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Post by pdh54 on Jun 2, 2013 3:25:26 GMT 8
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Post by okla on Jun 2, 2013 9:33:09 GMT 8
Hey Patty....I have a little yarn about this particular campaign. My Boss, for many years, was also a Corporal in the USMC involved in the Peleliu fighting. He told of an incident just before the Japanese stronghold was finally secured. Things had settled into "mopping up" in those last days. A scouting group came into the rear area of my Boss' unit reporting that they had located a cave with a few Japanese holdouts that refused to throw in the towel. Several of the Supply personnel, motor pool, etc personnel talked the Platoon or Gunnery Sergeant into letting them knock out the holdout position. These troops had seen limited combat and, evidently, wanted to get a "little blood" on their bayonets before the fighting ended. They were envious of their "grunt" buddies doing the heavy work whilst they toiled back in the rear area, according to my Boss. Anyhow, this little group went to the cave and immediately were cut to pieces. The day ended when the "regulars" returned to the cavern and cleaned up this last bit of resistance, suffering additional casualties. Just thought I would throw this little tidbit in the pot. My Boss also said that USMC General "Chesty" Puller supposedly said, at one time when the going was really tough, that he would take that Japanese fortress if he had to have every field grade Officer in the Division packing an M-1 rifle or manning a bazooka. If memory serves, Military Historians now believe that the whole operation wasn't needed, but it was already in the works so it went ahead. We thought that we would need the airstrips located there for the softening up of Leyte,etc, for that operation. We, here again, have the benefit of hindsight. Whatever, it was a bloody mess for quite sometime.
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