operation Iraqi FreedomMarch-April 2003

“UDAY DOESN’T NEEDIT ANYMORE”

The engraved inscription on thebrass plate is in reference to one of thesons of Saddam Hussein, Uday. U.S.Forces killed both he and his brother,Qusay, on 22 July 2003.

❑ 1775❑


lieutenant upongraduation in1934 from theNaval Academy.During WorldWar II, he par-ticipated incombat opera-tions on NewBritain, Peleliuand Okinawa.He was awarded a Bronze Star withCombat “V” for his service on Peleliu,and a Legion of Merit with Combat “V”for outstanding service on Okinawa.Following a variety of post-war assign-ments, which included service inGreece and in Norfolk, Virginia, hebecame a Special Assistant toSecretary of State John Foster Dulles in1954. Col Deakin was advanced to therank of brigadier general upon retire-ment in June 1957.

BGen ThurmanN. Owens

BGen Thurman N. Owens, USMCR(Ret), died at the age of 78 on 22February 2004. A native of Livingston,Kentucky, he was a member of theNavy V-12 program while attendingSouth Western Louisiana Institute.Owens was commissioned a Marinesecond lieutenant in July 1945, andsubsequently served in the occupationof North China. Later, while attachedto the 9th Marine Corps ReserveDistrict, he received a Bachelor ofScience degree from the University ofCincinnati. He was recalled to activeduty during the Korean War andserved in a variety of duties at CampPendleton, California and in Japan.Following the Korean armistice, heserved in a number of reserve assign-ments, and in 1959 reported toHeadquarters Marine Corps, where heheaded the Unit Training Section inthe Division of Reserve. While in thiscapacity, he conceived the idea andauthored the program for the trainingof reserve units at Vieques, Puerto

In Memoriam

BGen Frank J. Breth Passesby Robert V. Aquilina

Reference Section Assistant Head

BGen FrankJ. Breth

BGen Frank J.Breth, USMC(Ret), died 5December 2003in Virginia at theage of 66. Anative ofFairmont, WestVirginia and graduate of the VirginiaMilitary Institute, Breth was commis-sioned a second lieutenant in 1959.His early Marine Corps service includ-ed assignments in the Western Pacificand at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.He was a 1967 Distinguished Graduateof the Canadian Army Staff College inKingston, Ontario. During the VietnamWar, he served as a rifle companycommander and operations officerand was later assigned as a liaison offi-cer to the 1st Division of the Army ofthe Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).Following his return to the UnitedStates, and upon completion of theCommand and Staff College atQuantico, Virginia, Gen Breth wasassigned to the Commander, NavalForces Korea as the Liaison Officer tothe Republic of Korea Marine Corps.He would later return to Korea in thesummer of 1979 as the Chief,Contingency Plans Branch of thenewly formed Combined ForcesCommand (ROK/US) in Seoul. GenBreth’s later commands includedDirector, 9th Marine Corps District,1982, and Director of Intelligence,Headquarters Marine Corps, 1985. Heassumed duties as the CommandingGeneral, Marine Corps RecruitDepot/Western Recruiting Region inSeptember 1988 and retired inSeptember 1989.

BGen HaroldO. Deakin

BGen Harold O. Deakin, USMC(Ret), died 3 November 2003 in LosAltos, California, at the age of 90. Hewas commissioned a Marine second

Rico. During the Vietnam War, heserved with the 9th Marines, 26thMarines and 4th Marines, and earnedthe Bronze Star with Combat “V” andtwo Legions of Merit (the first withCombat “V”). His last duty assignmentwas as Deputy Commander, MarineCorps Bases, Pacific (Forward). GenOwens retired from the Marine Corpson 1 April 1977.

BGen LelandW. Smith

BGen LelandW. Smith,USMCR (Ret),died 15February 2004at the age of 90.The Joplin,Missouri nativewas commissioned a second lieu-tenant in the Marine Corps Reserve inNovember 1940, following previousenlisted service in the U.S. NavalReserve. During World War II, heserved as communications officer ofthe 4th Marine Air Base DefenseWing, and was awarded a Bronze Starwith Combat “V” for his service.Following World War II, he served ina variety of reserve duty assignments,including service during periods from1946 to 1954 as commanding officerof the first Marine Ground ControlIntercept Squadron in the reserve pro-gram. Recalled to active duty duringthe Korean War, he served in assign-ments at Marine Corps Air Station ElToro, California, and at Anacostia inWashington, D.C. He became thecommanding officer of MarineVolunteer Training Unit (Aviation) 22in 1960 and was later appointedCommanding Officer, VolunteerTraining Unit 6-4 in Atlanta, Georgia.Gen Smith retired from the MarineCorps Reserve in 1970.

BGen JohnJ.Wermuth, Jr.

BGen John J. Wermuth, Jr., USMC

BGen Frank J. Breth Then Col Harold O. Deakin

BGen Leland W. Smith


(Ret), died 19November 2003at the age of 89.A native ofBeacon, NewYork, he wascommissioned asecond lieu-tenant in theMarine Corpsupon gradua-

tion in 1936 from Cornell University.He was Commanding Officer, MarineDetachment aboard the USS Argonneon 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor,Hawaii. He subsequently served in thePacific during World War II, where hewas Assistant Logistics Officer, 1stAmphibious Corps at Bougainville.Following the war, he served in a vari-ety of assignments and completed theSenior Course in the AmphibiousWarfare School at Quantico, Virginia.During the Korean War, he served asExecutive Officer, 7th Marines, and inSeptember 1951 became the com-manding officer of the regiment. Col

Wermuth was advanced to the rank ofbrigadier general upon his retirementfrom the Marine Corps in August 1956.

BGen DonaldM. Schmuck

BGen DonaldM. Schmuck,USMC (Ret),died 24 January2004 at the ageof 88. TheW o o d f o r d ,Colorado, nativewas commissioned a second lieu-tenant in the Marine Corps followinghis graduation from the University ofColorado in 1938. During World WarII, he served in various command bil-lets throughout the Pacific, includingservice in the Bougainville, SolomonIslands, Peleliu and Okinawa cam-paigns. Following the war, he attend-ed the Senior Course, AmphibiousWarfare School, Quantico, Virginia,and served on the staff of the schoolfor three years. During the Korean

War, he commanded the 1st Battalion,1st Marines, at the Chosin Reservoirand was awarded a Silver Star forheroism. He was presented a secondSilver Star for service during OperationKiller in February 1951. Upon hisreturn to the United States, he servedas the Commanding Officer of theMarine Corps Cold Weather Battalionat Bridgeport, California. Col Schmuckretired 1 November 1959 and wasadvanced to the rank of brigadier gen-eral. ❑ 1775❑

Then Col Donald L. Schmuck

Then LtCol John J. Wermuth, Jr.

1. 1stLt Alexander Bonnyman, Jr.

2. Maj Gregory Boyington

3. LtCol Aquilla J. Dyess

4. PFC Harold G. Epperson

5. Capt Richard E. Fleming

6. Capt Joseph J. Foss

7. Pvt Harold Gonsalves

8. PFC Jacklyn H. Lucas

9. Sgt Herbert J. Thomas

10. Pvt Wesley Phelps

11. Sgt Clyde A. Thomason

12. PFC Frank P. Witek

a. Peleliu

b. Guam

c. Tarawa

d. Okinawa

e. Makin Island

f. Midway

g. Guadalcanal

h. Iwo Jima

i. Saipan

j. Bougainville

k. Kwajalein

l. Solomon Islands

(Answers on page 23)

Historical Quiz

Marine Corps Reserve WWII Medal of Honor Recipientsby Lena M. Kaljot

Reference Historian

Library Needs Back IssuesThe Marine Corps History and

Museums Division library needs theJanuary, February, May and June 1943issues for Leatherneck magazine. Also,the library needs the 1950 volume ofthe Marine Corps Gazette or January-December 1950 issues, and any issuesof the Sea Tiger newspaper, especiallyfor 1970. To donate copies to thelibrary collection, please mail them to:MCHF Library Donation, P.O. Box 998,Quantico, VA 22134-0998.

Match the Marine Corps reservist with the campaign for which he was awarded the Medal ofHonor.



fighting man in the Pacific War. Theauthor approached the topic from theperspective of the procurement andsupply documents that were generat-ed by the Marine Corps Depots ofSupplies through individual issue,marking and even modification ofvarious end items. Examples werelocated and photographed along withthe use of contemporary images toshow how they were worn or carriedin the field. In his book, the authordiscusses and shows uniforms, per-sonal equipment, edged weapons,small arms and grenades. This isaccomplished in six chapters, 15appendices and a bibliographypacked full of facts and opinions. Forexample, the mysteries of identifica-tion tag markings are explained infull.

P aramarine!, by former air-navalgunfire liaison company member

Chris Mason, covers the same groundwith a more fixed perspective. Wherethe previous book examined infantrygear in general, this title focuses onthe more restricted experience of theMarine parachute units of World WarII. The airborne demands of the warwere comparable to the evolution of

Books in Review

‘782’ Gear of World War IIby Charles D. Melson

Chief Historian

amphibious operations at the sametime—both requiring specialized uni-forms, equipment and weapons.Unknown to most was that the MarineCorps was an active participant in thiseffort until the amphibious war in thePacific absorbed the parachute effortinto the established divisions andbrigades. Seven chapters examineheadgear, uniforms, equipment,weapons, insignia and miscellaneoustopics. Again, the focus is on thematerial aspect of the subject usingdocuments, photographs and artifactsto present a compelling visual cata-log. For those wondering or speculat-ing about the origins of the Navy-Marine Corps parachute insignia, thestory is told and the variety of spe-cialized camouflage clothing isdetailed.

These two books document thisstory in a quantitative and qualita-

tive manner that will be hard to beat.The volumes might be useful to thosewho design and test combat equip-ment for ground forces. Demonstratedis the adage of form following func-tion with exhaustive looks at the sub-ject. Although appealing to the collec-tor, Marines of all backgrounds willbe interested in meeting some oldfriends, such as the marching, fieldmarching, transport and field trans-port packs. Readers also may enjoyseeing what their predecessors had towork with from the snows of far offforeign lands and in sunny tropicscenes.

Both books are long on images andshort on text, but each provides ahigh degree of particular informationon some obscure personal items.Quality production standards makeboth books “coffee table” editionsand both are recommended for seri-ous historians, curators, referencelibrarians, veterans and Marines desir-ing quality books about the Corps.Perhaps this is a final gift from the“greatest generation.” ❑ 1775❑

Grunt Gear. By Alec S. Tulkoff.San Jose: R. James Bender

Publishing, 2003. Paramarine! ByChris Mason. Atglen: Schiffer MilitaryHistory, 2004.

Generations of regular and reserveMarines have lived and died withwhat they carried on their backs,what renowned military historianS.L.A. Marshall called a “soldier’sload” that comprised a Marine’s indi-vidual clothing and equipment.Analysis conducted during theVietnam War concluded that anythinga Marine wears or uses with his handswas not subject to objective study orquantification because the personalvariables made this a matter of singu-lar preference and subjective judg-ment. In part, this was because of anintimate relationship the averageMarine had on a day-to-day basis withhis means of mobility, comfort andsurvival.

This topic is still continually debat-ed, discussed and revised with thechanges of time and technology.Research and experience were need-ed to produce good gear, and by theend of World War II the Marine Corpshad both. This is reflected by thedesign, procurement and use of“seven-eighty-two” gear of all kinds, aterm derived from the fabled Form782 used to document individualequipment issue. In some cases, thisclothing and equipment survived longafter the end of that war. For exam-ple, the utility cover and K-Bar knifewere two of the longer lasting itemsfrom this generation of gear. Tworecent studies make a valuable contri-bution to the subject by examiningthe combat uniforms and equipmentworn by Marines during World War II.

Grunt Gear, by former MarineAlec Tulkoff, makes a minute

examination of combat uniforms andequipment from the 1941 utility uni-form and pack system through thevariety of small arms available to the


website for the book is www.outofsa-vannah.com. The book includes mapsand photographs including the DogCompany members as they appearedin 1950 and again in August 2000. Itwas the author’s intent to tell the storyof his unit and share their experienceswith their fellow Marines.

Women Marines: the World War IIEra. Peter A. Soderbergh. Westport,Connecticut: Praeger, 1992. 189 pp.Also, Women Marines in the KoreanWar Era. Peter A. Soderbergh.Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 1994.167 pp. During World War II, morethan 20,000 women served in theMarine Corps Women’s Reserve. Theauthor details their history and contri-butions to the war effort using inter-views and written collections from 146of the women reserves serving onactive duty from 1943 to 1945. In hisKorean War volume, the author writesboth about the women reserves andthe women Marines who served dur-ing this time. (The Women’s ArmedService Integration Act of June 1948authorized the integration of womeninto the regular armed services.) Aswith his WWII volume, the authorused both oral history interviews andwritten replies to develop this historyof women in the Marine Corps in theKorean War era.

Unexpected Journey: a MarineCorps Reserve Company in theKorean War. Randy K. Mills andRoxanne Mills. Annapolis, Maryland:Naval Institute Press, 2000. 271 pp.The Mills’ focus on one reserve unit,Evansville Indiana’s Sixteenth MarineReserve Battalion, which was activatedin the summer of 1950 and sent tocombat in Korea where membersfought in the Inchon-Seoul and theChosin Reservoir Campaigns. Theauthors follow the unit from its mobi-lization through combat as part of the1st Marine Division and on to itsreturn in 1951. This was written as acollective memoir from the point of

view of the reserve Marine rifleman.The authors, both faculty members atOakland City University, Oakland,Indiana, used interviews, letters,diaries and personal recollections tocompile this book.

Baghdad Express: A Gulf WarMemoir. Joel Turnipseed. St Paul,

The following is a selection of com-mercially published books about

the Marine Corps Reserve or bookswritten by members of the MarineCorps Reserve. Most are availablethrough brick-and-mortar or onlinebookstores or through your locallibrary and the interlibrary loan pro-gram.

Out of Savannah: Dog Company,USMCR. James Edward McAleer, Jr.Savannah, Georgia: James EdwardMcAleer, Jr., 2003. 412 pp. The author,born and raised in Savannah, Georgia,served with the Marines in World WarII. After the war, he returned homeand was in school when he was calledto active duty to serve with DogCompany, 10th Infantry Battalion,USMCR, in August of 1950. DogCompany, a 182-man unit fromSavannah, served with the 1st MarineDivision and fought in the ChosinReservoir Campaign, amongst otherbattles. The author wrote the story ofthe men in his unit as a tribute to theirservice. As such, the book tells whatthey did and what they experiencedwhile serving in the Korean War. The

Book Notes

Marine Corps Reserve Booksby Evelyn A. Englander

Historical Center Librarian


Minnesota: Borealis Books, 2003. 203pp. In the summer of 1990, the authorhad been dismissed from his college’sphilosophy program, had just brokenup with his girl friend and had beenabsent without leave from his MarineCorps Reserve unit for more thanthree months. Then Saddam Husseininvaded Kuwait and Turnipseed’sreserve unit was activated for servicein Operation Desert Shield. By January1991, he was in Saudi Arabia drivingtractor-trailers for the Sixth MotorTransport Battalion—the now leg-endary Baghdad Express. Armed withhis M16 and his seabag of philosophybooks he was an ironic observer withan excellent eye for detail. Returningto civilian life, he finished his educa-tion and later became a Bread LoafScholar. His background served himwell in the writing of this book. TheWeb site for the book is www.bagh-dadexpress.com.

One Bugle, No Drums: The Marinesat Chosin Reservoir. William B.Hopkins. Chapel Hill, North Carolina:Algonquin Books, 1986. 274 pp. Theauthor, who served with the Marinesin World War II, was practicing law inRoanoke, Virginia when he was calledto active duty during the Korean War.At the Chosin Reservoir, then CaptainWilliam B. Hopkins was commandingofficer of Headquarters and ServiceCompany, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines.

This book describes the battlebetween the Marines and the ChineseCommunists for Hill 1081, a battle thathas since become known as a classicin small unit military operations.Included in the book are two reportson the battle written by renowned mil-itary historian S. L. A. Marshall.

Spare Parts: A Marine Reservist’sJourney from Campus to Combat in38 Days. Buzz Williams. New York,NY: Gotham Books, 2004, 303 pp.After completing his training at ParrisIsland, the author was called to activeduty in Operation Desert Storm wherehe served with a light armored vehicleunit. He found himself in combat just38 days after he was called to activeduty. After the war, he continued toserve in the Marine Corps Reserve forsix years while having a full timecareer as a professional educator.

Crucibles: Selected Readings in U.S.Marine Corps History. Capt Robert S.Burrell, USMC, Editor. Bel Air, MD:Academix Publishing Services, 2003,300 pp. The book includes a chapter,“The Vital Role of the U.S. MarineCorps Reserve, 1893 – 1951,” by ChrisMorton, 20 pp. The author describesthe evolution of the Marine CorpsReserve from 1893 to 1951. The devel-opment of the Marine Corps Reserveculminated with its ability to con-tribute troops to the 1st MarineDivision in Korea. This ability clearly

Answers to theHistorical Quiz

1. c

2. l

3. k

4. i

5. f

6. g

7. d

8. h

9. j

10. a

11. e

12. b

Marine CorpsReserve WWII

Medal of HonorRecipients

(Questions on page 20)

showed the Reserves had a crucialrole to play in the Corps’ emergingforce-in-readiness mission. (Theauthor, Capt Burrell, compiled thisbook while serving as a member ofthe History Department at the U.S.Naval Academy.) ❑ 1775❑


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