that their greatest surprise was that the is- land that they … · 2012. 10. 11. · the .30-cal Krag-Jorgenson rifle, as well as the obsolete .50-cal rifle carried by some state

that their greatest surprise was that the is-land that they remembered as gray,

brown, and black was now sickly greenwith grass, vines, and stunted underbrush.We Americans, while still in possession ofthe island, had seeded it from the air, agood intention that had yielded dubiousresults.

T HE AMERICAN veterans, trapped inplace, listened quietly and respectful-

ly to the orations but gave a subtle butpalpable impression that they wouldrather be out of their chairs and roamingthe island. Some, on the fringe of the au-dience, did break away and head for thebeach.

Most poignant of the speakers was thewidow of Kuribayashi, in her nineties andbent and feeble. In a keening voice she ob-viously mourned for the dead, but trans-lated into English her words came outseeming flat and uninspired. The waterceremony— water poured by Kuribayashi'swidow at the base of the 40th anniversarymonument from a varnished woodenbucket with a wooden dipper—fit some-what uncertainly into the close of theceremony.

After the memorial service, sightseeingproceeded. The Japanese visitors traveledthe island in well-polished vans broughtin, apparently, on a ferry from the homeislands. The Americans moved by five-tontrucks that had come in by Navy landingship, trucks twice the size of the "deuces-and-a-half' the Iwo veterans remembered.The big five-tonners had step ladders forthe veterans to climb into the body of thetrucks. Climbing up and down into the

trucks and rough walking made for astrenuous day.

Most of the veterans, when asked, saidthey had three ambitions: to gather someof the black sand; to find the place wherethey had bivouacked, or where they werewounded, or where a buddy died; and toget to the top of Suribachi. Several said

A N AMBULANCE aircraft stood by forthe evacuation of any serious illness

or accident but none was reported. CharlesLindberg, the last survivor of the raisersof the first flag, had a fall that scraped hiselbow but did no further harm.

A hard-sUrfaced but narrow road, madesmooth, it was said, for the Emperor's visitthe previous year, goes all the way aroundthe island with a spur that zigzags it wayup Suribachi. A one-way clock-wise coursewas prescribed but not always observed.Ten stopping places were specified.

The weather continued to be good, cooland bright, the temperature staying onone side or the other of 70 degrees Fahren-heit. A brisk breeze came and went, bring-ing with it the distinctive smell of sulfur.

LUCH WAS A chancy picnic-style bus-iness. Stops that could be made in-

cluded the hospital cave, cut by Japaneseminers into the soft volcanic rock, a

depressing place with low-ceiling gallerieswhere mummified remains sometimes arestill found. No stop was scheduled for the

8 Fortitudine, Spring 1995

Landing ship beached at the invasion beach is seen from the vantage exploited byJapanese defenders, atop Suribachi. Contours of the beach are largely unchanged, buttoday r island is covered with sparse growth, result of American seeding from the air.

Taken from roughly the same position as the photo above, this 1945 shot was producedby a photographer who advanced with a Marine patrol, a flank guard seen at centerArrayed along the beach are some of the landing craft which brought in resupply.

Americans at the Peace Pavilion, built forthe Emperor's visit, not too far away fromthe hospital, overlooking the sea, andalmost incongruous in its white serenity.Kuribayashi's headquarters cave nearKitano Point also attracted attention.

Other stops were the sculpture of theflag-raising cut into the soft sandstone bya SeaBee in July 1945; the two remainingnaval guns near the base of Suribachi; theTenzan or Heavenly Mountain memorialmarking the headquarters of the JapaneseNorthern Naval Base; Requiem Hill,which is a memorial to both the Japaneseand American dead; and the marker lo-cated on the site of the temporary 3d and4th Division cemetery.

But the greatest magnet, of course, wasMount Suribachi. It could be clearly seenfrom almost any point on the island.

T HE CREST OF Suribachi is crowdedwith five different monuments or

markers. The Marine Corps monument,raised late in 1945 by the SeaBees, and itsflagstaff mark the place where the famousflag-raisings took place. The American flagsnaps in the wind. A few yards south ofthe American monument is a cluster ofJapanese monuments, less prominent, andwith theJapanese flag (the "red meat ball'to the American veterans) flying from itsstaff. On the ledge fronting the tablet ofthe memorial to the Japanese war dead,Japanese visitors had placed a row of soda

cans, not carelessly, or disrespectfully, butso that the thirst of the spirits of the deadJapanese soldiers might be slaked.

The view from Suribachi is all thatlegend has it. The whole island looks sosmall and exposed, even today with itscovering of anemic green groundcover.The landing beaches, those broad ex-panses of black sand, stretch from the baseof Suribachi some two-and-a-half miles tothe Quarry and East Boat Basin. An ob-server, from the top of Suribachi, can onlymarvel that any Marine got across thebeach and then made it to the north endof the island.

Thin white plumes of vapor, laden withthe acrid smell of burning sulfur, stillcome up through fissures that lead downto the molten volcanic heart of the island.

The schedule called for a half-hour in-terruption, from 1500 to 1530, of the pil-grimages to the top of Suribachi for ameeting there of active-duty personnel.SecNav, CMC, and CinCPac were to speak.

Unscheduled but colorfully present wasa small party of Navajo code-talkers. Withthem was Kenneth Hayes, a Pima Indianand a brother of Ira Hayes, one of the sixraisers of the larger flag. He was elderly,quiet, and frail. The Navajos unfurledtheir American Legion banner and sangand danced the Marines Hymn to the tapof their Indian drum. The Japanese me-dia present seemed puzzled by the Nava-jos and zoomed in with video cameras.

SECNAV DAtION spoke feelingly ofstanding in the shadow of the flag fly-

ing over Iwo. He then announced thenomination by President Clinton of LtGenKrulak to be the 31st Commandant,pointing out that Krulak, as Command-ing General, Marine Force, Pacific, nowheld the same command once held by hisfather, retired LtGen Victor H. Krulak,and that his godfather had been Gen Hol-land Smith, who had commanded the Ma-rines at Iwo.

The Secretary also announced that theNavy's first MPF(E) (Maritime PrepositionForce, Engineer) ship would be named forlstLt Harry L. Martin, an engineer officerwho was killed during the last days of thebattle for Iwo Jima. Martin, a platoonleader in the 5th Pioneer Battalion, hadhis bivouac area penetrated by a last-ditchJapanese attack before dawn on 26 March.For his heroic defense of his position, Mar-tin received a posthumous Medal ofHonor. MPF(E) Harry L. Martin will be aconversion of a commercial ship and willbe the first such ship to join the MaritimePrepositioned Force.

Coincident with the events taking placeat the American flagstaff, the Japanesewere holding their own ceremonies at theclose-by Japanese flagpole. While thesetwo separate ceremonies were taking place,the USS San Bernardino (LST 1189)

beached on Red Beach, a solitary grayreminder of the landing craft and land-ing ships whose determined coxswains andquartermasters had driven them on to theshelving beach.

HE DAY'S ACTIVITIES ended with aI "Sayonara" buffet in the hangar. In-evitably, souvenir tee-shirts were availablefor purchase.

There had been choke points and trafficsnarls, but most veterans got to most ofthe sites they wanted to visit. There was,however, an awful moment toward the endof the day when it was learned that notall those who had wanted to had gottento the top of Suribachi. Gen Mundy or-dered the shuttling continued as long asthe light permitted.

Possibly the Japanese will permit somesmall number of Marines from Okinawato visit Iwo Jima in the future, but it isunlikely that any significant group ofAmerican veterans will ever again gatherthere. The 14th of March 1995 was a daythat can never be repeated. LJ1775E

Fortitudine, Spring 1995 9

Navajo Indian veterans unfurl their American Legion banner that of the Ira H. HayesPost in Sacaton, Arizona, during the Suribachi ceremonies. Hayes was one of theflagraisers immortalized in the Marine Corps Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Acquisitions

Gift of McKeever Cartridge Box Helps to Solve Mystery

T HE MCKEEVER cartridge box was in-vented by Capt Samuel McKeever, a

U.S. Army officer serving in Mobile,Alabama, who was attempting to devisean efficient yet comfortable way for infan-trymen to carry the .45-70 cartridges re-quired for M1873 Springfield "trap door"single-shot rifles. It was adopted by theArmy's Equipment Board in 1874, but itwas not well-liked by troops and wasrelegated to garrison use for infantry andcavalry when "prairie" ammunition beltsbecame items of universal issue for fieldservice.

The cartridge box slides on the leatherwaist belt and, when a leather tab is liftedfrom a brass finial on the top of the box,opens with the front half falling down andforward by means of an ingenious hingeon the bottom of the box. The 20 car-tridges are secured in woven cloth loopson a leather or canvas bellows, with the 10rounds in the front half (carried upsidedown in the closed position) hanging be-low the 10 cartridges in the rear section.The bellows arrangement allows bothgroups of cartridges to lean outward at anangle for easy extraction. Several differentinternal arrangements evolved over thenearly 40 years that the McKeever box wasin service with the Army and state militiato accommodate changes in the ammuni-tion required for the "trapdoor" rifle andthe .30-cal Krag-Jorgenson rifle, as well asthe obsolete .50-cal rifle carried by somestate militias. The boxes were produced atthe Watervliet, New York, Arsenal and theRock Island, Illinois, Arsenal, and by atleast two private manufacturers.

by Kenneth L. Smith-ChristmasCurator of Material History

pliers, and not from government arsenals.)This document, from NARA RecordGroup 156, effectively disputes the claimof several militaria collectors and at leastone recent publication that the "USM"found on some early McKeever boxesstands for "United States Militia" and not"United States Marines." Subsequently,the Marine Corps procured McKeever box-es from the arsenals at both Watervliet andRock Island which bore both the "USM"and later a "USMC" stamping, embossedin an oval.

Until a McKeever box was donated tothe Marine Corps Museum this past winterby Russell Pritchard, Sr., the staff assumedthat it had long ago collected all of theinformation necessary to date, classify, andcatalog the various Marine Corps-markedboxes. The "USM" and "USMC" boxeswith varnished cloth cartridge loops werecarried with "trapdoor" rifles from 1883to 1896, when the 6mm Lee Navy riflereplaced the old Springfield. (TheWinchester-made Lee rifle is the onerepresented on the Marine Corps GoodConduct Medal.) Since this weapon'smagazine was charged with five cartridgesfrom a clip, a uniquely Marine Corps-

version of the McKeever box was designedto hold four clips of ammunition. Thesehave four broad leather straps which se-cure the clipped cartridges. Meanwhile,the Army's McKeever box had beenredesigned to hold twenty .30 Army car-tridges in woven canvas loops. Unlike theLee rifle, the unusual side-mounted maga-zine of the Krag was loaded with individu-al cartridges, one at a time. The MarineCorps abandoned the Lee rifle in 1900 andadopted the Army's Krag rifle. At thistime, the Marine Corps also changed tothe Army-style McKeever box. The muse-um staff assumed that this was the lasttype of McKeever box used by the MarineCorps.

The Marine Corps Museum has a size-able collection of a variety of McKeeverboxes. However, this new box was marked"Rock Island Arsenal 1904 TC." and its in-ternal arrangement included the wideleather straps which hold 20 cartridges infour five-round clips.

IMMEDIATELY, questions were raised.Why would the Marine Corps procure

a cartridge box which could only accom-modate ammunition for a weapon which

T HE U.S. MARINE CORPS orderedMcKeever boxes as early as 1883, four

years after the Corps replaced its .50-calrifles with more modern .45-cal rifles.Acording to records uncovered in the Na-tional Archives and Records Administra-tion (NARA) by author and collectorWilliam G. Phillips, these boxes weremade at the Watervliet Arsenal, and weremarked with an embossed "USM" on thefront. (Up to this time, the Marine Corpsroutinely purchased its cartridge boxes andaccouterments from civilian military sup-

10

Examples ofMcKeever cartridge boxes, from among the 20 in the Museum collection,are arrayed with appropriate cartridges. Box at top displays "USMC" embossed in anoval, was once specified by Uniform Regulations for wear with white belt in full dress.

had been abandoned three years earlier?This did not make sense. However, a cluewas found in the annual reports of theCommandant of the Marine Corps to theSecretary of the Navy, and again in theSecretary of the Navy's annual report tothe President. Beginning in 1904, bothmen had repeatedly requested that thenew clip-fed M1903 Springfield rifle be is-sued to the Marine Corps. These requestswere carried on through 1905, 1906, and1907. Finally, the Marines received the newweapons in 1908, but photographs in thePersonal Papers collection show Marinesstill carrying Krag rifles at the League Is-land (Philadelphia) Navy Yard as late as1913. Obviously, the Marine Corps had or-dered the new 1904 cartridge boxes to holdthe five-round clips of .30-cal ammuni-tion, in anticipation of receiving the new

THE RIGHT GEOGRAPHYThere are a couple of errors in the article"Wartime French Allies Honor Under-ground Marines" by Benis M. Frank in theFall 1994 issue of Fortitudine. . . . The er-rors should be corrected in the interest ofthose people like me who save the maga-zines and use them as a resource, eitherfor travel to historic sites or for research.

The article mentions Maj PeterJ. Ortizand his men being surrounded by a "largeGestapo party" in eastern France. Theywere in fact surrounded by troops of theWaffen SS which had no connection to theNazi police, of which the Gestapo was apart.

The article also says that Ortiz was awareof a Nazi massacre of the citizens of theFrench town of Oradour-sur-Vayres, andwanted to avoid the same thing happen-ing in Centron. The massacre referred toin the article actually happened in theFrench town of Oradour-sur-Glane, about10 miles north of Limoges, and not inOradour-sur-Vayres.

Fortitudine is a fine magazine and Ilook forward to reading each issue.

Ray R. CowderyLakeville, Minnesota

[There are several errors in the Fall 1994article on ceremonies honoring Maj PeterJ. Ortiz], however, they are what I considerminor .

rifle. In the 1904 Uniform Regulations,cartridge boxes are specified to be worn bytroops on the white leather belt when infull dress. However, in the 1908 UniformRegulations, all references to cartridgeboxes are omitted. Thus, it appears thatthe "USMC" McKeever cartridge boxesdated 1904 were acquired by the MarineCorps, but most likely not used byMarines.

The donation of the McKeever box byMr. Pritchard not only sparked newresearch into this area, but also raised arenewed interest in our collection. Few ofour cartridge boxes were in very good con-dition. A project to restore these artifactshad been attempted in 1984 when Mrs.Helen Aldrich-Lewis, the wife of a Marineofficer who has her degree in museumpreservation, started to work on them as

In the first paragraph, the region ofCentron, Albertville, and Montgirod is inSavoie. However, the Haute Savoie bord-er is only 15 km north of Albertville—like North and South Dakota. Also, Un-ion II was headed by Maj Ortiz and notan Army major. Union I was inserted inJanuary 1944, and was headed by a Brit-ish colonel.

[Commenting on the] second para-graph, we were captured August 16, 1944,by elements of the 15 7th Alpine ReserveDivision (which was identified by the edel-weiss, a small, white alpine-flower emblemon cap and shoulder), consisting of at least10 or 12 heavy trucks with a machine gunring mounted above the cab, and other ve-hicles. I would estimate more than sever-al hundred Germans were in this armedconvoy headed for the garrison of Bourg-St.-Maurice, 15 km northeast of Centron.We were later turned over to a Maj Kolb,a WWI retread. The division commanderwas Gen Karl Pflaum.

On August 20, the Germans were inconfused retreat and headed for theMount Cenis Pass and nearby Modane rail-road tunnel into Italy. The first Americanjeep entered Albertville on August 22,1944.

Jack R. RislerWest Allis, Wisconsin

a volunteer project after she finishedrestoring many of our bayonet and swordscabbards. However, when her husbandgraduated from the Basic School, shemoved on after being able to work on onlya few boxes. This winter, another volun-teer working in our leather artifacts, Mrs.Sarah Paladino, began to pick up wherethis project had ended, but she, too, hadto stop because of work commitments. Inthe spring, Ian Ferris, a former Marine andan advanced collector of Marine Corpsmemorabilia in the local area, volunteeredto come in for two days and lend a handat whatever project we had available. Asa result of his careful labor, about one-third of the Marine Corps McKeever car-tridge boxes in the collection are complet-ed and can now be safely stored ordisplayed. Eli 775LJ

The author responds: According to the ci-tation accompanying the first Navy Crossawarded to Maj Ortiz, ". . . in an effortto spare villagers severe reprisals by theGestapo, [Maj Ortiz] surrendered to thissadistic Geheim[e] Staatz Polizei." Accord-ing to former Sgt Jack R. Risler, who wasone of the Marines with Ortiz [and thewriter of the letter above], the troops be-longed to the 157th Gebirgis (Mountain)Division, commanded by LtGen KarlPflaum.

The village destroyed earlier by the Na-zis was indeed Oradour-sur-Glane, notOradour-sur-Vayres.

W/ith Europe behind him in 1952, at a SanDiego theater then-LtCol Ortiz is shownthe poster for a film in which he took part.


Readers Always W/rite

Setting the Record Straight on the Ortiz Team's Mission

T HE MARINE CORPS' San Diego Re-cruit Depot's command museum

stands as one of the finest military muse-ums west of the Potomac River. Dedicat-ed to portraying the role of Marines andthe Marine Corps in Southern California,the museum plays a large part in the edu-cation of every recruit who passes throughthe depot.

The museum officially opened on 10November 1987, with credit for the plan-ning going to retired Marines MajGenMarc A. Moore, Col R. D. "Mick" Mickel-son, LtCol Robert M. Calland, Maj JohnA. Buck, and Maj Arthur Weiss. After fiveyears of planning, tangible results wereseen when then-Commanding GeneralBGen Frank Breth appointed the muse-um's first curator.

The museum is located in Building 26,a beautiful, two-story, 50,000-square-foot,Spanish mission-style structure, which hadserved the depot as a receiving barracksand mess hail, and a command center,since 1939. Renovation to transform thebuilding into the museum cost $850,000.

T HE MUSEUM'S PRIMARY mission is to

serve as a training vehicle for morethan 22,000 recruits, and for Drill Instruc-

by Ma) Bruce H. Norton, USMC (Ret)Director MCRD San Diego Command Museum

tor School and Recruiter School studentswho pass through the Recruit Depot eachyear. During each recruit's second week oftraining, having first received basic in-struction in the subjects of Marine Corpshistory, customs, and courtesies, he isbrought to the Command Museum for anhistorical indoctrination which reinforcesthe classes he has received and where spe-cial emphasis is placed on the "first tofight" tradition.

Drill instructors from the Recruit Train-ing Regiment's Academic InstructionUnit, and docents from the Depot'sHistorical Society, assist the museum staffin these presentations throughout themuseum. Last year, the museum playedhost to more than 157,000 visitors.

The first floor of the museum consistsof three large rooms and a "quarter deck"used to greet the many visitors. The big-gest of the three rooms is the visitors'lounge, which comfortably seats 120 peo-ple and is used as the starting point forall large visitor groups. The "CaliforniaRoom" is home to 12 original acrylic paint-ings, and numerous sketches, by the Ma-rine Corps' former artist-in-residence, ColCharles H. Waterhouse. These paintingsdepict the involvement of Marines in thesettlement of Southern California and theMexican-American War during 1846-1848.The museum's theater is the third largestroom on the first floor, seating 50 peopleand doubling as an additional lectureroom. Current films on Marine Corpstraining, as well as Hollywood's best effortson Marines in combat are shown daily.

The second floor of the CommandMuseum contains four main galleries, aweapons display room, archives, severalconference rooms, administrative offices,and a gift shop. It is also where the muse-


The Command Museums

Recruit Training First Goal of San Diego Depot Museum

The visitors' lounge, largest of three filling the first floor along with a "quarter-deck,"comfortably seats 120 people andis used as the starting point for al/large visitor groups,including recruits and their families. Four exhibit galleries highlight the second Jloor

San Diego Recruit Depot Command Museum is housed in a two-story, 50,000-square-foot, Spanish mission-style structure, erected in 1939. Renovated for museum use ata cost of $850,000, z.t serves as a training vehicle for more than 22,000 recruits each year

urn's Historical Society administrativeoffices are located.

T SoumEi GALLERY currently dis-plays a collection of 18 original paint-

ings that reflect Marine Corps involvementin Somalia during Operation RestoreHope. Gallery I presents 10 exhibits whichdetail the development of the Depot fromthe time it was the West Coast's new ex-peditionary force base (1916-18), a Marinebarracks (1921-24), a Marine Corps base(1924-47) and a Marine Corps recruitdepot.

Gallery 2 contains 10 exhibits whichhighlight the role of the Marine Corpsduring World War I, World War II, theKorean War, Vietnam War, and OperationDesert Storm. The 'China Room," also lo-cated on the second floor, presents adetailed study of Marine Corps participa-tion in the Boxer Rebellion (1900), witha collection of authentic period uniforms,weapons, photographs, and personalletters.

The museum's weapons collection nowexceeds 205 pistols, rifles, mortars,machine guns, and crew-served weapons.Current plans call for the construction ofa new, larger weapons display room whichwill enable the museum to accurately showthe transition of infantry weapons fromflintlock to percussion, and from single-shot to semi-automatic and automaticweapons which have seen Marine service.

During the last seven years, the muse-um has received a significant number ofartifacts, and because space restrictions

The depot's varied activities are reflectedin displays such as this of weapons andgear used by its Rifle and Pistol Team.

limit the number of these artifacts whichcan be displayed, the museum is able toselect from its ever-increasing study col-lection to enhance its displays.

A s DIRECIDR OF THE Command Muse-um, I am ably assisted by Curator H.

Ed Rogers; GySgt Charles Archeleta,SNCOIC; and Cpl Terry 0. Branch, ad-ministrative assistant, in conducting thedaily business of the museum and in help-ing to supervise the volunteers who servein a variety of capacities: conducting tours,cataloging accessions, and greeting ourmany visitors.

The Command Museum falls under thestaff cognizance of the depot's AssistantChief of Staff G2/3, Col Michael H.Smith, whose section provides policyguidance. The Museum Board of Advisors,representatives from various commands onboard the depot, provides recommenda-tions regarding museum planning andoperations, via the G2/3, to the Com-manding General.

The Historical Society, under the direc-tion of a separate board of directors, sup-ports the museum in a variety of ways,including soliciting donations of artifactsand funds, providing docent and volun-teer support, and service as a conduit be-tween its membership and the museum.With a membership exceeding 750, theHistorical Society is the single most gener-ous contributor to the success of the Com-mand Museum.

Future plans for the Command Muse-

um include expansion of the weapons dis-play room, the construction of a medalsand decorations room, and a permanentexhibit dedicated to the support given toMarines by Navy medicine. The museumhas recently acquired two personallibraries, in excess of 30,000 volumes,which will enhance the museum's role asa military research center. Additionally,the museum is actively pursuing an oralhistory program, video-taping interviewsof former Marines.

The MCRD Command Museum is openTuesday through Thursday from 10 to 4,Fridays from 8 to 4, and Saturdays andSundays from 10 to 5. ü1775L1

The newest Marines are hailed in this ex-hibit of not-so-easy recruit training at thedepot. The bucket seems all too familiar.


Relating the long history of the depot requires using all of Gallery I, with 10 separatedisplays dealing with periods such as 1916-1918, when it was a new expeditionary forcebase, and 1924-194 7 when, as a Marine base, it provided major support for World War II.

Historical Center Collects Marine Operational Records

F OR MY pivious articles on our workI have focused on materials that have

newly come into our possession, or on es-pecially interesting ones already here.There is no dearth of such materials towrite about, but I thought that I shoulduse this issue's space to explain more ful-ly what we are and what we do.

The Marine Corps Archive is a sectionof the History and Museums Division ofHeadquarters, Marine Corps. We are thecustodians of the official operationalrecords of the Marine Corps and of materi-als supplementing those records: mem-oirs, letters, photos, and maps amongthem. We control the records from WorldWar II through today. The documentscreated prior to the institution of the com-mand chronology system in 1965 arestored in a warehouse called the Washing-ton National Records Center, in nearbySuitland, Maryland. Some of our VietnamWar-era records also are stored there. Thisfacility consists of 21 bays, each the sizeof a football field, with boxes stacked 14levels high. Only about 5,000 of the 2million boxes stored there belong to us!Some of our records still are classified, andthey are stored in classified bays or in alarge vault here in the Historical Center.

It is a great responsibility to be the cus-todian of the records of Guadalcanal, IwoJima, the Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh,and all the other battles waged so valiantlyby Marines. We maintain and make avail-able to researchers these important partsof our nation's history. We arrange thedocuments in ways such that we, and ourcolleagues here in the Marine CorpsHistorical Center, can locate them quick-ly and easily.

P EOPLE INTERESTED in researching Ma-

rine operations during the past 50years telephone, fax, or visit us for as-sistance. We recall the older records fromstorage or hand them Vietnam War orGulf War command chronologies from offthe shelf. So far, it probably sounds rathereasy. The trick, however, is in helping theresearcher find the required information,not necessarily a specific document. Thistask requires detailed knowledge of thekinds of information different classes ofdocuments contain. As an example, the

by FrederickJ. GraboskeHead, Archives Section

The 1st MarDiv's SAR is a compendium.

1st Marine Division during the KoreanWar did a Special Action Report on theChosin Reservoir fighting. The records ofthe division's subordinate units are appen-dices to that SAR, not separate docu-ments. To find information about the 1stBattalion, 7th Marines, at Chosin Reser-voir, one must look in the 1st DivisionSAR.

We devote a considerable effort assist-ing former Marines and members of thepublic to find the right records for theirpurposes. We also copy documents, for asmall fee which is deposited in the U.S.Treasury.

So far, aside from photocopying, whatI have described is how archives have oper-ated for centuries. But the age of com-puters is upon us, and the archival worldis changing. Part of my job is to plan forthe archive of the future and to managethe necessary changes.

One of our projects involves the possi-bility of digitizing our existing paperrecords. The World War II and KoreanWar records are extremely brittle, becauseof the poor quality of paper used. Theywill not survive another 50 years withoutsignificant loss of information resultingfrom the disintegration of the paper. Weare exploring ways of scanning these docu-ments into electronic memory storage pri-or to turning them over to the NationalArchives. That agency lacks the financialresources to conserve all of its paper in per-petuity. We believe that digitization not

only accomplishes the goal of preservingthe records, but also would allow us tomake the records available electronicallyto a far larger audience than could everuse the paper on-site at the Center.

STUDENTS AT Marine Corps schools,the service academies, and other mili-

tary schools could have computer access tothe records and could conduct key wordsearches. Planners of contingency opera-tions could have immediate access torecords of similar contingencies. If theother military services create similar, in-teroperable databases, the work of plan-ners, historians, and veterans makingclaims would be vastly simplified.

But there is no point to digitizing paperrecords if we continue to receive the samestream of paper that we have in the past.So, we are exploring ways by which oper-ational records that are created electroni-cally can be transmitted to us electronicallyand stored electronically. As with the digi-tized records, these records would be avail-able more readily to a much wider rangeof users, both within the military servicesand within the civilian researcher commu-nity. As an added benefit, with theremoval of the physical constraints on thestorage of paper, much more informationcould be saved.

N ONE OF THTS will happen overnight.Money is the major constraint in the

possible adoption and implementation ofthis vision. We are confident it will hap-pen someday; the question is when?

There is one other major activity inwhich we are engaged, and that is declas-sification. Traditionally the Marine Corpshas been quick to declassify its operationalrecords. The Vietnam War records large-ly were done by 1977. For more than ayear we have been seeing drafts of a newExecutive Order on declassification thatwould require review of all documentsmore than 20 years old. In anticipation ofthat order we have reviewed in excess of1,000 cubic feet of paper during the pastyear, and 99 percent of it has been declas-sified. We will be increasing the pace ofour work with the Gulf War records, toaccommodate increased demand for thesedocuments from historians and veteransof that conflict. D1 775 LI


Personal Papers Unit Range Broadened by Volunteers

T HE SOUL OF ThE Personal Papers Col-lection is our volunteers. With their

assistance, we have been able to accom-plish numerous projects and goals. Ourvolunteers not only lend a helping hand,they also provide a vital source of exper-tise on Marine Corps subject matter andan institutional memory.

As a result of our volunteers' assistance,we have been able to: update and enternew collections into our cross-referenceddatabased system; have all cartographic re-quests handled by a professional ge-ographer/cartographer; create a findingaid for photographs; start an inventory ofthe map collection; begin conversion ofoversized collections into new flat-file cabi-nets; and begin processing additional newcollections.

In order of their starting date, ourvolunteers include these individuals:

•LauraJ. Dennis served in the MarineCorps Reserve from 1953 to 1978, retiringas a master sergeant. A few months afterretirement in 1978, Mrs. Dennis becamea volunteer at the Historical Center. Herfirst assignment was assisting in theresearch of Go! Mary V. Stremlow's A His-tory of the Women Marines, 1946-1977.Mrs. Dennis now volunteers in the Per-sonal Papers Collection, where she inven-tories and describes new collections.

'George C. MacGillivray is a World WarII Marine veteran. He holds degrees in car-tography/geography from Dartmouth Go!-!ege and Clark University. After 32 yearsof service with the Central IntelligenceAgency, he became a volunteer at theHistorical Center in 1982. His expertise isapplied to the numerous map requests wereceive from researchers. Mr. MacGillivrayhas assisted in numerous projects, includ-ing the development of a World War IIcommemoration map of the Pacific areafor the National Geographic Society.

•ColJames Leon, USMC (Ret), has beena volunteer at the Historical Center since1985. He served as a Marine officer inWorld War II, the Korean War and theVietnam War. When Go! Leon came onboard, the collection was organized withindex cards and printed finding aides ar-ranged in alphabetical order. The archivedid not have an electronic catalog or a

by Amy J. CantinArchivist

Center Receives Walt Memorabiliaby Dr. Jack Shulimson

Senior Vietnam Historian

Memorabilia of legendary Marine Gen Lewis W. Walt, a donation of the Waltfamily, were presented to the Marine Corps Historical Center on 26 May, by Mr.and Mrs. Al Hemingway. A writer, Mr. Hemingway is working on a biographyof Walt, a hero of three wars and former Assistant Commandant of the MarineCorps.

Gen Walt's son, LtCol Lawrence C. Walt, USMC (Ret), asked the Heming-ways to make the presentation on behalf of the family. The items consist of acaptured Viet Cong unit flag and a hollowed-out Bible that were given to GenWalt during his tour as Commanding General, III Marine Amphibious Force(MAF), from 1965 to 1967. Viet Gong terrorists had planted explosives in theBible that Gen Walt was to use during chapel services at III MAF headquarters.Fortunately, Marine security personnel discovered the explosive device and dis-armed it before the general arrived. The III MAF chaplain gave the Bible to thegeneral as a keepsake. The markings of the Viet Cong flag indicate the variousengagements of the unit and its numerous "victories." Dr. Jack Shulimson, headof the History Writing Unit and senior Vietnam historian at the Center accept-ed the gifts on its behalf.

Mr Hemingway, left above, presents Gen Walt's boobytrapped Bible to Dr.Shulimson, and, below, the two unfurl the heavily inscribed Viet Cong flag.


cross-referenced index. Basically, a

researcher had to have some backgroundknowledge of the subject or know specificcollections to request, or the archival staffhad to remember the items in the variouscollections. In late 1986, Col Leon realizedthat the collections needed to be cata-logued into a modern electronic format.He solicited the assistance of his son, MajJohn C. Leon, USAF, to write a databasedprogram for the archive. Although MajLeon named the program the "PersonalPapers Tracking System," it is more oftenreferred to as "The Leon System." Today,the Leon System has more than 2,500 col-lections indexed, almost 8,000 cross-

referenced terms, and close to 30,000 in-dexed items. Col Leon is personallyresponsible for almost every entry and up-date made on the system.

•Philip J. Granum retired from theNaval Sea Systems Command after 40years of combined military and civilianservice as a mechanical engineer. He con-tinues to work in the private sector and hasbeen a volunteer at the Historical Centersince 1993. His primary project is the cre-ation of an electronic inventory of themain photo collection. This assembly con-sists of several loose official photo collec-tions arranged by battle and topic. Mr.Granum has also created an electronicfinding aid for our premier maps of warzones, occupied territories, and opera-tions, starting with World War I.

•James "Horse" Smith was assigned tothe 1st Marine Raider Battalion duringWorld War II. While on Guadalcanal, hewas awarded the Silver Star Medal for ac-tions during the assault of Tulagi. He par-ticipated in the raid on Tasimboko and theBattle of the Ridge, from where he wasawarded a Purple Heart Medal and a GoldStar in lieu of a second Silver Star Medal.In 1979, Mr. Smith retired after 40 yearsof government service and in the fall of1994 became a volunteer at the HistoricalCenter. Here, his attention has been fo-cused on individual photograph collec-tions. Thus far, he has processed two earlyaviation photograph collections, the Ber-nard L. Smith and the Earl F. Ward Col-lections. Mr. Smith is currently arrangingand describing the 1st Marine Raider Bat-talion Collection.

•Col John C. Erskine was a World WarII Japanese language officer assigned tothe 1st Raider Battalion on Guadalcanaland the 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima.Col Erskine was awarded a Bronze StarMedal and a Gold Star in lieu of a secondBronze Star Medal, for his services in thePacific. His parents were Protestant mis-sionaries and he learned to speak Japanesewhile they were posted in Japan. In 1973,Col Erskine retired from 32 years ofgovernment service and began 21 years ofwork with the Montgomery County,Maryland, Public School System. In thewinter of 1994, Col Erskine became a

volunteer at the Historical Center, wherehis time is dedicated to processing collec-tions. Col Erskine is currently arrangingand describing the Gen Vernon E. MegeeCollection.

•Mary Kouvelis' father served with the3d Armored Amphibian Battalion duringWorld War II and her brother is currentlya first lieutenant stationed at TwentyninePalms, California, with the 3d ArmoredAmphibian Battalion. Ms. Kouvelis is theexecutive assistant to a California congress-man. While volunteering for the Histori-cal Center, she assists in convertingoversized collections into new flat-file cabi-nets. This includes updating catalogsheets, checking cross references, andcreating finding aids for the collections.

'Herbert Moore, Jr., served in the Ma-rine Corps from 1971 to 1974. While aMarine, he participated in combat opera-tions in Danang, Vietnam, and was a req-uisition expediter for Marine aviation.Currently, Mr. Moore works as a private in-vestigator and has been a volunteer at theHistorical Center since February 1995. Mr.Moore has applied his computer skills toinventorying the map collection and creat-ing an electronic finding aid.

The Historical Center has many moreprojects that need to be worked on. Any-one interested in becoming a volunteercan obtain further information from theauthor at (202) 433-3396. Eli 775E1

Historical Quiz

Marines in Korea

by Sarah B. RobbinsMary Washington College

Reference Section Summer Intern

1. Four Marine Corps regiments fought inthe Korean War. Which are they?2. What Marine pilot, during the KoreanWar, flew the first jet mission against anenemy?3. During the Korean War, some Marinesused a horse to transport artillery shells.Have you heard this story? What was thehorse's name?4. Who was the first Marine to receive the

Medal of Honor for actions during theKorean War?5. Who said, "Retreat, hell! We're just at-tacking in another direction."?6. Who were the two Commandants of theMarine Corps who were in office duringthe Korean War?7. How many Marines were awarded Me-dals of Honor for heroism during the Cho-sin Reservoir campaign?

8. Which Commanding General of the 1stMarine Division in the Korean War wenton to become Commandant of the MarineCorps?9. Who said, "The safest place in Koreawas right behind a platoon of Marines.Lord, they could fight."?10. When were the Marines first in Korea(prior to 1950)?

(Answers on page 18)


Volunteers Restore Korean War-Era Amphibious Vehicleby Maj James R. Davis

Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch, Camp Pendleton, California

T HE SPECIAL relationship between Ma-rines and amphibious tractors goes

back to Guadalcanal in August 1942,where this new vehicle first earned its placein Marine Corps history. For nearly a year,visitors to the Amphibious Vehicle Muse-um at Camp Del Mar have been able tosee up close a restored Korean War-eraLanding Vehicle, Tracked (Armored)thanks to the efforts of Marines andcivilians from the Amphibious VehicleTest Branch at Camp Pendleton.

The restoration of the LVT(A)(5) beganon 16 June 1993. Members of the branchvolunteered to work on the old vehicle,which was badly in need of repair. Thefirst task was to obtain a complete set oftechnical manuals that would aid therestoration effort. Assisted by numerousKorean War-era veterans, manuals were lo-cated and a restoration plan was de-veloped.

In July 1993, the volunteers moved theLVT(A)(5) into the branch's maintenancebay, and began to take apart the vehicle.As the vehicle was disassembled, every partwas photographed for record purposes.These photographs and videos became in-valuable aids during the reassembly.

R ESTORATION EFFORTS continuedthrough the winter of 1993 and ear-

ly spring of 1994. Rusted-out holes in the

hull and pontoons were repaired orreplaced, and SSgt Charles E. Hughes, theassistant maintenance chief, rebuiltnumerous parts. Other Marines, mean-while, cleaned the interiors of both the en-gine and fighting compartments.Carefully stripping 40 years of paint fromthe hull's interior, they still could not findthe clue that would reveal the vehicle's fullservice history. In March 1994, loyal Ma-rine "ex-amtrackers" aided the branch per-sonnel as the vehicle with all of its partswas carefully put back together.

Vehicle track and suspension parts wereexercised and lubricated. The turret wasreassembled and painted and it, alongwith the engine, was reinstalled in the ye-

hide. After all collateral equipment,covers, grills, and shrouds were reinstalled,the exterior hull was painted. With thereconstructed vehicle primed, checked,and double-checked, GySgtJames D. Klarand Sgt George W. Phillips started the en-gine and the LVT(A)(5) roared back to lifewith a puff of smoke and a low rumblefor the first time in 40 years.

The final task in restoring theLVT(A)(5) was the painting of tacticalmarkings. The markings chosen were thoseof the 1st Armored Amphibian Battalion.This battalion operated similar LVTs dur-ing the Korean War.

During this project 24 Marines, formerMarines, and civilian workers volunteeredmore than 1,260 man-hours to the resto-ration of this important piece of MarineCorps history. Eli 775L1

Sgt George U Phihijs connects batterypower to the LVT's sparkling-clean, over-hauled engine, prior to starting it up.


Restored Korean War-era LVT(A)(5) can be seen at the Amphibious Vehicle Museum,thanks to work carried out at the Amphibious Vehicle Test Branch. Twenty-four Ma-rines, former Marines, and civilians volunteered 1,260 man-hours for the restoration.

The paint and bolt-on armor hid the enemy of the LVT(A)(5) — rust. Rusted-out holesin the hull andpontoons were repaired or replaced and SSgt Charles E. Hughes rebuiltnumerous parts. Branch Marines strijped 40 years of paint from the hull's interior

New Books

A Bonanza of Summer Reading for Military Professionals

T HE LIBRARY of the Marine CorpsHistorical Center receives many re-

cently published books of professional in-terest to Marines. Most of them areavailable from local bookstores or libraries.

This Kind of War: The Classic KoreanWar History. T. R. Fehrenbach. Washing-ton: Brassey's, 1994. 483 pp. T R. Fehren-back's book This Kind of War provides anin-depth look at the Korean War. It is areprint of the original 1964 edition. $28.00

Typewriter Battalion: Dramatic Front-line Dispatches from World War II. JackStenbuck, editor. New York: William Mor-row and Company Inc., 1995. 397 pp.Typewriter Battalion is a compilation fromvarious correspondents who reportedevents from the frontline. Included isWalter Cronkite's vivid account of flyingwith the U.S. Air Force over Europe.$23.00

Prodigal Soldiers: How the Generationof Officers Born of Vietnam Revolu-tionized the American Style of War. JamesKitfield. New York: Simon & Schuster,1995. 452 pp. It is evident through Kit-field's narrative that the experiences menfaced in Vietnam altered their ideas of"how war should be fought as well as whatis worth dying for." Kitfield shares his viewof what the military has become since theVietnam War. $25.00

Desert Wamor: A Personal View of theGulf War by the Joint Forces Commander.Gen Khaled bin Sultan, with PatrickSeale. New York: Harper Collins Publish-ers, 1995. 492 pp. The commander ofJoint Forces and Theater of Operations inthe Gulf War against Iraq has recorded hisexperiences in the war. He also providesthe reader with an inside look at the royalfamily of Saudi Arabia, of which he is amember; the politics of the Middle Eastand the association between Saudi Arabiaand the United States. $35.00

The Generals' War: The Inside Story ofthe Conflict in the Gulf Michael R. Gor-don and LtGen Bernard E. Trainor, USMC(Ret). Boston: Little Brown Co., 1995. 551pp. Michael R. Gordon, chief defense cor-

by Nancy A. FrischmannCollege of Wooster

Historical Center Library Intern

Greene AwardsThe 1994 Gen Wallace M.

Greene, Jr., Book Award of the Ma-rine Corps Historical Foundation foroutstanding writing in Marine Corpshistory was a joint award going toDr. Jack Shulimson of the Center'sstaff for his book The Marine Corps'Search for a Mission, 1880-1898, andto Maj Jon Hoffman, USMCR, forhis book Once a Legend: 'RedMike" Edson of the Marine Raiders.

Once a Legend. Jon T. Hoffman.Novato, California: Presidio Press,1994. 434 pp. A biography of Me-dal of Honor winner MajGen Mer-nt "Red Mike" Edson, who firstgained renown in Central Americain the 192 Os. Becoming an authori-ty on guenilla warfare, he went onto create and command the 1st Ma-rine Raider Battalion. He earned hisMedal of Honor for his part in thedesperate two-day defense of the air-field on Guadalcanal. After WorldWar II, he fought to preserve theCorps during the service unificationdebates. $24.95 (Maj Hoffman iscurrently on active duty with theMarine Corps, assigned to the Rolesand Missions office of HeadquartersMarine Corps.)

The Marine Corps' Search for aMission, 1880-2898. Jack Shulimson.Lawrence, Kansas: University Pressof Kansas. 1993. 274 pp. In hisbook, Dr. Shulimson explains thatthe mission and identity of theCorps remained unclear throughmuch of the 19th century. He tellsthat the Corps' ties to the Navy bothharmed and aided its search for pur-pose and uniqueness. He concludesby explaining how times and worldevents (the Spanish-American War)and personalities all converged tohelp the Corps to find its special roleand place within the U.S. military.

respondent for the New York Times, andGen Trainor have compiled a book that ex-amines the internal problems of the U.S.high command during the Gulf War. Theauthors analyzed each major commander'scontributions to the war plans and con-cluded that they "never fully harmonized."The authors have provided an explanationfor differences by outlining the com-manders' conflicting perspectives on con-temporary warfare. $27.95

Women Marines in the Korean War Era.Peter A. Soderbergh. Westport, Connec-ticut: Praeger, 1994. 163 pp. By the authorof Women Marines: The World War II Era,he continues the story of women in theMarine Corps during the Korean War, the"forgotten war." Professor Soderberghserved as a platoon commander in Korea.$45.00 E1775E

Answers to the Historical Quiz

Marines in Korea(Questions on page 16)

1. 1st, 5th, 7th, and 11th Marines.2. On 9 September 1950, then-Capt Leslie E. Brownpiloted an F-80 while attached to an Air Force fighter.bomber squadron.3. Sergeant Reckless.4. First Lieutenant Heniy A. Commiskey,Jr., receivedhis Medal of Honor from President Truman on 1 Au-gust 1951 for leading a charge on 20 September 1950that resulted in seven enemy dead in hand-to-handcombat.5. Attributed to MajGen Oliver P. Smith, command-ing general of the 1st Marine Division in Korea(1950), regarding his order for the Marines to movesoutheast to the Hamhung area from the Hagaru-riperimeter at the Chosin Reservoir.6. Gen Clifton B. Cates, iJanuary 1948—31 Decem-ber 1951 and Gen Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., ijanu-ary 1952—31 December 1955.7. During November and December 1950, 14 Ma-rines were presented Medals of Honor for heroismat the Chosin Reservoir: nine with the 7th Marines,three with the 1st Marines, and one each with the5th and 11th Marines.8. MajGen Randolph McC. Pate.9. MajGen Frank E. Lowe, USA, Presidental observ-er of Korean War, in the Washington Daily News,26 January 1952.10. A landing force of Marines was put ashore onKorean soil on 10 june 1871, after ships of the Ameri-can Asiatic Squadron had been fired upon from sever-al Korean forts.


Mentioned in Passing

Pioneer Aviator, Assistant Commandant Charles Hayesby Col Charles J. Quilter II, USMCR (Ret)

C HARLES HAROLD HAYES, the oldestof four children, was born in an

adobe house on the banks of the RioGrande at San Marcia! in the Territory ofNew Mexico on 18 September 1906. Hisfather, James B. Hayes, was a superinten-dent of bridges for the Atchison, Topekaand Santa Fe Railroad. Following gradua-tion from high school in Albuquerque in1924, Charles worked a year for the rai!-road. This was fol!owed by a year atColorado A & M College, where he wonan appointment to the Naval Academy in1926.

At Annapo!is he gained the nickname"Fog," which he would carry forevermore.He was commissioned a second lieutenantin the Marine Corps on 5 June 1930, justas the first effects of the Great Depressionwere being felt in the nation.

His first assignment was the BasicSchool at the Philadelphia Navy Yard,which he attended with about 50 othernew lieutenants. There he a!so began thedaunting task of paying off a thousanddollars' worth of uniforms on a monthlypay of only $125. In July 1931 he begana three-year tour at Quantico with the 1st,and later, the 10th Marines. This includ-ed service with the 1st Battalion, 1st Ma-rines, embarked in the battleshipsWyoming (BB 32) and Arkansas (BB 33)as a "floating battalion."

F ROM JuNE 10 THE end of 1932 heserved with the U.S. Electoral Mission

in Nicaragua, as the United States at-tempted to extricate itself from two de-

Capt Charles H. "Fog" Hayes, then sew-ing with VMJ-2 at San Diego, hada long,successful Marine Corps career ahead

cades of exasperating peacekeeping andnation-building duty.

Back at Quantico he completed Battal-ion Officers' Artillery School, and then inJune of 1934, joined the Marine Detach-ment on board Lexington (CV 2), the Na-vy's second aircraft carrier. Attached toLexington's air group was Marine Scout-ing Squadron 15 (VS-15M) with VoughtSU-2 biplanes. Serving with these pioneer

Marine carrier pilots whetted Fog Hayes'long-standing desire to become an avia-tor, a wish he finally realized as a first lieu-tenant in April 1936.

He returned to Quantico to join thelegendary Marine Observation Squadron7 (VO-7M, later VMS-i), one of the Corps'nine operational squadrons. About thistime he grew the jaunty mustache hewould wear the rest of his life. He re-mained with squadrons over the next sixyears, rotating through Marine Bombing1, Marine Uti!ity 1, and finally VO-7M,which flew not only scouting-recon-naissance missions in its two-seater VoughtO3U-6 Corsairs, but also did fighting andlight attack as well in its new GrummanF4F Wildcats.

The squadron was small and tightknit;Hayes was particularly close to his Acade-my classmates, Henry T. Elrod and HaroldW. "Joe" Bauer, plus a young corporal pi-lot named Kenneth A. Walsh. All threewere destined to receive Medals of Honorin World War II.

H AYES, NOW A captain, joined MarineUtility 2 (VMJ-2) at North Island

near San Diego inJune 1940. While therehe lost his "dear young wife," Betty, whom


U("ith a 1/ought 03 U-6 Corsair as a backdrop, in 1937 at Quantico, pilots of MarineScouting 1 (VMS-i) included Capt Hayes, seated third from left, Capt Bauer, seatedthirdfrom right, Capt Elrod, seatedfar right, and Sgt W/alsh, standing third from left.

This appreciation was condensedfrom a longer commemoration pub-!ished privately by Gen Hayes' fami-ly and friends. In writing thecommemoration, Col Quilter usedbiographica! and reference materi-als from the Marine Corps Histori-cal Center, as well as informationfrom his nephew, Judge RobertHayes Scott, and numerous friends.All photos were provided by JudgeScott from family collections.

Ma] and Mrs. Hayes were photographedat about the time of their marriage on 23January 1942. He wears a prewar SamBrowne belt over his "Undress Blues."

he had married in the mid 1930s, to corn-plications of diabetes.

In January 1941 he was ordered toHawaii to help build Marine Corps AirStation Ewa in former sisal and cane fieldsnear Barber's Point, Oahu. Ordered backto North Island a few days before the at-tack on Pearl Harbor, Maj Hayes becameexecutive officer of a hybrid fighter squa-dron, VMO-251. During his year in Hawaiihe had met Olive deSpain, a Denveritewho was then working for the Los AngelesTimes. Olive was unable to get passage tofollow her Marine back to the West Coastuntil lateJanuary 1942. The couple mar-ried in a simple wartime ceremony on the23d.

VMO-251, originally intended to be aphoto-reconnaissance unit equipped withF4F-3P Wildcats and amphibian PBY-5ACatalinas, wound up hurriedly deployingin May 1942 to the South Pacific with onlya dozen Wildcats and five utility planes.Hayes was sent forward to construct afighter airfield at Turtle Bay on EspirituSanto in the New Hebrides.

A BOUT THE TIME of the Marine land-ing, 7 August, on Guadalcanal,

VAdmJohn S. McCain, Commander, Air-craft, South Pacific, personally orderedHayes to take command of a SeaBee unit,Cub 1, move it to the island, expedite get-ting the airfield ready, and then operateit. They landed on 15 August and set towork. Using captured Japanese construc-

tion equipment and supplies while under-going daily air attacks — and all too soon,ground and artillery attacks as well —Marine engineers and the SeaBees had theairfield in good-enough shape for the firstsquadrons to land on the 20th.

Meeting with an old friend, Maj Ken-neth H. Weir, the 1st Marine Division's airofficer, Hayes ruefully observed, "Unlesswe hang a name on this field, the Navyis going to name it after some dead ad-miral." The pair duly conspired to nameit for their mutual friend, Maj Lofton R."Joe" Henderson, who had been killedduring the Battle of Midway. HendersonField operates to this day under that namein the Republic of the Solomon Islands.

Hayes returned briefly to Espiritu totake command of MO-251, his only war-time squadron command. Blessed with in-telligence, a great reservoir of practical andmilitary experience, common sense, wit,as well as an approachable personality, hewas fated to become a planning and oper-ations officer on a succession of staffs inthe Pacific. He was also a lucid and grace-ful writer whose unique style of zigzaghandwriting would always be a challengefor subordinates to decipher. After return-ing to Guadalcanal to serve as assistantoperations officer of the 1st Marine Air-craft Wing, he, as many other Marines,contracted malaria. He was evacuated tothe U.S. in March 1943 where he learnedfrom his very proud father that he hadbeen awarded the Navy DistinguishedService Medal.

H E RECOVERED his health during astint as executive officer of Air Oper-

ational Training Squadron 8 flying thetwin-engine PBJ bomber— the Marine ver-sion of the Mitchell B-25—at the new airstation at Cherry Point, North Carolina.He returned to the Pacific in December1943 and was promoted to colonel thenext month.

He served as air officer of III Amphibi-ous Corps, taking part in the planning andexecution of the landings at Green Island,Emirau, Leyte, and Luzon, for which hewas awarded the Legion of Merit. It wasin the Philippines that Marine flyers per-fected procedures for their hallmark tac-tic known as "close air support."

Col Hayes arrived in Tokyo Bay with theinitial occupation forces on 2 September1945. Returning home that October heserved an extended tour at Cherry Point,

during which time Marine aviation was cutfrom 129 squadrons to only a dozen active-duty ones in the postwar reorganization.He was first chief of staff of the air sta-tion, and then commanding officer of theCorps' "Oldest and Finest" aircraft group,MAG-li.

In June 1948, he began the one-yearSenior Course of the Naval War Collegeat Newport in Rhode Island. Followingthis, there was a three-year tour in the Stra-tegic Plans Division of the Office of theChief of Naval Operations in Washington.He was next ordered in September 1952to serve as chief of staff of the 1st MarineAircraft Wing in Korea. This was the fi-nal year of fighting, marked by a delicateand sensitive relationship with the U.S. AirForce concerning control of Marine air-craft. The Marines were effectively able torecover planning and control of most oftheir aviation assets, which allowed muchmore responsive air support to the 1st Ma-rine Division in western Korea. Thisearned him recognition with a secondLegion of Merit with Combat "V."

JUST BEFORE THE Korean Armistice was

signed in July 1953, Col Hayes wastransferred to the headquarters of FleetMarine Force, Pacific, as deputy chief ofstaff. There he took part in the post-Korearealignment of Marine forces throughout

Then-B Gen Hayes, Commanding Gener-al, 1st Marine Aircraft lVing, here relaxingduring a visit to Okinawa, had a reputa-tion as a great teller of stories and jokes.


the Pacific into the order of battle that re-mains to this day. In August 1954 he as-sumed command of Marine Corps AirStation, Kaneohe, on the northeast shoreof Oahu, considered the most idyllic siteof any Marine post. While there he wasselected for flag rank and in October 1955he put on the star of a brigadier general.

A transfer back to Washington took himto a year's tour as liaison officer to theOffice of the Vice Chief of Naval Opera-tions, followed by service on the CordinerAdvisory Committee on Professional andTechnical Compensation in the ArmedForces.

BGen Hayes was undoubtedly pleasedwith his next assignment. In December1957 he was given command of the 1st Ma-rine Aircraft Wing, headquartered atIwakuni in Japan and the most forwarddeployed of the Corps' three wings. Thiswas a time of testing the concept of "ver-tical envelopment," wherein a battalionlanding team was brought ashore from asmall converted aircraft carrier by helicop-ters. Also during his tour Marine jets be-gan to be equipped with missiles andnuclear weapons.

A FTER AN unaccompanied tour of18 months in Japan, he returned to

the States. Selected for major general, hewas given command of the 3d Marine Air-craft Wing at El Toro in May of 1959. Dur-ing this time the wing was converting tosupersonic, all-weather F4D Skyray andF8U Crusader fighters while developing anuclear and conventional attackcapability— especially in close airsupport—with its A4D Skyhawk jets.There was also a significant upgrading ofrotary wing squadrons with HUS (H-34)assault and HR-2S (H-37) transporthelicopters.

After only half a year, he was transferredto Camp H. M. Smith on Oahu to becomethe deputy commander, Fleet MarineForce, Pacific, against a background ofheavy cutbacks of conventional forces infavor of strategic nuclear forces. In October1961 he reported to Headquarters MarineCorps to become Deputy Chief of Staff(Plans), a post soon expanded to "Plansand Programs" under a blunt and farsight-ed commandant, Gen David M. Shoup.

This was during the administration ofPresident John F. Kennedy, and his Secre-tary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara.

Shoup and Hayes argued effectively to in-crease the strength of the Corps from175,000 to 190,000 Marines. Of evengreater importance for the future of theCorps was Gen Hayes' role in developingthe concept of today's Marine Air GroundTask Force—the MAGTF—with its rapid-ly deployable expeditionary units,brigades, and forces: the MEU, the MEB,and the MEF. Large amounts of aviationassets were effectively integrated into ateam with ground combat forces. On 9April 1963, he was promoted to lieutenantgeneral and given the highest office thenattainable by a Marine aviator: AssistantCommandant of the Marine Corps. As theCorps' most senior aviator, LtGen Hayessignificantly affected the future of Marineaviation. He persuaded Gen Shoup toraise the office of Division of Aviation tothree star-status to be known as theDeputy Chief of Staff for Aviation. He alsoconvinced Shoup to place the new Hawkantiaircraft missile under the commandand control of the wing commander togive Marines a truly integrated air defensesystem. Finally, he got the Corps' newestall-weather fighter, the F4B Phantom II,redesignated for both fighter and attackmissions. This multi-role workhorse air-craft would remain in Marine service fornearly 30 years.

F OR THE LATTER part of his last tour,Gen Hayes served under his Academy

classmate, Gen Wallace M. Greene, Jr.Both were experienced in getting thingsdone in Washington. A stronger Corps

emerged as a result, as seen by the rapiddeployment of 39,000 Marines of III Ma-rine Amphibious Force to Vietnam in1965, the year of his retirement.

Fog and Olive Hayes put on numerousofficial social functions, most of them for-mal and all of them elegant, at theirquarters at the venerable Marine Barracksat "Eighth and Eye" in Washington. Af-ter retirement, they returned to Califor-nia and bought the only permanent homethey would ever have, conveniently neara golf course in Rancho Bernardo in north-ern San Diego County. Accompanied byassorted pet dogs, they unpacked the fur-niture and boxes accumulated in a lifetimeof peregrinations. Olive passed away un-expectedly in April 1989 to his great dis-tress. He personally buried her ashes at seafrom the deck of a century-old yacht. Var-ious ills kept him from golf much after 80.Perhaps more frustrating to a lifelongreader and writer was the onset of nearblindness. With typical ingenuity, he ac-quired what he called his "readingmachine," a video camera that magnifiedimages and displayed them on a televisionscreen.

He kept his engaging sense of humorintact to the end of his life and maintaineda frank and witty correspondence withspecial friends in his left-handed hand-writing, which had gotten even more zig-zag over the years. He died peacefully on3 April 1995 in Rancho Bernardo. Amemorial service and interment of his ash-es was held at Arlington Cemetery on 31May. Eli 775E1


LtGen Hayes, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, troops a line of Marinesduring his retirement ceremonies in 1965 at Marine Barracks, Eighth and I, Washing-ton, D.C. Gen and Mrs. Hayes retired to California, to a house near a golf course.

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Field History Conference Maps Joint Operations SOPby Col Dennis P Mrockowski, USMCR

Commanding Officer MTU (Hist) DC-7

N EARLY 6o HISTORIANS from all branches of the ArmedServices attended the Field History Conference co-

sponsored on 22 and 23 April by the Navy and Marine CorpsHistorical Centers. The conference, held at the Marine CorpsHistorical Center, also drew attendance from among combatartists, combat cameramen, and administrative officers.

Discussions at a similar gathering last year resulted in thecreation of a standing operating procedure (SOP) for MarineCorps historians and artists in the field. That SOP was to bepresented at this year's conference as the basis for further dicus-sion. There have been at least four instances in the past twoyears in which the Defense Department-level Joint HistoryOffice has formed joint history teams to ensure the properdocumentation of joint operations—in Somalia, Bosnia,Rwanda, and Haiti. The 1995 conference aimed at recom-mending a SOP which can guide the work of all service histori-ans, no matter from which service, when assigned as membersor leaders of joint history teams.

The conference was divided into three subject workinggroups: field history, combat art, and, since most field histori-ans are Reservists, mobilization. These groups worked withthe Marine Corps SOP as a starting point, along with the draftof a joint SOP by LtCol Charles H. Cureton, USMCR. Afterdiscussing agenda items and relevant issues among themselves,the groups assembled to report on their findings, and makerecommendations for changing or adding to the draft SOP.

The field historians had the largest number of recommen-

dations to make. Generally, these had to do with the struc-ture of joint history teams, their command and control, andtheir relationship to historians sent directly by service com-ponents. It was agreed that the leader of a joint history teamhas no command or operational control of service historians,but because of the central position of the joint historian, heshould be a "clearinghouse" for information and coordinatethe collecting activities of all teams in the area to eliminateduplication of efforts.

T HE COMBAT ARTISTS discussed their placement withinthe teams. Their great concern was that artistic freedom

of expression is maintained as they produce an important partof the visual record. It was agreed that the leader of the teamshould provide guidance over the important aspects of anoperation, and should assist with administrative concerns.However, the artist should be free to choose subject matter,medium, and artistic style. It also was recognized that artistsmay need extended periods of active duty to complete theirartwork after the completion of a field assignment.

Mobilization poses complex problems. The current abilityto bring historians and artists on active duty in a timely man-ner to support operations unfortunately is limited by serviceregulations and federal law. There are ways in which individualReservists can hold themselves in higher states of readinessand increase their responsiveness, as an example, by keepingall administrative details (physical, HIV screens, records, le-gal documents, etc.) up to date.

The total cost of my order is . Price includes regular shipping and handling and is subject to change.International customers please add 25%.

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Marine Corps Chronology

January-April 1946

ortitudine's chronology feature continues with entries fromJanuary-April 1946, pertaining to the post-World War II relo-

cation and deactivation of Marine units, along with developmentsin the occupations of China and Japan.

1 Jan — In Yokosuka, Japan, the token regimental headquartersdetachment of the 4th Marines departed to join the 6th MarineDivision in Tsingtao, North China.8 Jan—In Sasebo, Japan, the last elements of the V Amphibi-ous Corps, including the headquarters of MajGen Harry Schmidt,USMC, departed for San Diego.11 Jan—In Washington, D.C., a detachment of Marines fromMarine Barracks, 8th and I, was the honor guard at the Library ofCongress when the Magna Carta was taken from its wartimedepository and presented to the British Ambassador for returnto England.l4Jan—A Marine Detachment was activated on Wake Island inthe Pacific.22 Jan—The Commandant of the Marine Corps directed theCommanding General, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, to forma special infantry brigade to be prepared for expeditionary serv-ice and maintained in a state of readiness.28 Jan—The headquarters and two battalions of the 1st SpecialMarine Brigade were formed at Quantico, Virginia, and anotherbattalion formed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The brigadewas maintained in a state of readiness during the remainder ofthe fiscal year, and it participated in the only major training mis-sion undertaken during that year, a joint amphibious exerciseconducted during May in the Caribbean area.31 Jan—The 2d Marine Division relieved the Army 32d Infan-try Division of duties in Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, and Oita Prefec-tures of Japan. At this time, the prefectural duties of the major

Chinese boys watch as PFC by A. W7atson, Guard Company,6th Marine Division, receives some advanced machine gun in-struction at an ammunition depot in Tsingtao in February 1946.

Marine units were: 2d Marines, Oita and Miyazaki; 6th Marines,Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, and Oita; 8th Marines, Kumamoto, andKagoshima; 10th Marines, Nagasaki.4 Feb —At Quantico, Virginia, the administrative and operationalcontrol of the 1st Special Marine Brigade passed to the brigadecommander, BGen Oliver P. Smith, USMC.5 Feb—The headquarters battalion of the 5th Marine Divisionwas disbanded at Camp Pendleton, California.

8 Feb—BGen Oliver P. Smith, commanding the 1st Special Ma-rine Brigade, was directed to maintain his command on twoweeks' readiness and to report to the Commander in Chief, At-lantic Fleet for planning purposes.

10 Feb—The Marine Detachment (Provisional) Wake, wasredesignated Marine Detachment (Provisional) Eniwetok, andtransferred to that location, with orders to disband upon con-clusion of atomic tests at Bikini Atoll.19 Feb —The Secretary of the Navy authorized the establishmentof the Marine Air Reserve Training Command to administer anddirect the training of the Marine Corps Air Reserve.

26 Feb—The Marine Air Reserve Training Command was acti-vated at Glenview Naval Air Station, Illinois, to administer, coor-dinate, and supervise all Marine Air Reserve activities.27 Feb—The 2d Battalion, 21st Marines, was detached from theOccupation Force, Truk and Central Caroline Islands, andreturned to Guam, where it was deactivated on 5 March.1 Mar—On Peleliu, the Marine Detachment (Provisional) wasactivated.

13 Mar—In the Marianas, the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing closedits command post on Guam, and departed on the following dayfrom Apra Harbor for the United States. The wing arrived on26 March at San Diego, California, and was deactivated.15 Mar—In the Palaus, the 26th Marines was deactivated, andthe Marine Detachment (Provisional), Peleliu, became the is-land garrison force.23 Mar — In Japan, the British Commonwealth Occupation Forcesrelieved the 6th Marines in Yamaguchi Prefecture, reducing the2d Marine Division zone to the island of Kyushu.31 Mar—The Headquarters and Service Battalion, III Amphibi-ous Corps, was deactivated in Tsingtao, North China.31 Mar—The 9th Marine Aircraft Wing was deactivated at CherryPoint, North Carolina.1 Apr—The 3d Marine Brigade was activated at Tsingtao, Chi-na, by redesignation from the 6th Marine Division, which hadbeen reduced to a strength commensurate with the peacetimeneeds of the Corps.15 Apr—In the Palaus, the Marine Detachment (Provisional),PeleIiu was redesignated Marine Barracks, Peleliu, when ad-ministrative control of the unit passed to the Marine Corps'Department of the Pacific. EL! 775E


by Robert V AquilinaAssistant Head Reference Section

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Protect Personal Copies of Historical Publications

T HE MARINE CORPs MUSEUM GIFT SHOP is supporting the

Marine Corps' official commemoration of the 50th an-niversary of World War II, by making available for sale slip-cases for the series of commemorative pamphlets beingpublished by the History and Museums Division. The sturdycases are forest-green with goldtone imprinting, featuring theCorps' commemorative logo. Two slipcases will hold the en-tire series of pamphlets. The cost is $12 (plus 54 cents salestax for Virginia residents) for one case and $22 (plus 99 centssales tax for Virginia residents) for two. To order by phonewith credit card information, call 1-800-336-0291, ext. 349.To order by mail with check or credit card information, use

the order form on this page and mail to the address below.Also, to assist readers of Fortitudine, Bulletin of the Ma-

rine Corps Historical Program, in providing for safe, perma-nent storage of their back issues, the Marine Corps HistoricalFoundation, sponsor of the Museum Gift Shop, is offeringfor sale a similar slipcase, covered in dark-red vinyl andgoldtone-stamped with the bulletin's masthead. Each strongslipcase is designed to hold up to 32 copies of the bulletin.Cases may be ordered from the Foundation either by tele-phone at the number above with credit card information, orby mail with check or credit card information using the ord-er form and address below. Each slipcase costs $15 (plus 68cents sales tax for Virginia residents).

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