Tom Brokaw recounts in his superb book, The Greatest Generation, a story his mother told him of the day Gordon Larsen came into the post office where she worked. Larsen was usually a genial and popular member of their community, but that day he had stopped in to complain about the rowdiness of the teenagers on Halloween the night before.
Brokaw’s mother was surprised at his tone and asked him in good humor, “Oh Gordon, what were you doing when you were 17?”
Gordon had looked at her squarely in the eye and replied, “I was landing at Guadalcanal.” He then turned and left the post office.
How many men and women, who walk among us, now in their eighties and nineties, can say “I was at Normandy” or “I was in the first wave at Iwo Jima”? Brokaw’s book has helped us to recognize the valor and sacrifice of these veterans of a war unlike any previous war or any since.
It was a generation united by a common purpose and also by common values – duty, honor, economy, courage, service, love of family and country, and, above all, responsibility for oneself.
In this issue we salute all of these valiant warriors with the abbreviated recollection of a few.
Wilfrid Urban, 6th Marine Regiment
In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Wilfrid (Bill) Urban joined the Marines immediately following high school graduation. Boot camp was a challenge for the boy who had never been away from his Wyoming home.“It didn’t take me long to realize that I wasn’t on any picnic.” One memorable reprimand was an order to “fill my pockets full of sand and sew them closed and then walk all day on guard duty in 100-plus-degree heat because I had disobeyed an order… to keep my hands out of my pockets.”
After several weeks of intensified combat training, he shipped overseas on October 20, 1943.
On Jan. 1, 1943, Urban’s unit landed on Guadalcanal, following the Marine invasion of the island the previous August. “Guadalcanal was not a pleasant sight. We were greeted by a sad-looking ragged bunch of Marines that had been through hell. The smell of death greeted you when you arrived onshore with enemy corpses scattered all over. They had not had time to even bury the enemy. Our job was to make the final push and eliminate the remaining enemy and secure the island.
“Monsoon season was in full force, and foxholes were full of water. We would try to sleep with mosquito nets pulled down over our helmets to keep the land crabs and mosquitoes off our face. On the first night, I believe I fired my rifle at every leaf and branch that moved.”
One evening, he watched two fighter planes shoot down two Japanese Zeros in a dogfight. While watching, however, “five or six low-flying Mitsubishi Bombers snuck in and scattered their bombs. Fortunately, we didn’t experience many casualties, but I did need to change my skivvies after the attack.”
In Guadalcanal, everyone in Urban’s outfit had bouts of dysentery and fungus; many came down with malaria and had to be hospitalized or shipped out. When Guadalcanal was considered secure February 9, 1943, they were ordered back to New Zealand for added training and a chance to regain their physical well-being. But malaria struck: “I managed to have three attacks of malaria and spent a couple of weeks in the hospital.”
On leave in the small town of Napier, Urban and several other Marines were waiting for a taxi to take them to a hotel when a woman invited them to stay in her home.“This lovely lady opened her home to us and fed us whatever we wanted and even threw a party for us the last night. God’s love certainly directed us to the right place and time many years ago.”
Urban spent much of spring training in Hawaii in 1944. American production genius had finally produced vast fleets to carry the war to the enemy. “Our attack force consisted of large and small aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and troop-carrying ships. The ocean was covered with over 200 ships as far as you could see.”
On D-Day in Saipan, his regiment was in the first wave. After 25 days the island was declared secured, and Urban’s division prepared for a first-wave evening landing on Tinian Island, three miles south of Saipan.
Wilfrid Urban’s Autobiography
Family: Wife-Donna; Daughters-Colette & Julie & Son-in-Law Roger Lilak; Stepchildren-Raymond & Dee Manieri; Sisters-Rene Nelson & Jean Shaver; Sister-in-Law-Charlene Urban
Service Time WWII:
Entered: June 2, 1942 Discharged: October 6, 1945
Military Unit: 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Headquarters Co. 81mm Mortar
Where Served:
Asiatic-Pacific Area 20 October 1942 to 24 November 1944: Participated in action against the enemy on Guadalcanal, B.S.I. 4 January to 19 February 1943; Tarawa B.G.I. 20 Nov. to 28 November 1943; Saipan, Marianas Is. 15 June 1944 to 9 July 1944; Tinian, Marianas Is. 25 July 1944 to 1 August 1944.
Highest Rank: PFC (Recommended for promotion to Corporal August 30, 1945)
Decorations: Victory Medal World War II; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 Stars; Presidential Unit Citation with 1 Star Ribbon Bar awarded the 2nd Marine Division for Tarawa; U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Honorable Discharged Lapel Button; Sharpshooter Medal
Special Experiences:
My journey with the Marine Corps started shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor when the Marine Recruiter came to town. Two classmates and I wanted to enlist and do our part to defend our country. Unfortunately, I was the only one that could meet the physical requirements at that time. I informed the Marine Recruiter that I could enlist only after I completed High School on May 30, 1942. He agreed and I was to report for duty on June 2nd in Denver Colorado and board a train for the Marine Boot Camp located in San Diego California. I was 17 years old at the time and would turn 18 on September 6. 1942. My father had recently been selected to serve on the Selective Service Board for the county and I knew it would be less of a problem for him if I enlisted. My father also received special recognition at the Ft.Warren Base in Cheyenne Wyoming. He was selected to represent the Sinclair Refinery Workers, of Sinclair, Wyoming. The workers were responsible for supplying much of the needed fuels for the planes and mechanized divisions in the war effort.
Much of the information about our outfit is documented in the wartime novel Battle Cry by Leon Uris, who served with the Radio Unit attached to our company. I didn’t know him personally and was surprised when I read his book that told about all of our war time adventures in the South Pacific. I probably saw him several times in the chow line and may even have talked with him on some occasions. I understand he was wounded in our last battle on Tinian Island in the Pacific.
Boot Camp was a real challenge for a boy that had never been away from home before. It didn’t take me long to realize that I wasn’t on any picnic. The Drill Instructor took great pleasure in making each recruit’s life as miserable as is humanly possible. I remember on one occasion that I had to fill my pants’ pockets full of sand, and sew them closed, then walk all day long on guard duty in 100+ degree heat, because I had disobeyed an order….to not keep my hands in my pockets. I learned my lesson early on, that a Marine must obey all orders, no matter what!
Boot Camp was fourteen weeks in duration and the last week was on the rifle range. I qualified as Sharpshooter with a 1903 WWI Springfield 30 caliber rifle. I just missed making expert rifleman by one point. I did receive a $3.00 monthly raise as Sharpshooter.
After Boot Camp we were moved to Camp Eliot, a short distance outside San Diego, where we received several weeks of intensified combat training. On October 20, 1942 about 20 weeks after enlisting we found ourselves boarding the ship Spooner Bobo bound for somewhere in the Pacific. Spooner was a code name for the destination, and Bobo code name for the ship. We were aboard ship on a zig-sag course for an unforgettable 21 days of pure misery. Our food, which consisted mostly of canned beans, spam, hard boiled eggs, powdered potatoes and milk, didn’t vary much from day to day. Below deck sleeping quarters were in canvas bunks stacked 6 or 7 high with barely enough room to crawl in. If you turned over you would bump into and disturb the man above. The ventilation system below deck was stifling, with several hundred bodies and very little aisle space. Showers had to be taken using salt water and the commodes were long half circle metal troughs with about six seats each, with salt water entering inboard and exiting over the ship side. You can imagine what happens in rough weather when the ship is rolling from side to side. These conditions created a lot of tension between the guys, so the officers brought out boxing gloves and let them settle their frustrations in the ring. You never saw a happier bunch of men when we sighted land and it turned out to be New Zealand. Unfortunately we only stayed about eight weeks in New Zealand before boarding ship once again. We discovered our final destination to be Guadalcanal, arriving on January 1, 1943.
Guadalcanal was not a pleasant sight to behold. We were greeted by a sad-looking ragged bunch of Marines that had been through hell on that island. They were ready to catch the first ship out of there, and you couldn’t blame them! The smell of death greeted you when you arrived on shore, with dead enemy corpses scattered all over. They had not had time to even bury the enemy. Of course the flies and mosquitoes were so bad that it was impossible to keep them out of our food.
Our job was to make the final push to eliminate the remaining enemy and secure the island. The monsoon season was in full force and foxholes were full of water. We would try to sleep with mosquitoes nets pulled down tight over our helmets to keep the land crabs and mosquitoes off our faces. On the ‘Canal, I was assigned to a rifle company. On the front lines the first night I believe I fired my rifle at every leaf and branch that moved. We would spend a week or two on the front and then a week in the rear area. We ate World War1 cans of C-rations on the front lines and occasionally a hot meal of spam, wieners, and beans in the rear area. I also participated in a couple patrols trying to locate enemy camps and movements. I did get to see the results of the first time use of a flame thrower in the war against an enemy bunker. It wasn’t a pleasant sight but very effective, and it enabled us to move our lines forward. Every night about midnight the Japanese would send a lone bomber we called ‘Washing Machine Charlie’ which would drop some good-sized bombs in our areas. It made for some lost sleep and very nervous nights. At night, we also had to put up with ‘Pistol Pete’, which consisted of five artillery guns firing 108mm shells into our locations. One evening we got to watch our fighter planes in a dog-fight with some Japanese Zeros. We watched them shoot down two Jap Zeros and chase the rest off. However, while they were doing that, 5 or 6 low-flying Mitsubishi Bombers snuck in and scattered their bombs in our area. Fortunately, we didn’t experience many casualties but I did need to change my skivvies after the attack.
I never heard of anyone in our outfit that did not have several bouts of dysentery and fungus while on the ‘Canal. Of course many men came down with Malaria and had to be hospitalized or shipped out. I, for one, didn’t have malaria until we arrived back in New Zealand. On February 9, 1943 Guadalcanal was considered secure and we boarded ship once again on February 19th for New Zealand a little more than six weeks after arrival. Leaving the ‘Canal was indeed a very happy day for all hands!!
Once back in New Zealand, we began to work out and try to regain physical fitness over the malaria bug. I managed to have three attacks of Malaria and one time spent a couple weeks in the hospital. When we did recover, we each received a 10 day liberty pass. I spent mine with two other buddies. We hitchhiked north of camp to a small town called Napier near Hawks Bay. We arrived there late in the day. While waiting for a taxi to take us to a hotel, we met a nice lady, who invited us to stay in her home. I believe she ran a restaurant or cafeteria and had one daughter about our ages. The daughter had a girlfriend that worked in a dentist office, that I enjoyed knowing and dating. Anyway, this lovely lady opened her home to us and fed us whatever we wanted and even threw a party for us on our last night there. I shall never forget how nice those people were. The lady would not let us pay for a thing. Her hospitality meant so much to us at that period in life. I have since lost her name and address but I will never forget her. God’s love certainly directed us to the right place and time many years ago!!
Once we returned from our liberty pass we found out that we had been transferred to headquarters company to join an 81mm mortar squad. The training picked up with field maneuvers every day and long forced marches around the beautiful New Zealand countryside. We were issued new carbine rifles to replace our WW1 Springfield rifles. We received weekend liberty passes occasionally and could catch the train for the 35 mile ride to Wellington New Zealand. Having a chance to talk and dance with the local girls, what a nice relief from camp life.
Training continued until Nov. 1943, when we once again boarded ship for assault on another island. It was a sad farewell to a land we all had grown to love. We discovered on D-day Nov. 20, 1943 that Tarawa Atoll was the target. We were scheduled to be in the first wave, but on the morning of the attack we found out that we were to be held in reserve. I cannot help but believe that if not for that one order I would not be here to write this story. It was reported that 1,000 brave Marines lost their lives on that first day, wading some 900 yards in shoulder high water against massive artillery, mortar and machine gun fire from the enemy hidden in heavily fortified concrete bunkers on shore. The tides were unusually low that morning and the coral reefs would not permit the landing crafts to continue to the beaches, so the men had to climb out and wade in loaded down with their full packs and equipment. It was a dreadful situation, yet some men did make it to the seawall and fought on against heavy enemy fire from big concrete blockhouses and several small machine gun nests. On the second day our Regiment was ordered to the adjacent island of Bairiki to block any enemy attempt to escape from the main island. Our landing was met with very little resistance and we set up our combat positions in case of any attack. I believe that evening we listened to Tokyo Rose on a jeep radio telling us how we were all going to die on Tarawa. However, we did enjoy the Big Band music that she played. On the morning of the third day we were taken back to main island of Betio to participate in the final push to secure the island. That day I could not believe my eyes…there were literally hundreds of Marine bodies on the beach and floating in the surf where they were so tightly packed that it was impossible to get an accurate count of the dead. The sight brought tears to my eyes and made me feel guilty to be among the survivors. I am still haunted today by that sight!
Now that the main island of Betio was secured, our Regiment was taken back on the fourth day to the island of Bairiki. It was going to be our job to track down and eliminate the remaining enemy on the Tarawa Atoll. The Atoll consisted of a string of about six small islands some forty miles long separated by water, that depending on the tides, was about one to four feet deep. The hiking time took two days, before we came in contact with the enemy on the last island. The main action took place on the next day. The enemy had taken time to set up their defenses very well and took full advantage of the jungle terrain making themselves invisible in the trees and behind natural cover on the ground. It took our Regiment all day to dig out and kill all 175 enemy troops, and we lost 32 men. Our Mortar squad was unable to set up and use our mortars in this jungle terrain. Therefore, we were selected to handle the burial of our fallen men the next day. This was a very unpleasant task. The natives helped dig the temporary graves but would not touch the remains, so we had to wrap the remains in a poncho and remove one of the dog tags before burial. The smell of death was so strong we could only stand the job for a 15-20 minute period. It does not take long in 120 degree equator heat for a human body to decompose. That was one job I never want to experience again.
Our Company stayed on the Tarawa Atoll for the remainder of the year. Early in year 1944 we rejoined the rest of the Sixth Regiment on the big island of Hawaii. We docked at Hilo and moved by truck over the roughest terrain imaginable. We traveled 65 miles to Camp Tarawa near the village of Kamuela at the base of the Mauna Kea volcano. I blame the truck ride for the emergency appendectomy I had a short time later. I spent one full month in the hospital on doctor’s orders. He did not want me crawling around in the volcano ash and having the incision become infected. Shortly after my release from the hospital I found out that my Brother Don was stationed on the island with a Navy dive-bomber squadron. I managed to secure liberty and got to spend a day with him in Hilo. That was a memorable reunion since I had not seen him in over two years. We downed a few beers and had our picture taken together. I found out later that he was selected for V12 officers training and sent back to the Sates. Don, received his commission as ensign at the University of Oklahoma in 1946 and served aboard the U.S.S. Beatty as a supply officer.
During the first five months of the year we received replacement troops and started intensive training for our third campaign against an enemy held island. We had landing practice aboard a new type LST troop ship. It could unload several troop-carrying amphibious tractors via a ramp located in the ships bow, thus eliminating the swaying rope cargo nets that we had to use before getting into landing craft. I remember one evening off the coast of Hawaii my best friend ‘Dale Shaver’ and I were sound asleep in a smaller LCT troop ship that was chained to the deck of the LST when we were ordered to get out of the smaller ship at once. The seas were very rough that evening and three LCT’s had already slipped their chains and been washed overboard, capsizing and trapping 30 Marines. I never heard of any survivors. In his haste my friend Dale slipped and broke his arm and had to be evacuated to a Pearl Harbor hospital. I thought at the time that it would be the last I would see of my buddy.
It was not long after that when we were back in Pearl Harbor that 6 LST ships blew up and burned. I understand there were 25 Marine casualties in that accident. The men and ships had to be replaced quickly and in 6 days we left Pearl Harbor on our way to the next assault landing. That turned out to be Saipan in the Marianas. Unfortunately in wartime it seems there are accidents that delay the best laid plans but somehow we manage to overcome them and continue on.
The morning of May 25, 1944 we left Pearl Harbor. Our attack force consisted of several large aircraft carriers, small aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and many troop carrying ships. It was an amazing scene. The ocean was covered with over 200 ships as far as you could see. D-Day was scheduled for June 15th and our Regiment received briefing that we were to be in the first wave. Our landing area was on the extreme left where we could expect the largest concentration of enemy troops. Armored Amphibian Tanks would precede us on the landing. Reveille came early on the 15th. Thinking back, I can remember not getting much sleep that night. My thoughts were mainly back with my family in Wyoming. Also the picture of those many dead Marines in the Tarawa landing would flash through my mind. We boarded the amphibious tractors with our equipment prior to the opening of the front launching ramp on the LST. We were encouraged by the fact that our tractors were equipped to climb over any coral reefs and get us onto the beach. As a member of our 81mm mortar crew it was my job to secure the 45-lb base plate on this landing. The mortar consisted of four basic parts; the sight, the barrel. the bipod, and the base plate. All crew members were trained to handle all parts. On our way to the beach the men were quietly engaged in their own prayers while double checking their rifles. For me it was a moment of remembering prior landings and of being aware of what we could be facing when we hit the beach. It was a scary picture, like a bad dream. I can remember repeating to myself ‘GOD IS LOVE’. The closer we got to the beach the louder the artillery and mortar fire and the greater the desire to get away from our landing craft. I think our landing craft pilot was just as anxious to get rid of his passengers and away from the shelling, because he stopped short of the beach. As soon as he stopped, I heaved the base plate over the side and grabbed my rifle and dropped over the side, landing in about two feet of water. I searched frantically in the water for a couple minutes but could not locate the base plate. There was a lot of shouting to get on the beach. The landing craft had already pulled out, so I made a run for the sea wall. We encountered heavy shelling for awhile that prevented any advancement. Finally, when there was a break in the shelling, I made a dash for the water to try to locate the missing base plate. Fortunately, after about three minutes my efforts were rewarded. I found the base plate and made it back to the sea wall safely. I am glad that I made that second effort because that night we fired our mortar all night long against the enemy counterattack. Our 2nd Battalion encountered stiff resistance and suffered 50 percent losses on the first day and night. I remember helping to carry a good friend of mine that had been injured in the groin by enemy artillery back to the beach to be evacuated. Also within the first ten hours of battle our battalion had three Commanders injured and replaced. That first night around 3:00 a.m., a Japanese bugler sounded a final charge to break through our lines. They came in waves with shouts of ‘banzai’ and waving of flags and swords. Our front lines were ready for the attack, and when aided by flares fired by the Navy, we were able to stop the attack by putting down a deadly fire of machine guns, rifles, mortars, and tanks. At dawn the field in front of our lines was strewn with more than 700 enemy dead. Because of our losses in personnel in the first 24 hours, our Battalion saw little action during the rest of the battle. On July 10th after 25 days of battle the island of Saipan was officially declared secure.
We then moved to a bivouac area where we could sleep in tents and get a hot meal and a shower. However, there was little time for rest. New Marine replacements from the States had to be trained and squads had to be reorganized for military preparedness. Equipment had to be replaced or repaired and new clothing had to be issued. This was all done quickly because our next encounter with the enemy was only 15 days after the island of Saipan was declared secured.
The campaign for Tinian island located three miles south of Saipan was scheduled for July 25, 1944. The 4th Marine Division was to land in the morning and advance down the right half of the island. Our 2nd Marine Division would land in the evening and advance down the left half of the island. The attack went smoothly with light resistance from the enemy. By the 29th of July we had already captured two-thirds of the island. Tinian was only eleven miles long by five miles wide with rather mild terrain. The enemy didn’t start to counterattack until the evening of August 1st and then suffered such heavy losses that the island was declared secure that evening. However, before dawn on the morning of August 2nd our headquarters company became engaged in a fierce battle with about 150 of the enemy that either had been bypassed or had infiltrated our forward lines. We bivouacked that evening on a plateau area of land with a dense forest on one side. Since the island had already been declared secure earlier we didn’t expect any trouble and dug rather shallow foxholes. That turned out to be a big mistake! I had guard duty from 11 p.m. till 1 a.m. and all was peaceful. I crawled into my foxhole where my buddy was already asleep and I dozed off. It was still dark when we were abruptly awakened with loud cries of ‘Banzai’ and ‘You Die Malinee’. The enemy had moved up during the night into the wooded area about 100 feet from our foxholes. My Buddy and I had not been alerted before the first attack came but fortunately several other men in our area had been alerted and were able to stop the first attack. The Japanese force had several light machine guns and they were able to keep us pinned down in our shallow holes. It meant instant death if you raised your head to return fire. We were only lightly equipped with carbine rifles and maybe two pistols. The enemy guns kept us in our holes a good hour before dawn. At that time a Sherman Tank with a group of riflemen from F Company moved up and silenced the machine guns and scattered the remaining enemy. So we were then able to get out of our holes and care for our injured. I never did hear how many casualties we had that morning but it was several, and our Lt Colonel was killed in the battle. There were about 100 enemy dead laying around. We departed from Tinian on August 7th and returned to a base camp on the island of Saipan. Tinian island was the perfect location with long runways for bomber flights to the Japanese mainland. Little did we realize at the time that the Enola Gay bomber would be flying off of this very same island in twelve months with it’s deadly cargo bound for Japan.
Returning to our base camp on Saipan, we enjoyed hot meals again and the luxury of showers. Days were spent cleaning our clothes and gear once again. In the evening sometimes viewing a movie or if lucky watching a USO show. Training picked up again, and we would take 3 day patrols searching for enemy holdouts in caves on Mt. Topotchau. One morning I discovered an unarmed Japanese woman wandering around. I escorted her back to camp and sent for a Jeep to take her to the internment camp on the island. Early September I came down with a bad case of dengue fever, and spent two weeks in our camp hospital. It was much worse than any malaria attack with temperatures as high as 105 degrees. My bones ached all over with such excruciating pain that I wasn’t sure I would make it. I did recover and got back to my outfit, where I was surprised to see my old buddy, Dale Shaver, who had broken his arm aboard ship back in May before we left Hawaii. I was sure happy to see him again. After three months the Marine Corps had returned him to his old unit. To make the reunion complete we got to spend the rest of our time in the Marines together. In early November 1944, we received the good news that our two year tour of overseas duty had caught up with us and we were being rotated back to the States. It was a special time to realize that we would be seeing our loved ones once again, and we would be leaving the horror of war behind for a time, if not forever. As it turned out my friend and I spent our remaining service time at a Naval base located in Farragut, Idaho. After the war my friend Dale came to Wyoming for a visit and fell in love , and married my younger sister Jean. So we even became closer friends and brothers in the end. My term of service was for the duration of the war and I was discharged on October 6, 1945.
I have nothing but the greatest respect and proud memories of the men I served with in the Marine Corps. No matter how bad the battle conditions became they never gave up and would sacrifice their lives in stopping the enemy. It was certainly their bravery that saved those of us who did survive. The enemy was certainly no match for the Marines once they got a toehold on the ground. Words are impossible to express my gratitude and praise for their great sacrifice. I still think about them frequently and will never forget what they did to safeguard our freedom.
After serving in the Marines, I went to work for a short time with Sinclair Oil Refinery in my hometown of Sinclair Wyoming. I then decided to take advantage of the GI Bill and study business at the University of Wyoming starting in early January 1946, while working part-time at the refinery in the summer. This arrangement was successful and I received my BS Degree in Business in August 1949. I used the GI Bill again in 1955 to purchase my first home. After the University, I worked for a time in Denver, Colorado. Alpena, Michigan, Albemarle, North Carolina. Then for 26 years I held the position of Purchasing Manager with Beaman Corporation a manufacture and erector of prefabricated commercial buildings in Greensboro, NC. I retired from that position on January 1, 1990. Since June 1992 I have driven part-time (3 days a week) for National Car Rental / Alamo and most recently with Enterprise Rent-a-Car. In my leisure time, I have enjoyed playing golf, gardening, ballroom dancing and travel.
I have recently been notified that I will be joining the Triad Flight of Honor that will be flying to Washington D.C. on April 16, 2011, to visit the World War II Memorial. I would like at to thank all those who have contributed their time and money to that make these flights possible. This is the highest tribute I have ever received for serving in WWII, and I am indeed most grateful. Thank you once again!
In closing, I would like to recognize my daughters’ grandfather, Judge Walter I McKenzie, who served during WW1 with the U.S. Polar Bear Expeditionary Forces in Northern Russia north of the arctic circle, and who also served on the International Military Tribunal in Japan after WWII covering the Japanese War Crimes Trials.