DEAN WINTERS, 2nd Raider Battalion
Shortly after the departure of the 1st Raider Battalion, the 2nd Raider Battalion disembarked at Aola Bay. Its task was pursuing three thousand hungry and exhausted Japanese soldiers retreating from the eastern side of the island to rejoin elements of the Japanese 17th Army on the western side of the Matanikau. The Raiders spent a month pursuing the Japanese on what was called the Long Patrol. How did this mission end up?-John Fred 4/7/09 1:25 PM
It seemed like it was raining all the time. We also had to cross many rivers. We had to climb a steep ridgeline dividing the Lunga and Tenaru valleys using ropes that we each carried and then linked together. We found an artillery piece that had been shelling Henderson Field. It was nicknamed "Pistol Pete." Several men took it apart and threw it over a cliff. That could have been used in a museum -John Fred 4/7/09 1:15 PM True, it could have.... -Brittney 4/7/09 8:31 PM
We came upon a Japanese field hospital and bivouac area. We killed a lot of Japs. We bayoneted and shot anything that was still moving. It was a series of grass huts. They were on the ground wounded. Several had broken legs. It didn't look like they had proper medical attention, because some were bent on a 45-degree angle. They weren't sticking straight out. We were back in Japanese territory and didn't want to make noise, so we used bayonets. I was pretty angry. We had a patrol, and they captured one of our men and tied him over a log and used him as a woman. They rammed a bayonet up his butt and he bled to death. That made me angry! So whenever I'd get into action, I'd get angry. I wasn't afraid when I was angry. We all felt that way after what we had seen.
After we left the area, we went up around Mount Austen. They ambushed us on the top. We had one man wounded. We carried him out; it was a long way down the mountain. We had jungle rot on our crotch and down our legs so bad that we had to stop every once in a while to empty the blood out of our shoes. It was painful. When you're in the field like that, you go, and you can't worry about pain.
The Raiders were a very special group. They're all volunteers. They were very select. We were interviewed by Evans Carlson or Jimmy Roosevelt. Roosevelt interviewed me and asked me if I was afraid to die. I said, "Anybody not afraid to die is a fool. But I would if it came to that.
I would be scared too -John Fred 4/7/09 1:33 PM
I wouldn't hesitate. I might hesitate a bit... -Brittney 4/7/09 8:32 PM" He passed me.
4/8/09
Solider Story- Brittney
Ira Gilliand recalls his night on the ridge.
It's tough to talk about this stuff. It's been fifty-eight years. It gives me the chills thinking about it.
They kept charging, but that's where the grenades came in. We threw grenades all night long. It would be too long for me.-Brittney 4/7/09 5:52 AMI remember rolling the grenades down. We were up on the hill and they were below us. They kept feeding us boxes of grenades. I wouldn't be able to deal with that-John Fred 4/7/09 11:12 AMI remember the sound of Plante's BAR. He kept it going all night long. A lot of guys spent a terrible night out there. I couldn't do it all night. -Brittney 4/7/09 5:52 AM
The 1st Parachute Battalion was with us. I remember one of the paratroopers got shot. The corpsman came over because of his cry for help, and he [the corpsman] got shot right through the heart. That has to be traumatizing to the slodiers -John Fred 4/7/09 11:15 AMHis name was Smith, so when I saw Smith go down, I grabbed him and carried him down the hill. I don't know if I'd do that where he just got shot. -Brittney 4/7/09 5:54 AM I didn't think he was going to die. When I got him down to the first aid station, I saw one of our doctors cry. [chokes up] Old Smitty was my friend, a real nice guy, and I broke down also. I would end up crying -John Fred 4/7/09 11:17 AM
It's tough to talk about this stuff. It's been fifty-eight years. It gives me the chills thinking about it.
They kept charging, but that's where the grenades came in. We threw grenades all night long. It would be too long for me.-Brittney 4/7/09 5:52 AMI remember rolling the grenades down. We were up on the hill and they were below us. They kept feeding us boxes of grenades. I wouldn't be able to deal with that-John Fred 4/7/09 11:12 AMI remember the sound of Plante's BAR. He kept it going all night long. A lot of guys spent a terrible night out there. I couldn't do it all night. -Brittney 4/7/09 5:52 AM
The 1st Parachute Battalion was with us. I remember one of the paratroopers got shot. The corpsman came over because of his cry for help, and he [the corpsman] got shot right through the heart. That has to be traumatizing to the slodiers -John Fred 4/7/09 11:15 AMHis name was Smith, so when I saw Smith go down, I grabbed him and carried him down the hill. I don't know if I'd do that where he just got shot. -Brittney 4/7/09 5:54 AM I didn't think he was going to die. When I got him down to the first aid station, I saw one of our doctors cry. [chokes up] Old Smitty was my friend, a real nice guy, and I broke down also. I would end up crying -John Fred 4/7/09 11:17 AM
4/5/09
Book Portfolio- Q2
War makes things worse for the people living in the country that is at war. That is a theme that is discussed in this book. War is a lot of violence and it helps countries become more powerful. Some may say we need war and some may say it is the most stupid thing ever. There have been a lot of wars in the past, wars have been going on since the ancient roman times and even before that.
War is just a waste of time the only thing that happens is people die and things get destroyed. Why would people spend so much time to make one thing then someone else ruins it for them. The way that this book talked about this was it had two people talking about how war is nothing but killing and destroying stuff.
Like in world war II there was about 50-70 million killed in battle at that time. War is a lot of violence and it makes countries powerful or weak. Without war then america would not have become its own country. We would still be apart of the england and there monarchy. war for countries that are small or have small population make them weak.
War is just killing and destruction. There is no need for war if there werent' any conflicts in the world. Some are for it in wich they believe that without war america and life would not be as it is today. Others say that it is the biggest waste of time and money ever. I agree and disagree with war but i am on the fence because if we didn't have it i wouldn't have what i do probably.
War makes things worse for people in the country that is living there. that is true to some extent but also afterwards if they won it could make things better. There is a lot of killing and destruction in war. I think there should be less war but i think that there has to be a balance of chaos and peace in the world.
War is just a waste of time the only thing that happens is people die and things get destroyed. Why would people spend so much time to make one thing then someone else ruins it for them. The way that this book talked about this was it had two people talking about how war is nothing but killing and destroying stuff.
Like in world war II there was about 50-70 million killed in battle at that time. War is a lot of violence and it makes countries powerful or weak. Without war then america would not have become its own country. We would still be apart of the england and there monarchy. war for countries that are small or have small population make them weak.
War is just killing and destruction. There is no need for war if there werent' any conflicts in the world. Some are for it in wich they believe that without war america and life would not be as it is today. Others say that it is the biggest waste of time and money ever. I agree and disagree with war but i am on the fence because if we didn't have it i wouldn't have what i do probably.
War makes things worse for people in the country that is living there. that is true to some extent but also afterwards if they won it could make things better. There is a lot of killing and destruction in war. I think there should be less war but i think that there has to be a balance of chaos and peace in the world.
4/3/09
Solider Story- Brandon
Shortly after the departure of the 1st Raider Battalion, the 2nd Raider Battalion disembarked at Aola Bay. Its task was pursuing three thousand hungry and exhausted Japanese soldiers retreating from the eastern side of the island to rejoin elements of the Japanese 17th Army on the western side of the Matanikau. The Raiders spent a month pursuing the Japanese on what was called the Long Patrol.
It seemed like it was raining all the time. We also had to cross many rivers. We had to climb a steep ridgeline dividing the Lunga and Tenaru valleys using ropes that we each carried and then linked together. We found an artillery piece that had been shelling Henderson Field. It was nicknamed "Pistol Pete." Several men took it apart and threw it over a cliff.
We came upon a Japanese field hospital and bivouac area. We killed a lot of Japs. We bayoneted and shot anything that was still moving. It was a series of grass huts. They were on the ground wounded. Several had broken legs. It didn't look like they had proper medical attention, because some were bent on a 45-degree angle. They weren't sticking straight out. We were back in Japanese territory and didn't want to make noise, so we used bayonets. I was pretty angry. We had a patrol, and they captured one of our men and tied him over a log and used him as a woman. They rammed a bayonet up his butt and he bled to death. That made me angry! So whenever I'd get into action, I'd get angry. I wasn't afraid when I was angry. We all felt that way after what we had seen.
After we left the area, we went up around Mount Austen. They ambushed us on the top. We had one man wounded. We carried him out; it was a long way down the mountain. We had jungle rot on our crotch and down our legs so bad that we had to stop every once in a while to empty the blood out of our shoes. It was painful. When you're in the field like that, you go, and you can't worry about pain.
The Raiders were a very special group. They're all volunteers. They were very select. We were interviewed by Evans Carlson or Jimmy Roosevelt. Roosevelt interviewed me and asked me if I was afraid to die. I said, "Anybody not afraid to die is a fool. But I would if it came to that. I wouldn't hesitate." He passed me.
It seemed like it was raining all the time. We also had to cross many rivers. We had to climb a steep ridgeline dividing the Lunga and Tenaru valleys using ropes that we each carried and then linked together. We found an artillery piece that had been shelling Henderson Field. It was nicknamed "Pistol Pete." Several men took it apart and threw it over a cliff.
We came upon a Japanese field hospital and bivouac area. We killed a lot of Japs. We bayoneted and shot anything that was still moving. It was a series of grass huts. They were on the ground wounded. Several had broken legs. It didn't look like they had proper medical attention, because some were bent on a 45-degree angle. They weren't sticking straight out. We were back in Japanese territory and didn't want to make noise, so we used bayonets. I was pretty angry. We had a patrol, and they captured one of our men and tied him over a log and used him as a woman. They rammed a bayonet up his butt and he bled to death. That made me angry! So whenever I'd get into action, I'd get angry. I wasn't afraid when I was angry. We all felt that way after what we had seen.
After we left the area, we went up around Mount Austen. They ambushed us on the top. We had one man wounded. We carried him out; it was a long way down the mountain. We had jungle rot on our crotch and down our legs so bad that we had to stop every once in a while to empty the blood out of our shoes. It was painful. When you're in the field like that, you go, and you can't worry about pain.
The Raiders were a very special group. They're all volunteers. They were very select. We were interviewed by Evans Carlson or Jimmy Roosevelt. Roosevelt interviewed me and asked me if I was afraid to die. I said, "Anybody not afraid to die is a fool. But I would if it came to that. I wouldn't hesitate." He passed me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)