Hell in the Pacific: A Marine Rifleman's Journey From Guadalcanal to Peleliu
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Basilone, John, 116–17
Bataan, 44, 58, 82, 131, 138, 290
bath incident (Guadalcanal), McEnery’s, 84–85
Bauerschmidt, Bill: at Cape Gloucester, 174–75
death of, 253–54, 263
McEnery recon assignment by, 175
McEnery relationship with, 201–2
on Ngesebus, 238, 243
on Pavuvu, 201–2
on Peleliu, 208, 212, 215–16, 227, 229, 230, 253–54
personal background of, 175
as platoon leader, 174
Baxter, Thomas “Nippo,” 240, 244
Blakesley, Kenneth, 67–68, 86, 87–88, 89–90
Bloody Nose Ridge (Peleliu). See Umurbrogol Plateau
“blow-torch and corkscrew” tactics, 236
Bordenairo, Jim, 281–82
Bors, Lou, 125
Boyd, Robert, 262
Brisbane, Australia, 137–40
British; in Pacific War, 44
Brody, George, 278
Brooklyn, New York: McEnery childhood and youth in, 21–33, 288
McEnery on leave in, 39
McEnery train trip from California to, 279–80
McEnery’s return from Pacific to, 280–81
Brooks, Clyde, 260
Bushido/banzai: at Cape Gloucester, 168
as double-edged sword, 72
Ichiki Detachment and, 79–84
meaning of term, 71–72
November 3 battle on Guadalcanal and, 119– 26
on Peleliu, 218
Puller’s troops and, 108. See also Edson’s Ridge: Battle of; Tenaru River: Battle of
C Company, First Battalion, First Marine Regiment (C/1/1); on Peleliu, 220–22
C Company, First Marine Raider Battalion, 93–94, 95–96
Cactus Air Force, 77, 101–3, 110, 112, 185
Camp Balcombe (Australia), 141–50, 152, 183, 184
Camp Lejeune (North Carolina), 41 Canberra (ship), 55
Cape Gloucester (New Britain): airfield on, 153, 155, 156, 173
Army dogs at, 174
Beach Yellow at, 154, 155
importance of remembering, 291
Japanese retreat/stragglers and, 173–80
maps of, 154–55
Marines on, 152, 153–81
McEnery’s leg injury on, 160, 161–62, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 169, 171
McEnery’s scary experience on, 177–79
rotation of Fifth Marines at, 176–77
supplies/equipment for, 156, 174
Talasea battle on, 180
tanks at, 155, 167
Walt’s Ridge on, 168, 169, 171
weather on, 156–57, 177
Capito, John, 167
Carl, Marion, 101
Casual Company (military police); McEnery assignment with, 284
Cates, Clifton, 83
cemetery: on Guadalcanal, 137, 206
on Peleliu, 268
Chisick, Andy, 164, 165
Christmas (1944), 277–78
Churchill, Winston, 44, 290
Civil War veteran; McEnery sees, 25
coast watchers, 78, 103, 107, 110
Cobb, Charles, 134, 146
coconuts, 12, 61, 193–94, 199
Collins, Harold, 255–56
Colonna, Jerry, 201
Coral Sea, Battle of, 54
corpse, Japanese; McEnery shooting of, 247
corpsmen. See medics/corpsmen
Corregidor, 44, 58, 82, 138, 214, 290
Crosby, Bing, 201
Cummins, Brendan (grandson), 285
Cummins, Erik (grandson), 285
Cummins, Karen (daughter), 285, 289
Curtis, Marian, 142, 144–45, 185
Daniels, Agnes (grandmother), 22, 29
Daniels, Christopher (grandfather), 22, 29
Day, Jim, 161–62, 164
death: McEnery’s reactions to, 106, 122–23, 124, 125, 172, 176, 202, 236–37, 254, 268–69, 270, 276, 291–92
stench of, 247, 257. See also specific person
Delong, Weldon, 120–21, 123–25, 202
Distinguished Service Cross, 133
d’Leau, Jay, 271
dogs: at Cape Gloucester, 174
on Peleliu, 209
Doolittle, Jimmy, 129
Dragons (football team), 26
dress blues, 19, 39
drill instructor: criticisms of, 282–83
McEnery as, 281–83, 284
Dykstra, Daniel, 150, 157–58, 159
Eastern Solomons, Battle of, 100
Edson, Merritt A. “Red Mike,” 90–97, 105, 133, 147
Edson’s Ridge (Guadalcanal): Battle of, 74, 90–97, 98
map of Guadalcanal beachhead and, 49
Eleventh Marine Regiment, 43, 89, 97, 213
Ellington, Charles “Duke,” 263, 264, 268
equipment. See supplies/equipment
“Europe First” approach, 290–91
European Theater of Operations (ETO), 9
Few, Frank L, 68–69
Fifth Marine Regiment: advance on Guadalcanal of, 51
Battle of Edson’s Ridge and, 97
at Cape Gloucester, 147, 153, 173, 176–77
defensive perimeter for, 59
departure from Australia of, 150–51
Edson as chief of staff for, 147
Edson as commander of, 133
Guadalcanal casualties in, 12
Henderson Field defense and, 100
K/3/5 clean up after departure of, 139
map of Guadalcanal beachhead and, 49
Matanikau River battles and, 104, 107, 117, 132
McEnery’s San Diego—Brooklyn train trip and, 279–80
in New Guinea, 151–52
nickname for, 43
on Peleliu, 207, 208, 211, 212–13, 215, 216, 217, 222, 224, 236, 246, 248, 257, 258, 261–62
Quantico as home for, 40
relieved on Guadalcanal of, 134–35
Rupertus briefing to, 206
Seventh Marine Regiment split off from, 43
trip to Guadalcanal by, 44–45
Wellington training of, 45
in World War I, 40. See also specific person or battalion
First Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (1/5): at Cape Gloucester, 154, 173, 180
first Guadalcanal assignment of, 4–6
Matanikau battles and, 75, 117, 118–19, 120–26
on Peleliu, 213, 248, 262
Smith (Charlie) assigned to, 41
First Battalion, First Marine Regiment (1/1), 4, 80–84
First Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment (1/7), 105, 107, 108, 115–16, 154
First Marine Air Wing, 102
First Marine Division: age among men of, 3
in Australia, 128, 137–40
Camp Lejeune as home of, 41
at Cape Gloucester, 153, 156, 168, 180, 181
casualties of, 135–36, 233, 268
command structure of, 133–34
historian for, 79
lack of experience among men in, 2
MacArthur visit to, 181
organization of, 42–43
as part of U.S. Sixth Army, 150–51
at Pavuvu, 186–206
on Peleliu, 207–33, 236, 246, 262, 288
presidential unit citation for, 288
Rabaul campaign and, 181
Rupertus as commander of, 148
Savo Island battle and, 54, 56
total strength of, 5–6
Vandegrift as commander of, 44–45
“Waltzing Matilda”
as theme song for, 184. See also specific battalion; see also next entry
First Marine Division—at Guadalcanal: casualties of, 135–36
first major objective of, 14
Goettge patrol and, 68
Japanese surrounding of, 57
landing of, 1–4, 10
map of beachhead and, 49
Matanikau battles and, 74–75, 76, 115
; orders for, 45
presidential citation for, 288
relief of, 128, 135
strains on, 132
First Marine Division Association, 286
First Marine Parachute Battalion, 5, 89, 92, 96, 97, 99, 134–35
First Marine Raider Battalion, 5, 89, 91–97, 105, 106, 134–35
First Marine Regiment: activation of, 43
airfield mission of, 50–51
defense of Henderson Field and, 100
defensive perimeter for, 59
Edson’s Ridge Battle and, 97
evacuation from Peleliu of, 224, 227
on Good-enough Island, 151
landing on Guadalcanal of, 4
at Lunga River, 16
map of Guadalcanal beachhead and, 49
Matanikau battles and, 76
at Pavuvu, 224
on Peleliu, 107–8, 208, 211, 218–19, 220–22, 228, 236, 246
Puller as commander of, 107–8, 211
Rupertus briefing to, 206. See also specific battalion
First Marine Tank Battalion, 213
First Recruit Battalion, 36
Five Brothers hill (Peleliu), 246
Five Sisters hill (Peleliu), 246, 248–55
Fletcher, Frank J., 53, 54, 56
Florida Island, 5, 45
food/water: on Guadalcanal, 9, 12–13, 19, 61–62, 99, 196
on Pavuvu, 195–96
on Peleliu, 212, 215, 257
steer for, 61–62
football; McEnery’s interest in, 26–27, 276
46th Replacement Battalion, 190
Foss, Joe, 101
Fourth Infantry Regiment, Japanese Army, 108
Fourth Marine Regiment, 43, 138
Fourth Recruit Battalion, 281
Frank, Richard, 80
friendly fire casualties, 103–4
G Company, Second Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment (G/2/7), 146
Gargano, Lou, 142–44, 145, 158–59, 161, 162, 163, 166, 170, 171, 172, 202
Gavutu Island, 5, 9
Gayle, Gordon, 213, 262
Geiger, Roy S., 102–3, 185, 186, 187, 256, 291
Goettge, Frank/Goettge Patrol, 49, 63–69, 82, 85, 86
Goodenough Island, 151
Goodwin, Horace E. “Tex,” 158
Googe, Jesse, 230, 248
Grawet, Raymond, 254
grenade incident: dislodged pin, 7
McEnery-Jap, 105
grenades; McEnery idea for firing rifle, 205
Guadalcanal: Army and, 52, 109–10, 135
beginning of end for Japanese on, 117
“Cactus”
as code name for, 77
cemetery on, 137, 206
December 18 offensive on, 135–36
duration of battle for, 231
Edson’s Ridge Battle as turning point on, 98
estimates of number of Japanese on, 51
first day for Marines on, 8–15
first Marine victory on, 51
first night for Marines on, 16–20, 32
first objective for Marines on, 10–11
as first U.S. offensive ground action in Pacific War, 4
food/water on, 9, 12–13, 19, 61–62, 99, 196
friendly fire casualties on, 103–4
importance of remembering, 291
importance of U.S. campaign for, 136
Japanese invasions of, 11, 128–29
Japanese plan for withdrawal from, 135
Japanese reinforcements on, 73, 76, 77–78, 101, 107, 131
K/3/5 maneuvers on, 205–6
K/3/5 rotation back to U.S. and, 276
location and size of, 11
map of beachhead on, 49
Marine landing on, 1–4, 6–12
as Marine rest base, 185
native settlements on, 11
November 3 battle on, 119–26
October 13 and 14 on, 109–13
as rear-area military complex, 185
Red Beach on, 1, 4
shortage of U.S. troops on, 16
stranding of Marines on, 56, 57
supplies/equipment for, 8–9, 13–14, 16, 17, 19, 43, 48, 50, 56, 57–58, 64, 85, 96, 99, 116, 129, 130
as turning point in Pacific War, 136
U.S. reinforcements for, 99, 109–10, 129
U.S. troop buildup on, 135. See also specific person, combat unit or battle Guadalcanal: Starvation Island (Hammel), 12
Guadalcanal Diary (Tregaskis), 83
Gunter, Paul, 122
Gustafson, John, 237, 245, 260, 265, 274
Haldane, Andrew Allison “Ack-Ack”: Australia departure of, 149
background and personality of, 146–47
and Banika assignments as rewards, 202, 203
booby-trapped rifle incident and, 176
at Cape Gloucester, 169
death of, 263–64, 268
as legend, 169
McEnery commendation letter from, 204–5
McEnery tommy gun and, 243
named K/3/5 commander, 146
on Peleliu, 224–25, 262–63
Pope and, 220
Silver Star awarded to, 169
twenty-four month rule and, 204
Halsey, William F. “Bull,” 129, 131–32, 135, 141, 153, 232
Hammel, Eric, 12
Haney, Elmo M. “Pop,” 188–90, 191, 192–93, 197–99, 201, 243
Hanneken, Herman, 256, 257
Harris, Harold “Bucky,” 215, 237, 258
Haruna (ship), 110
Henderson, Lofton, 73
Henderson Field (Guadalcanal): Edson’s Ridge Battle and, 94
first U.S. use of, 77
importance to U.S. of, 78, 136
Japanese bombing/shelling of, 73, 78–79, 94, 100–101, 103, 110–11, 112
as Japanese objective, 74, 78, 89
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and, 131
Tenaru River Battle and, 79–84
U.S. defense of, 100, 219 Hiei (ship), 129, 131
Higgins, Dick, 263, 264, 268
Hill 100 (Peleliu), 220–22, 251
Hill 140 (Peleliu), 262, 265
Hill 660 (Cape Gloucester), 171, 180, 203
Hope, Bob, 201
Horseshoe Hill (Peleliu), 246
Howard, Pat, 287
Hughes, William, 88
Hunt, George, 219
Hunt, LeRoy P., 2, 14, 51, 133
Huskies (football team), 26
Hyakutake, Harukichi, 84
I Company, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (I/3/5): food for, 62
friendly fire casualties and, 103–4
Goettge patrol and, 68
map of Guadalcanal beachhead and, 49
Matanikau battles and, 75, 76, 104–5, 118, 120–26
on Ngesebus, 243
on Peleliu, 214
I Company, Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment (I/3/7), 256
Iboki Point (Cape Gloucester), 177, 179
Ichiki (Kiyoano) Detachment, 79–84
Imperial Japanese Army, 72, 128
Inoue, Sadae, 269
intelligence, U.S., 11, 51, 63
Iron Bottom Sound, 55, 57, 75, 85, 93, 110, 276. See also Sealark Channel
Iwo Jima, 231, 283
Jackson, Arthur J., 224
Japanese: battle surrenders of, 64, 175, 176, 236, 269, 292
final surrender of, 283, 291
as infiltrators, 218, 238, 257–58, 265
kamikaze attacks by, 130
McEnery’s feelings about, 291–92
McEnery’s first sight of, 48, 59
suicide by, 64, 83, 84, 122, 175, 177
“washing machine Charlie”
as name for, 60, 77
wounded, 175–76, 292. See also specific person, battle, or location
Johanson, Gertrude. See McEnery, Gertrude Johanson (wife)
Johnson, Randall, 167
Jones, Edward A. “Hillbilly,” 183–84, 204, 259–61
jungle; McEne
ry’s night alone in, 178–79
jungle rot, 157, 171
K Company, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (K/3/5): Adams as leader of, 113–15
in Australia, 137–51
baptism of fire for, 86–90
at Cape Gloucester, 153–81
casualty rate on Peleliu for, 268
changes in command structure and, 133–34
Cobb named commander of, 134
as front-line combat troop, 6
Haldane named commander of, 146
Haldane’s death and, 264–65
hopes for return to Melbourne by, 183–85
McEnery first assigned to, 40
McEnery kinship with, 285–86
McEnery of leader of, 264–65
McEnery as platoon guide for, 172, 240
McEnery as Third Platoon leader of, 263
morale in, 58, 191
on New Britain, 128
on Ngesebus, 237–44, 245
on Okinawa, 283–84
at Pavuvu Island, 185–205
on Peleliu, 128, 206, 207–33, 235–37, 246–66
photograph of, 267–68
praise for Ngesebus battles of, 245
replacements for, 148–49
rest assignment of, 128
reunions of, 286–87
rotation back to U.S. of, 270–75, 276–77
supplies/equipment for, 149. See also next entry; see also specific person
K Company, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (K/3/5)—on Guadalcanal: advance of, 57–58
Army troops and, 109
assignment of, 42
baptism of fire for, 86–90
daily life of, 84–86
duration of, 45
first night of, 15–16
food/water for, 12, 61–62
friendly fire casualties and, 103–4
Goettge patrol and, 65–69, 85, 86
Henderson Field and, 77
landing of, 3–4
maneuvers of, 205–6
map of beachhead and, 49
Matanikau battles and, 74–75, 104–5, 118, 120–26
McEnery as reconnaisance sergeant for, 104–5, 113, 118–19, 134
and October bombings by Japanese, 113
recon patrol of, 47–48, 50
search for F4F Wildcat fighter by, 65
shortage of supplies/equipment for, 57–58, 60
K Company, Third Battalion, First Marine Regiment (K/3/1), 219, 224
Ka-Bar knives, 149, 168, 195, 215, 221, 258
kamikaze attacks, 130
Kelly, Grace, 282
Kelly, John, 125, 159
Kelly, R. R. “Railroad,” 203
Kimmel, Charles J., 120, 122
Kimmel, Husband, 291
King, Ernest, 181
Kipling, Rudyard, 190, 226, 249
Kirishima (ship), 129, 132
Kokumbona (Guadalcanal village), 117
Kongo (ship), 110
Korean construction workers; on Guadalcanal, 51
Krueger, Walter, 153, 156
Kukum (Guadalcanal village), 51, 111
L Company, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (L/3/5), 68, 75, 76, 118, 170, 214