by Jim McEnery
L Company, Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment (L/3/7), 255–56
lamp, Haney, 189–90, 191
land crabs; on Pavuvu, 194, 195, 199, 201
Landrum, Bill, 16–17, 19, 122, 123, 125
Lane, Kerry, 167
Langford, Frances, 201
Lawler, Dan, 216–17
Lefebvre, J. J., 142
leg injury, McEnery’s, 160, 161–62, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 169, 171
Levy, Seymour, 190–91, 201, 215, 216, 223, 225–26, 230, 231, 249–51
Leyden, Bill, 191–92, 201, 214, 241–42, 244
Lunga River (Guadalcanal): Balduck death near, 146
Battle of Edson’s Ridge and, 93
First Marine Regiment at, 16
importance of, 74
map of Guadalcanal beachhead and, 49
Lynch, James, 174
M Company, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (M/3/5), 162–63
MacArthur, Douglas “Dugout Doug,” 14, 138, 139, 140, 153, 180–81, 186, 232, 290, 291
Mace, Sterling, 191, 201, 216, 223–24, 225–26, 230, 231, 241–42, 246–47, 249, 250–51
machine gun training; McEnery’s, 41–42
mail service, 69, 93, 197–98
malaria, 114–15, 127–28, 132, 139, 140, 146, 147, 171
Mangrum, Richard, 101
maps: of Cape Gloucester, 154–55, 159
of Guadalcanal, 50, 80
inaccuracy of, 50, 80, 154–55, 159
of Peleliu, 225, 246
Marine Corps, U.S.: draft for, 275
language of, 36
McEnery joins, 19, 33, 34
McEnery reenlistment in, 274–75
McEnery’s feelings about, 288, 291–92
McEnery’s last days with, 284
organization of divisions in, 42–43
punishments in, 36–37
recovery of dead soldiers by, 247
shortages in, 43
twenty-four month rule for, 204, 270
in World War I, 138
Marine Fighter Squadron VMF—114, 239
Marmet, Johnny, 263, 264, 268
Marshall, George C., 136
Matanikau River (Guadalcanal): battles along, 74–75, 104–6, 107–9, 115–26, 163
importance of, 74
Japanese patrols along, 128
Japanese withdrawal from, 89
K and I Companies friendly fire incident along, 103–4
map of Guadalcanal beachhead and, 49
U.S.–Japanese fights along, 74–77
Matanikau Village (Guadalcanal), 75, 119
Matheny, Tom, 250
McClary, Charles R., 259
McDonald, Marie, 277
McDougal, David, 168
McEnery, Gertrude (wife), 145, 285, 286, 288, 289–90
McEnery, Jim: baptism of fire on Guadalcanal for, 87
birth of, 21
childhood and youth of, 21–33, 288
death of father of, 28–29
drinking of, 32
early jobs of, 29–30, 32–33
education of, 29–30
family background of, 21–22
fights of, 26, 30–32, 39, 148, 271–72, 278
financial affairs of, 17, 19, 33, 34, 38, 278
Haldane commendation letter for, 204–5
leadership skills of, 3
leg injury of, 160, 161–62, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 169, 171
as Marine at heart, 21, 285
marriage of, 145, 289
motivation for joining military of, 17–18
physical appearance of, 27
post-war life of, 288
promotions of, 3, 85, 172, 275, 287–88
reenlistment of, 274–75
religion and, 28
return to civilian life of, 284
rifle/shooting skills of, 37, 41–42
robbery of, 279
scary experience of, 177–79
sees first military uniform, 24–25
self-image of, 288
sports and, 26–27, 40, 148
worst day/time of life for, 125, 235. See also specific topic
McEnery, Lillian (mother): McEnery in Australia and, 142
McEnery childhood and youth and, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30–32, 33
McEnery Guadalcanal letters to, 69, 73
McEnery Guadalcanal memories of, 6, 32, 112
McEnery as helping support, 17, 33
McEnery on Pavuvu and, 202
McEnery return to U.S. and, 277, 278, 280
Muroski marriage of, 30–31, 32
Murosky–McEnery fight and, 30–32
refuses permission for McEnery to join Navy, 18, 32
religion and, 28
as single parent, 17–18, 22, 28, 29
McEnery, Lillian (sister): childhood and youth of, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30, 33
death of, 285
Gertrude as friend of, 289
McEnery Guadalcanal letters to, 69
McEnery Guadalcanal memories of, 6
McEnery as helping support, 17, 33
McEnery on Pavuvu and, 202
McEnery return to U.S. and, 277
Muroski as step-father to, 30
news about McEnery’s friends from, 276
McEnery, Thomas (father), 28–29, 30, 32
McIlhenny, Walter, 215
McIlvaine, Rex, 113–14
McMillan, George, 56, 79, 98, 108, 180, 200, 213, 222
Mead, George, 75
Medal of Honor, 97, 101, 116, 133, 222, 224
medics/corpsmen: on Cape Gloucester, 158, 169
on Guadalcanal, 88–89, 125, 132
McEnery’s feelings about Japanese shooting, 292
on Ngesebus, 244
on Peleliu, 223, 230, 253–55, 260–61
Melbourne, Australia: First Marine Division in, 141–45
K/3/5 hopes for return to, 183–85
Merchant Marine crew; Navy gunners fight with, 271–72
Midway, Battle of, 10, 54, 73
military, U.S.: McEnery motivation for joining, 17–18
McEnery’s dreams of joining, 25. See also specific branch
military uniform; McEnery sees first, 24–25
Miller, T. I., 114, 286
Milne Bay (New Guinea); Fifth Marine Regiment at, 151–52
Moore, Alden, 255
morale: on Guadalcanal, 58, 73, 98, 100
on Pavuvu, 191, 201
on Peleliu, 258
Moss, Robert J., 278, 286
Muroski, Peter Paul, 30–32
Muroski, Peter Paul Jr., 30, 32, 202, 285
Murphy, Dennis, 280–81
Murray, William, 7, 134
National Guard troops, 109
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 129–32
Naval Operating Base (Norfolk, Virginia)
McEnery assignment at, 38–40
Navy, Japanese, 101–3, 136
Navy, U.S.: Banika base of, 197–98
Battle of Midway and, 10
First Marine Division in Australia and, 141
as Guadalcanal backup, 6
Guadalcanal departure of, 16, 73
Japanese air raids on, 13–14, 16, 56
McEnery thoughts of joining, 18, 32
Merchant Marine crew fight with, 271– 72
Paleliu battle and, 232
Peleliu dock of, 270
Rabaul campaign and, 181
supplies for Guadalcanal and, 9
support for troops on Guadalcanal and, 100, 129. See also specific person, battle or vessel
Navy Cross, 101, 124, 133, 146, 211, 215
New Britain: K/3/5 assignment to, 128, 153–81
MacArthur visit to, 181. See also Cape Gloucester
New Caledonia, 56, 93, 129, 131, 276
New River, North Carolina; McEnery field training at, 15, 41, 42, 142
Ngesebus; Battle for, 237–44, 245
Nimitz, Chester, 180–81, 232
nurses, Red Cross, 272–73
Okinawa, 231, 244, 283–84
O’Neil, Tom, 169–71
164th Infantry Regiment, Americal Division, 109–13, 115, 116, 117
182nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, 129
Opecek, Frankie, 249
Oro Bay (New Guinea); Seventh Marine Regiment at, 151
Pacific War: British in, 44
Guadalcanal as turning point in, 136
weapons and equipment for, 9. See also specific topic
Paine, Leland, 157, 160–61
Parris Island, South Carolina: McEnery in boot camp at, 35–37, 283
McEnery cruise to, 34
McEnery as drill instructor at, 281–83, 284
McEnery hopes for appointment as DI at, 275
Patch, Alexander, 135
Patterson, Lawrence V., 14, 86, 105, 121–22, 133–34
Pavuvu Island: changes on, 272–74
coconuts on, 193–94, 199
entertainment troupe at, 201
food/water on, 195–96
and Haldane commendation letter for McEnery, 204–5
K/3/5 rotation back to U.S. and, 270–75, 276
as Marine rest camp, 185–205, 224
Marine suicides on, 200
morale at, 191, 201
rats/land crabs on, 194–95, 199, 201
weather on, 187
Pearl Harbor: Battle of Tenaru River as payback for, 82
Japanese attack on, 10, 43
Short and Kimmel as scapegoats for, 291
Peleliu: airfield on, 210–12, 215–16, 217, 218, 228, 239
Army troops on, 228, 261, 265–66, 269
cemetery on, 268
death stench on, 247, 257
as First Marine Division objective, 186
food/water on, 212, 215, 257
importance of remembering, 291
Japanese infiltrators on, 218, 257–58, 265
Japanese strength on, 236, 269
Japanese surrender on, 236
K/3/5 departure from, 270–71
last duty assignment on, 268
MacArthur role in battle for, 232, 290
maps of, 225, 246
Marine casualties/wounded on, 268
Marine landing on, 206, 207–10
most tragic day and, 262–64
Orange Beach on, 207
as pointless battle, 232–33
Rupertus comments about, 206, 256
Sniper Alley on, 225, 236
supplies/equipment on, 215
tanks on, 209–10, 212–13, 229–30, 253, 258, 260–61, 265
Umurbrogol Pocket/Bloody Nose Ridge battles on, 216–18, 225, 235–37, 246–66, 269
as uniquely horrible and worst time of McEnery’s life, 231–32, 235
weather on, 212, 247. See also Ngesebus
Philippines, 43, 290
photograph: of 3/5, 268
of K/3/5, 267–68, 286
platoon leaders: as tough job, 114, 174. See also specific person
Point Cruz (Guadalcanal), 49, 118
Pollock, Edwin, 80, 81
Pope, Everett, 220–22, 251
post-traumatic stress syndrome, 275
Pratt, Malcolm, 64
prisoners of war: at Battle of Tenaru River, 83
Bushido and, 72
Japanese as, 51, 83
at Singapore, 72
Prohibition, 23, 29
Puller, Lewis B. “Chesty,” 107–8, 115–16, 211, 218–20, 222, 247, 256, 258
Quantico, Virginia; McEnergy assignment at, 40–42
Rabaul; Japanese base at, 78, 103, 153, 181
rats; on Pavuvu, 194–95, 199, 206
Red Cross nurses, 272–73
Resurrection Catholic Church (Brooklyn, New York), 28
Rice, Lyman, 254
Rickenbacker, Eddie, 101
rifle incident: bolt problem, 36–37, 89–90
booby-trapped, 176
Rigney, Tom, 241
Rivers, John, 82
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 44, 138, 232, 290–91
Rottinghaus, Ray, 255
Royal Life Saving Society, 148
Rupertus, William, 148, 150, 156, 173, 183, 204, 206, 211, 256–57
Rutgers University, 288
Samoa, 18, 42, 43
San Diego, California; McEnery in, 279
San Francisco, California; McEnery in, 277–79
Santa Cruz Island, 49, 129
Saunders, Captain, 40
Savo Island, 52–56, 91
Schantunbach, Norman “Dutch,” 8, 170–71
Schmid, Al, 82
Scott, Raymond, 88
Seabees, 187, 228, 273
Sealark Channel: Japanese air raids on U.S. ships in, 13–14, 48, 52–55. See also Iron Bottom Sound
Second Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (2/5), 5, 94, 104, 105–6, 117–18, 154, 173, 213, 248, 262
Second Battalion, First Marine Regiment (2/1), 4, 48, 80–84, 216
Second Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment (2/7), 105, 107, 155–56, 251
Second Marine Division, 133, 135, 147
Second Marine Raider Battalion, 135
Second Marine Regiment, 18, 104, 276
Selden, John T., 147, 177, 179, 204
17th Army, Japanese, 79, 84, 117
Seventh Marine Regiment: in Australia, 145–46
Balduck with, 42, 43, 100, 145–46
at Cape Gloucester, 153, 157
casualties of, 256
evacuation from Peleliu of, 256
Matanikau River battles and, 104, 107, 115, 117
at Oro Bay (New Guinea), 151
on Peleliu, 208, 210, 211, 222, 224, 236, 246, 256–57, 261
as reinforcements on Guadalcanal, 99, 100
Rupertus briefing to, 206
in Samoa, 42, 43
as split off from Fifth Marine Regiment, 43. See also specific battalion
Shanley, James V. “Jamo,” 255–56
Shea, John, 82
Shepherd, Earl, 265
Shepherd, Lemuel, 168
Shifla, Donald, 268
Shofner, Austin “Shifty,” 214
Short, Walter, 291
Silver Star, 133, 167, 169, 199
Singapore, 44, 72
singing: on Armistice Day, 24
Guadalcanal landing and, 8, 171
by Jones, 183–84
Sixth Army, U.S., 150–51, 153
Sixth Marine Regiment, 43
Skocczylas, Joseph, 168
Sledge, Eugene B., 192–93, 196–97, 218, 261, 271, 287
Smith, Charlie, 18–19, 33, 34, 36–37, 38, 41, 172, 202, 276
Smith, John L., 101, 102
Smith, Oliver, 291
Sniper Alley (Peleliu), 225, 236
Snodgrass, Jimmy, 104
Somerville, Charles “Slim,” 121, 124, 157, 201, 286
Spaulding, Joseph A., 69
Spiece, Harry, 264, 265
sports; McEnery’s interest in, 26–27, 40, 148
Spurlock, Lyman, 75–76
SS America (ship), 141
SS B.F. Shaw (ship), 151
SS Manhattan (ship), 44
SS Sea Runner (ship), 270–72
Stanley, Thomas “Stumpy,” 263, 264, 265, 268
Stassen, Harold, 232–33
Stay, Walter, 243
Stuart, Jeb, 213
Student, Emil, 106
Suicide Creek (Cape Gloucester), 159–60, 161, 163, 166–68, 171
Sullivan, Jerry, 208–9
supplies/equipment: Battle of Edson’s Ridge and, 96
at Cape Gloucester, 156, 174
Goettge patrol and, 64
for Guadalcanal, 8–9, 13–14, 16, 17, 19, 43, 48, 50, 56, 57–58, 64, 85, 96, 99, 116, 129, 130
Japanese air raids on U.S. ships and, 13–14, 48, 85, 130
for K/3/5, 139, 149
K/3/5 recon patrol and, 50
on Peleliu, 215
Savo Islan
d battle and, 54, 56
on Tulugi Island, 56
U.S. capture of Japanese, 51, 91
World War I leftover, 43
surrender story; Goettge patrol and, 63–69
Talasea (Cape Gloucester), Battle of, 180
Tanambogo Island, 5
tanks: at Cape Gloucester, 155, 167
at Guadalcanal, 83, 99
on Ngesebus, 241–42
on Peleliu, 209–10, 212–13, 229–30, 253, 258, 260–61, 265. See also amphibious tractors
Tarawa, 276
Task Force 62 (U.S. Navy), 6
Tenaru River (Guadalcanal): Battle of the, 74, 79–84, 98
importance of, 74
landing of Marines on Guadalcanal and, 5
map of Guadalcanal beachhead and, 49
Teskevich, John: Banika assignment of, 202, 203
at Cape Gloucester, 202, 203–4
death of, 230–31, 236, 248, 253, 259
grave of, 268
on Guadalcanal, 121, 125
mustache of, 203–4
on Peleliu, 216, 226–27, 228–29, 230–31
personality of, 121
twenty-four month rule and, 204, 270
The Old Breed (McMillan), 56, 98, 108, 180, 200, 222
III Amphibious Corps, U.S., 186, 256
Third Battalion, Eleventh Marine Regiment (3/11), 83
Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment (3/5): in Afghanistan, 286
Battle of Edson’s Ridge and, 94, 97
at Cape Gloucester, 163, 167, 168, 173, 180
first assignment on Guadalcanal of, 4–6
first night on Guadalcanal of, 15–16
Goettge patrol and, 65
Guadalcanal landing of, 4
Gustafson as commander of, 237
Matanikau River battles and, 75, 104, 105–6, 117, 118, 119
on Ngesebus, 237–44, 245
at Oro Bay, 154
on Peleliu, 209, 214, 227, 248, 262
photographs of, 268, 286
praise for, 245
rumors about Japanese capture of women and, 62
Savo Island Battle and, 52
supplies/equipment and, 57, 60
Third Battalion, First Marine Regiment (3/1), 4, 115, 155, 220
Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment (3/7), 154, 163, 167, 216, 255–56
Third Marine Division, 185
Thomas, Patty, 201
Thompson, Norm, 170, 171
321st Regiment, 81st Infantry Division, U.S. Army, 228, 266
Tokyo; U.S. bombings of, 10, 129
tommy gun: McEnery’s finding and use of, 240–41, 242–43, 244
McEnery’s training in use of, 41–42
Torgerson, Harry, 96
train trip, McEnery’s San Diego—Brooklyn, 279–80
Tregaskis, Richard, 83
trench foot, 157
Truk; as Japanese base, 78, 79
Truman, Harry, 283
Tulagi Island, 5, 9, 45, 56, 93
Tunney, Gene, 40
Turner, Richmond K., 53–54, 55–56
Tweedie, Dick, 104
twenty-four month rule, 204, 270
