A little piece of history is found

[UnderseaLcpl]

Some months ago, my great uncle Edward died in Spokane, Washington. He was a Marine fought in a number of battles in the Pacific during ww2, the most notable being Iwo Jima. Not ten minutes ago, my father stopped by the house to deliver to me uncle Ed's own personal war journal.:yeah: I didn't even know he had one, but apparently it was passed from him to my uncle Glen (a Marine Captain), and from him to me! I'm so excited that I have to alternate between typing this post and trying to make some sense out of this indecipherable loopy writing that was made with some kind of ink-depositing writing implement!

I'll post pics as soon as I can get my hands on a digital camera. Actually, I probably should have waited until I had a digital camera to post this, but I simply cannot contain my exuberance. Think of it, an actual first-hand account penned by someone who was actually there!!! He also got a bronze star or something, and he was a machine-gunner, just like I was! This jewel is going right alongside the WW2 mementoes from my grandfather and my own collection of blood-stained crap. My father told me that uncle Glen has some of uncle Ed's other things as well, which are to be bequeathed to me whenever he decides to give them up. If it weren't almost 22:00 Pacific, I'd call him right now to find out what they are.

I'll try to get pics up tommorrow or the next day, depending on how quickly we get moved and whether or not the AT&T guy gets things set up in time (I'm moving). I'm out for now, I just have to read this thing, or at least try to; uncle Ed's penmanship is really awful.

Let's hope we find some awesome stuff!:yeah:

[GoldenRivet]

good luck with the deciphering:salute:

[Sailor Steve]

COOL! :rock:

[TarJak]

Nice one.

[HunterICX]

That's a historical gem you got there.
awesome:yeah:

HunterICX

[Gerald]

good luck with the deciphering:salute:

How is the wheater on those 4 days from tommorow,are u update? :hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

Looking forward to what should be a fascinating piece of true history James :yeah:

[Platapus]

If it were me, I would spend some time quietly reading it and contemplating what your relative went through. Only then will you be in a position to determine what should be posted on a website and in what context.

This was something pretty personal of your great uncle. It should be treated reverently.

I honour his service to our country.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Update: I'm still reading through the diary and bookmarking interesting parts to post. I haven't had much time to read, as the past couple of days have been occupied by the move to the new house, but you'd be amazed at how many entries start with "Change of plans....":haha: A lot has changed in the Marines over the past 7 decades, but not that part, apparently.

Curiously enough, the guy who hooked up my cable and internet today is a former member of my old unit, 14th Marines HQ Battery, who also served in Iraq (though it was in the first war) and he recently recieved his grandfather's war journal! Is there some kind of planetary alignment or something going on?:-?

Anyway, I'll have pics to post on Tuesday or Wednesday when I can get my dad's digital camera. I'm kicking myself for not buying one earlier.

edit- oops, forgot to mention This was something pretty personal of your great uncle. It should be treated reverently.

You have no idea how aware I am of that, but thanks for suggestion. It is my intent to post only things that would be proper and of historical relevance, not expose my great uncle's personal thoughts.

[GoldenRivet]

How is the wheater on those 4 days from tommorow,are u update? :hmmm:

not to hijack...

but the 14th 15th 16th and 17th should be really nice.:salute:

on topic:

I look forward to reading some of whatever you choose to share!

[UnderseaLcpl]

Okay, sorry it took so long for me to post pics. I really need to invest in my own digital camera. I was also delayed by work, being lazy, and the sheer indecipherability of some of this "hand -writing". I'm told it is called "cursive", though there is a decided lack of cursing present. Curious.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o264/charlie143james/wardiary002.jpg

This is the book itself, still in fairly good condition though the binding is coming loose. I believe it may have been green at one point. Also, it appears that the Marines couldn't afford their own handbooks at the time or something.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o264/charlie143james/wardiary003.jpg

Uncle Ed's Personal Record. He has no weapon serial because he was part of a heavy-weapons platoon. Note also the heartening tips for being a good soldier on page 4, there. The previous 3 pages are occupied by the same stuff. I don't recall seeing any of the same stuff in my much larger, comprehensive, and greener handbook (known simply as the "knowledge"), which inclines me to believe that this book was published with the knowledge that there were going to be a lot of draftees. I never got a journal, either:cry:

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o264/charlie143james/wardiary004.jpg

Part of the technical section that describes all things every soldier is supposed to know. This section is about 20 pages long, and reads much the same as present-day soldier's manuals, albeit not as detailed. For some reason, it has more illustrations, though.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o264/charlie143james/wardiary005.jpg

This is the end of the technical section and the beginning of two pages of blank lines for autographs from war buddies. I wish I'd had one of those. The rest of the diary makes mention of some names listed on these pages. Sadly, several of them were killed in action, mostly from artillery.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o264/charlie143james/wardiary006.jpg
Early days of action in Luzon in Jan. '45. The diary makes little mention of the naval activity that precedes this point other than shipboard conditions, particularly the lousy food. I guess he either wansn't watching or was below or didn't care to write about it.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o264/charlie143james/wardiary007.jpg

Other units begin taking casualties. I know it's hard to see here, but on the bottom of the left page somebody got bayoneted. The writing is kind of faint, but either 11 (something) were killed (something), bayoneted, or "H" Company was bayoneted. If anyone can make it out, I'd appreciate it.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o264/charlie143james/wardiary008.jpg

In April, Uncle Ed gets admitted to the General hospital for sores (from all the moisture and crawling and dirty clothes and sleeping in dirt) and combat fatigue. This is the only real break he gets the whole time other than a couple of other rotations to the rear to recieve replacements.
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I wish I could post more pics, but reading through this is taking a long time and I only had the camera for about a half-hour. Some of the pages are just plain unreadable, as the ink has run. I'm still trying to find a page that describes the actions that earned him his medal. I really hope it isn't one of the smeared ones:o In the meantime, I'm trying to find out who has the citation, if it still exists. My Great Aunt Juanita tells me that she still has a bunch of his old stuff.......somewhere:roll:

I'll post more as I get the chance. Hope you enjoyed!

[CaptainHaplo]

Pretty faded but looks like (with some spelling correction):

"very rough day, Jap artillery encircled around us, got away from us. 5 from "K" company were killed at night, bayonetted by Japs."

That was the one on the 24th. The 26th is a little harder:

"Assaulted by "K" company, 172 inf. 3pm, captured "Hand XXXXX", held by Camp 1" The rest on that line is unreadable to me. *sounds like a leader captured and held nearby*

"K" co had 14 (or is that 19?) casualties
"L" had 8 casualties
"I" had 2 casualties

He was keeping tabs on fellow unit casualties. Looks like Kilo company led an assault that was successful - but at a fairly high cost. Lima and India were likely support or reserves committed.

You have great reason to be proud of your kin, my friend.

EDIT: Looks like on second read that may be a location they captured and its location is near camp 1 - or its held by a group also in camp 1.

[ajrimmer42]

wow, that really is fascinating, looking forward to more pics!