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Bodies of three US Marines found on Guadalcanal


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Many years ago,(like 1972) when I was a rookie with the fire department, one of our fireman was once with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Division. He was a machine gunner on Guadalcanal. He was only 19.

 

About every month or so, he would have horrible screaming nightmares in the dormitory. Once he rolled out of his rack screaming something about killing all of "those blank blank motherfuckers"

 

The VA paid for his counselings but he still had the nightmares. He never did like oriental people. I think I understand. Funny thing was he would never talk about what he went through. HB of CJ (old coot)

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Most who did go through hell never did talk about it. I met a few who did, jaw dropping stories. Sad to say they are gone now. Have mentioned before if you see and old coot, ask him if he served. Most will light up with a smile you don't normally see anymore. Some will not want to talk, just depends on timing. Met an old boy the other day at the store wearing a USS Forestall cap. I asked if he served before or after the fire, he response was priceless "During" he said. Spent the next 30 minutes discussing the Navy, Country etc. Best 30 minutes I had in a while.

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My grandma's third husband (widowed twice) was a Marine on Guadalcanal. I talked to him about it at a time I was really heavily into WWII history, and I asked him if he had any combat stories. He paused for a bit and said something to the effect of "I wish I did, because what I saw was a lot worse than that..."

 

Turns out his job was to help haul the dead Marines off of the beach and into the LSTs, and go into controlled sections of jungle to do the same.

 

"Grandpa Louie" died 2010, and I was glad to have known him.

Edited by mancat
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My grandma's third husband (widowed twice) was a Marine on Guadalcanal. I talked to him about it at a time I was really heavily into WWII history, and I asked him if he had any combat stories. He paused for a bit and said something to the effect of "I wish I did, because what I saw was a lot worse than that..."

 

Turns out his job was to help haul the dead Marines off of the beach and into the LSTs, and go into controlled sections of jungle to do the same.

 

"Grandpa Louie" died 2010, and I was glad to have known him.

 

That would have been horrifying duty.  Obviously it stuck with him the rest of his life.  Bless him for doing his duty and helping to bring our boys home.  War is not glorious but it does reflect the character of men.  Our thanks to your grandfather for his character and service to our nation and his fellow Marines.

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