Marine Corps History Preservation

18/02/2024

26/02/2023

LEWIS ROWE

This the helmet, P44 shirt & pants that belonged to Lewis Rowe, 2nd Mar Div Scout/Sniper platoon. His helmet is painted beach sand brown under the camo cover. His liner is really cool too, with a custom paint job. When out "hunting" sometimes he just wore the liner, since the entire helmet got heavy on your neck if you were just laying/sitting somewhere still for long periods of time. His camo cover is his second one, which he wore on Okinawa, while attached to the 1st Mar Div. His first one was trashed after Saipan/Tinian. The grouping came from a guy that grew up with Lewis as his neighbor and comes with a ton of occupation pics and a bracelet made from Japanese airplane aluminum.

26/02/2023

ROBERT POUNDER

Robert was with the Scout/Sniper Platoon, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division.

This is his helmet and very worn P44. He was on Namur, Sapian, Tinian, and assigned to scout/sniper platoon on Iwo Jima. There looks to be Iwo sand still in the shell!

He wrote a 14 page booklet about his time in the Marine Corps during WWII. Pages 1 - 3 cover his training, his time on Namur, Sapian/Tinian, and Maui/ joining the Scout/Sniper Platoon. Pages 4 - 14 are all about Iwo Jima.

The Bob Pounder group consists of:

- His well worn/dirty camo helmet, which was worn on Namur, Sapian, Tinian, and Iwo Jima.
- His P44 very worn, holes, tears, and paint droplets camo jacket worn on Iwo Jima.
- Two 4th Marine Division patches.
- Bob's 14 page booklet about his time in the Marine Corps during WWII.

Bob goes into good detail about the Marines he served with and detailed experiences on Iwo Jima.

26/02/2023

Adolph P Guzik

Guzik’s helmet is a recent addition. Coincidentally, about a month later, a fellow collector posted a pic of an alpha jacket named to Guzik from his collection.

The helmet & liner are the ones he was issued for Saipan, as the other one was damaged when he was shot in the head on Kwajalein. The camo cover is the one he wore on Kwajalein when wounded and still has blood splatter on it. There are some period pics of Guzik posing with the original helmet that had the damage.

Below is from the fellow collectors narrative of Guzik’s service:

Born 1921 passed 1989
US Marine Corps Service number 502411
Enlisted 20th November 1942

Adolph Took basic training with the 10th recruit battalion at Paris Island South Carolina in early 1943. In April he was assigned to company E 2nd Battalion 24th Marines 4th Marine division. 1944 Adolph would sail on USS Elmore and arrive at the battle of Kwajalein as a BAR gunner MOS 746 automatic rifleman Adolph would receive his first Purple Heart in April for wounds received at Kwajalein. The same year he would participate in the battle of Saipan and Tinian where he was once wounded again by shrapnel to the head fighting against Japanese forces. This would be his last combat of the war. Adolph would jump around A little even sailing on the SS Europa as marine detachment to Germany,in 1945 till eventually being discharged in New York on October 22, 1945.

26/02/2023

Robert (Bob) C. Cheshier. A helmet from my collection that I’ve had for about 3 years. I took some new pics to share with the community. Below is a shameless copy of a post a previous owner of this helmet has posted on USMF of Cheshier’s service.

All 3 pieces of this helmet set are USMC Name stamped to the vet. Cover, shell and liner. Early Fixed Loop Shell with raised bar brass buckle, Liner Westinghouse with OD Green A washers and first pattern USMC cover, no slits and no EGA stamp.

The Marine:

PFC Robert C. Cheshier (went by Bob)

Born Jan 4th, 1926

Died July 16th, 2005

Home Town – Monticello, Arkansas

Enlisted in the Marine Corps June 4th 1942

Honorably Discharged – Nov 15th 1945

Combat Service; Guadalcanal, Saipan and Tinian

I have his entire Service record and if I’m following it correctly he served in the following units:
Co, F, 18th Marines, Camp Elliott
Co. F, 2nd Pioneer Bn. 18th Marines, 2ndMarine Div.
Co. C, 2nd Pioneer Bn. 2nd Mar. Div.
Co. E, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Div. FMF
Cas Co. 2nd Mar Div
Co. A. 1st Bn 2nd Marines, 2nd Mar Div.
HQ Co. 1st BN, 2nd Marines, 2nd Mar Div.
Then it appears after the battle of Tinian he was infected with malaria and a bad rash which sent him to Casual Co. and Navy hospitalseventually discharging him 15 Nov 1945.

PFC Cheshier Enlisted at 17 years old, at only 5’4” tall and from what I can tell, he was a bit of a hell raiser, with 3 disciplinary actions noted. One for striking an officer, One for leaving his post without being properly relieved (Stateside) and one for Awol, while at the Casualty Co.

He started out as Engineer in 1942, then re-designated a rifleman on 23 September 1943, then a supply clerk in March of 44.

26/02/2023

Richard C. Holden

US M1 Fixed Bale Helmet with Hawley Liner worn by Richard C Holden of HQ Company 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division during the Battle of Tarawa. He wore this while wading ashore at Red Beach 3. The white circle on the front of the helmet was a brand new practice at Tarawa. It signified being a part of a shore party. Regimental Headquarters, Navy, and Coast Guard personnel wore this painted insignia during the battle. The practice was also done at Eniwetok, but since it made an attractive target for snipers the practice ended in the Marshall Islands Campaign in 1944.

25/02/2023

William T Braddy, PFC

Braddy enlisted on January 27, 1942 at the age of 20. He was attached to Battery C, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division.

He fought on Guadalcanal from Sep 1942 to Jan 1943 and the onto Cape Gloucester from Dec 1943 to Apr1944. He was one of the lucky ones that was able to rotate back to the states in June 1944 before the 1st Marine Div went to Peleiu. He was married in Aug 1945 and discharged from service in Oct 1945.

His camo cover has his name stenciled on the side and would have been issued to him before he went to Cape Gloucester. It shows the kind of wear and tear that anyone familiar with this battle would expect. The helmet is a FB, FS that’s has a former owner’s name stenciled on a chin strap, J GILBERTSON. Through my limited research, I t’s possible that Braddy inherited Gilbertson’s helmet when Gilbertson left Company "D", First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division and went to the 2nd Marine Division in 1942. The liner is a (what I believe to be) a St Clair made one named to an Arnold H. Diaz, another Marine. I cannot find a connection to him & Braddy and it’s possible there isn’t one. It’s possible that the cover, helmet & liner have all been put together. I am unable to tell one way or the other with any certainty.

13/02/2023

This one is for those that like salty Marine camo covers. This is my ‘Frankenstein’ Marine Corp named helmet with each part named to a separate Marine. I had the parts sitting in my closet and realized today that I can put them together for a nice looking ‘named’ helmet.

Helmet - FS, FB named to Robert L. Riccelli. He was attached the Marine Fighter Attack Sqaudron 225 in the late 50’s. He stamped his name in the shell and on the chin strap.

Liner - Named to Richard S. Ekins. He joined the Marines in July 1945 and too late to see combat. He would be assigned to 6th Marines, 2nd MarDiv in ‘46 and H&S Battery, 1st MarDiv in ‘47,

Finally, my favorite, the Camo Cover - Foliage slit cover named to Richard J. Strepek a KW vet. He was in Supply Depot on Oct 1950, but was sent to Infantry training after the Battle of Inchon. He would then go to Korea and be assigned to E Battery of 11th Marines in 1957. The regiment would heavy action on the East Central Front in 1951 and was moved to the Western Front on March 1952.

13/02/2023

This grouping belonged to Francis T Gorzny. He was attached to the 13th Marines, 5th Mar Div. An artillery regiment that saw intense combat on Iwo Jima. The grouping has some incredible items: it includes his hand ’darkened’ P44 tunic, hand camouflaged & named upper pack, PAL USMC ‘K-Bar’, dog tags, UNIS stamped & named sea bag and a few other bits in the photos besides the Japanese flag. It’s just incredible that all these pieces have stayed together over the years.

13/02/2023

Here is a great grouping I acquired a year or two ago. The Marine enlisted in 1939 and was in the 2nd Marine Division. He was a Platoon Sgt and fought on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian. His helmet has his name stenciled in the early red paint on the beach side of his cover and on the interior of the shell. The liner is a later war one, maybe acquired before or after Saipan by him. The bag is an early war Marine depot made in 1942. The P42, although not named, has his laundry number on the collar on both the beach and jungle side. He is also quoted a couple of times in the book Hell’s Islands: The Untold Story of Guadalcanal. Overall, I couldn’t be happier and had to share with everyone. Excuse the terrible pics.

12/02/2023

This is my luckiest find ever, a USMC M1 Garand rifle documented through the Springfield Research Service(SRS). The Garand is a Springfield Armory(SA) manufacturer in the 1.618 serial number range, in the April 1943 range, with a Springfield 10/43 barrel. The rifle has the distinctive green tint parkerizing common with early 1943 SA rifles and is in all original, un-messed with ‘as-issued’ condition.

As mentioned, it is documented to be a WW2 Marine rifle through the SRS. For those not familiar with the SRS:

“Springfield Research Service was founded by Franklin Mallory, an ardent research specialist and author. Areas of interest to collectors are: The US MARTIAL ARMS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE & Springfield Research Newsletter; serial number letters for US Military weapons based on government documents.”

Andrew Stolinski with Archival Research Group is currently looking through the National Archives to find the original USMC documentation that had the rifle’s serial number.

The information shown in the SRS listing is as such:

091548USMC - UN DET PALESTINE

Further research into Marine detachments sent to Palestine revealed the following from a chronological history of the Marine Corps:

“PALESTINE-=-A provisional Marine Consular Guard was detached from the 21st Marines on
board the USS Kearsarge
General there.
(Log,
at Tripoli and sent to Jerusalem to protect the U. S. Consul
Ta Jun 1957, Globe, 2 Aug 1948)”

In 1948 the 21st Marines were actually the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Marine Division which were the 2nd Marine Regiment of WWII renamed in ‘46 or ‘47 as a result of post war reorganization.

The rifle’s serial number dates to 4/43 and the barrel dates to 10/43 (very common for receiver and barrel dates to be a few months off). Which would mean that this would have been a part of the batch of Garands needed to resupply the many 2nd Division replacements needed after the battle of Tarawa.

This rifle would have gone on to see heavy combat use in the Battle of Saipan, Tinian, and the feint played by the 2nd Marine Division in the Battle of Okinawa. As well as, to go and serve in post war duty including seeing service as a part of the detachment of Marines sent into Palestine in 1948.

There is no way to know how this piece ended up in escaping service in its original condition, but I am thankful that it did and excited to share with you.

12/02/2023

USMC M1 Garand O-66 Trophy Rifle with Papers. It’s in beautiful, unfired condition with the ‘A’ Albany arsenal rework cartouche in the wrist and still has remnants of the chalk used to number major parts with the last three digits of rifle sn. Comes with two pieces of the trophy documents.

12/02/2023

Salty WWII P41 fatigue jacket and trousers. The jacket and trousers are both stamped on the back
"H.A. Hardison" along with "4" and "11 B" which flank the stamp of an amtrac. There is also a "4" stamped on the left breast of the jacket. The set is attributed to Hubert A. Hardison, who enlisted in the Marines on March 3, 1942 and became a 2nd Lieutenant in Co. B, 10th
Amphibious Tractor Battalion (AMTRAC) 4th
Marine Division. The 10th AMTRAC Battalion served on Kwajalien, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. The 4 on the jacket and trousers most likely relates to the 4th Marine Division, and the B for Company B. He was attached to 10th AMTRAC Battalion for the invasion of Iwo, and transferred to the 11th in May 1945. CONDITION: The set only retains 3 of its original metal USMC buttons, 2 on the left sleeve and 1 on the right. The others are mismatched plastic buttons. The trousers retain all of their metal
USMC buttons but have repairs at the bottom of the legs. The jacket's USMC pocket stamp is barely visible. The set exhibits color fading and staining. This is a nice ID'D USMC fatigue set that definitely has a "been there" look.

29/01/2023

Donald W Zeidler

Zeidler enlisted in 1943 and was attached to the 6th Marine Division, HQ Battalion, HQ Company. He participated in the Invasion of Okinawa and was WIA on June 17, 1945 due to Combat Fatigue. His service file states:

Psychoneurosis, Hysteria/ On Account of: Error

This helmet and liner belonged to Zeidler, and has his name, address and serial number written in pencil on the liner. Liner also has ‘USMC’ written on the front, probably for his kids to play war with as the top of the liner has red clay like mud on the top.

I added the salty, well worn non-slit camo cover (known to be seen on Okinawa Marine helmets) to complete the helmet’s look.

22/01/2023

Francis M. Bates

I am the current caretaker of this beautiful and salty helmet. The cover helmet and liner are all named to an F. Bates. However, there is no indication as the his full first name. So, I did some amateur investigation work.

The F. Bates on the side of the camo cover is done in a stencil with serifs. The only Marine Division I have seen with that type of stencil is on 4th Div UNIS gear. So, based on that broad assumption, I searched all the F. Bates in Ancestry that were in the 4th Div during WWII and I found only three:

Francis M. Bates, 24th Marine, 3rd BN, I Co
Fred O. Bates, 24th Marines, 1st BN, HQ Co
Frederick F. Bates, 30th Replacement Draft.

All three saw action on Iwo Jima.

Francis M. Bates fought on Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. He was KIA on Iwo on March 2, 1945, and would be awarded posthumously the Bronze Star for pulling a wounded Marine to safety while under enemy fire.

In honor of Francis Bates’ ultimate sacrifice, I would like to think that this helmet belongs to him.

16/01/2023

This page is dedicated to the Marines of WWII by exhibiting items of combat gear identified to them that I have come across in my years of collecting Marine Corp history.