On September 27, the 1st Raider Battalion would help launch an attack near the mouth of the Matanikau River. Poor intelligence greatly underestimated the strength of the Japanese defenses facing them, turning the operation into a disaster. The Japanese halted the Raiders and 5th Marines' advance at the mouth of the river and nearly wiped out the amphibious landings by another Marine battalion at Point Cruz. Jim "Horse Collar" Smith recalls the battle.
We were on this narrow trail along the east side of the Matanikau River, a steep cliff on the other side. As we snaked up the side of the trail, a guy named Ed Mertz had a kidney stone. And here we are plastered alongside the trail with Japs on the other side of the river and this guy Mertz goes down screaming, clutching his gut. I remember thinking, "Oh, God, we are going to get it." It was just a little farther along there that C Company was just a little ahead of us. Ken Bailey [the battalion executive officer and Medal of Honor recipient for his actions on Bloody Ridge], with his runner right behind him, was dashing across a log footbridge, caught a Nambu [machine gun] between the eyes and went down. I would probably sit down and start crying right then and there, because I know that there isn't anyone who would be wiling -Steph stone 2/24/10 9:57 AM If I ever saw anyone get shot like that I would break down and cry too. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. -julie smith 3/4/10 9:07 AM I am pretty sure I would be traumatized for life if I haven't been already. That is so unreal to think about, something dying or getting shot right in front of your face. How are you supposed to live your life normally after watching something like that? -Brittany Gurr 3/4/10 9:10 AMA little later in the day -- I guess we were still heading south -- Sam Griffith got shot in the shoulder at about 300 meters. That left us with a bunch of young 1st lieutenants (who had just made 1st lieutenant), and there was actually a discussion at the CP as to who was the senior officer. I would feel like I had to step up and be a leader because all the other ones got shot. Then again, I would be scared to because all the other leaders are dead. -Steph stone 3/2/10 9:16 AM I agree with you because you have the responcibility to be the leader but who would want to lead a group of the dead? Plus that would make you fear pretty much everything. -julie smith 3/4/10 9:05 AM Sounds like these men are inexperienced and that is scary if you were part of that army. Having an inexperienced soldier as a leader isn't really the best option, but what more can you do? like you said, the others are dead-Brittany Gurr 3/4/10 9:11 AM Edson was in a state of shock after Bailey was killed. It affected [Bailey's runner] more than anything else. He had been Major Bob Brown's runner until the ridge, and Brown was killed coming off the ridge. Someone said to him, "You must be a jinx, because this was the second major you lost." Oh my word!!! Thats awful, I understand from emotion of the situation why he said that. If I was Brown I'd want to kill myself because of the but also because I would believe it and I wouldn't want anyone else being shot.-Steph stone 3/2/10 9:18 AM I could never say anything like that to someone. I understand heat of the moment but in situations like that people would really freak out. -julie smith 3/4/10 9:08 AM This man can not actually blame the soldier for his leader's death. Come on! Make the man feel worse than he already does. That's the way to do it! Obviously, I am being sarcastic. -Brittany Gurr 3/4/10 9:12 AM The poor kid became unglued. It was a terrible thing to say.
I remember when we pulled Bailey into the aid station in a poncho. Aid station [sigh] -- a couple of guys sitting on logs and doctors treating them. There was a kid by the name of Dobson who had been shot right in the groin. His face was absolutely dead white, you couldn't believe it. He just sat there and held his stomach. Everybody knew he was going to die, and he knew he was going to die. Not a murmur out of him; talk about stoicism. I don't know what stoicism means, but darn that takes a lot of guts. I would be so scared and sad. I would feel so awful if I were a doctor in that situation, especially knowing that there is nothing i can do to help him. -Steph stone 3/2/10 9:21 AM I totally agree, he said nothing and was dying and everyone around him knew it. I would feel absolutely awful and so sad. -amber brown 3/2/10 9:36 AM He died shortly after that. He just slid off the log and was dead. A man next to him had a flesh wound and was crying like a baby. Talk about a contrast. Yeah, thats what I said after I read this sentence (Talk about contrast). Even though it is a flesh wound, I have to wonder if what the man is crying about doesn't just involve him being shot, but the results. He has to go back out and shoot more Japanese and hopefully not have to come back to the aid station. -Steph stone 3/2/10 9:24 AM That would be hard to be shot and even though its not going to kill him he has to go back out and fight some more, it would be very hard cause it could onloy get worse. -amber brown 3/2/10 9:39 AM I believe he must be scared, steph. I agree; i do not think he is just crying because of the death. He has to be scared because he has to go back and keep killing. I think maybe he is sad because deep down maybe he wants to be dead rather than having to keep fighting. -Brittany Gurr 3/4/10 9:13 AM
Eventually they pulled us out of there because the Japs were well entrenched on the other side of the footbridge.
No comments:
Post a Comment