by Elizabeth Farina, MidlothianExchange.com

Nine World War II veterans’ voices mingled from the men sitting at the round table in the hospitality suite at the Koger Center in Midlothian on Wednesday, June 12.  Their gathering was similar to a family reunion, with grown children and young grandchildren, getting to know the extended family. The men, whose division has reunited at national conventions for the last 60 years, began meeting annually in each veteran’s hometown 26 years ago. Hanover native, now a Richmond resident, Robert Perrin, was veteran host for the L Company, 23rd Regiment, Fourth Marines Division who served in the Pacific over four major battles from Roi- Namur to Iwo Jima.

One hand reaches for a bowl of popcorn on the table as friendly advice is heard from a native New York accent, “If you want to know about Iwo Jima, watch the movie over there,” said veteran Anthony Firgione, who retired as sergeant.

Although the History Channel DVD was playing in the corner of the room, the nine men were the one’s who had first-hand memories of the 60-plus days of combat over 13 months from 1944 until 1945, including Iwo Jima. Each would share their battlefield stories, but at the moment, they were enjoying the present company.

The group made a quick road trip to the National Museum of the Marine Corps [WEB SITE: ]http://www.usmcmuseum.org/index.asp] in Quantico, Va., the previous day. The museum, easily accessed from I-95 at exit 150, offers free admission and parking. It offers an extensive history of the corps from its beginnings to the present. The World War II exhibit includes the flag from the famous photo at Iwo Jima.  “It’s really impressive,” Perrin said. “We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reunion time
Since 1982, the L Company began meeting outside of the division’s annual reunion. “I talked to our company commander,” Hampton said. “Other people outside the unit were given honorary certificates to join – we meet every year. That’s how close we are – we consider ourselves family.”

Some additions to the family include relatives of those in the company that were killed during the war. Anne Buvens Atkins’ father Lt. F. Buvens was killed on Iwo Jima when she was six months old. “She wanted to find someone who knew her father,” Hampton said.

Wright remembered Lt. Buvens. “I was in his platoon and remember the day he received a letter from his wife. He read to us about his daughter being born,” he said.

The company also welcomes Marine John Romano, whose brother, Joe was killed on Saipan. “His brother’s best buddy wrote a letter to the family … his name was Joe Gambino, a squad leader that was shot from behind,” Hampton said.

Gambino, a Marine who posthumously received the Navy Cross, was an assistant cook with the Company L platoon lost his life rescuing five men from the front line in crossfire of machine guns, according to the Department of the Navy.

John Romano added that the words from Gambino’s letter that are inscribed on a memorial bronze plaque dedicated to the L Company at Our Lady of Mount Caramel in Yonkers, N.Y.  “Gambino’s letter concluded that, ‘We believe in God, country, family and the Marine Corps and that made us one,’” Romano said.

The family of the late James Disney and the family of the late Sgt. Emmett Titshaw also attend the annual reunion. “It is good to get reacquainted with the people in the outfit and get acquainted with their family,” said veteran James Knighton. “We renew friendships and talk about things that happened.”

Jones, who was encouraged by Hampton to attend the reunions, feels the same. “Sometimes I feel guilty. Almost everyone in our company was roughed up…

“The Marine Corps gave me a lot of confidence. I had a lot of guilty feelings after the war … wondered why I was alive when a lot of good guys got killed. Then, the L Company started getting together. That’s the best thing that could have ever happened to me because, then, I realized we’re all in the same boat.”

“I’m very proud of the fact of my time with the Marine Corps and been in with these fine gentlemen I’m associated with right now. It’s really a part of my life that I think was really something,” Wilder said.

Hampton looks on as more folks gather for happy hour before the closing dinner banquet. He’s snapping as many photos as he can before next year’s reunion. “I’m real proud to have been in the Marine Corps,” Hampton said. “I’m really proud to have been in L Company.”

I think when we got into the area that simulated the boat, the shells and real battle of Iwo and things of that nature – it was very realistic. You could feel the vibration and the hear the sounds. I couldn’t say that it made it feel like you were home, but it made you feel like you were there again. It was a little rush,” said the 88-year old.

“When we went in, it seemed like we were going in again,” Joe Heafy, who was wounded in Iwo Jima, said.

Most of those attending joined the Marine Corps in 1942. Maj. Everette “Bud” Hampton, who continued his military career through Korea before retiring, recalled the units’ moments of firsts for the Corps. “The unit formed in 1942 at Camp Lejeune. In 1943, we went by troop train to Camp Pendleton and formed the division. In January, 1944, we shipped out of San Diego.

“We were the first unit that directly went into combat. We had three firsts: we were the first unit to go directly into combat from the United States; we were the first unit to capture their objective in the shortest period of time; and we were the first unit to capture Japanese mandated territory,” Hampton said.

“Maybe they should have called us the First Division,” said veteran Bob Casey with a wry smile.  For some, a sense of humor has been a saving grace for these men who experienced some of the bloodiest battles of modern warfare.  Sometimes company cook Francis Wilder, who joined the unit at Thanksgiving 1944, gets the brunt of most of the jokes. However, most agreed Wilder’s cooking was much better than the C-rations the men had in the field. 

“We went straight from the United States into combat. The C-rations were terrible,” said veteran Hue Jones.

Firgione added, “I remember the freshest food were the flies that were attracted to the C-rations. You couldn’t even take a spoonful without swallowing a fly…we had cold salt water showers to boot.”

Firgione remembers mornings where fellow soldiers would race to the showers to be the first in line to enjoy the cold mountain water warmed by the sun in a copper tank. Fellow marine veteran Hue Jones recalls only one hot shower and that was aboard ship.  But the Marines were not on the islands for vacation. They had their orders.

“In the war, we were not heroes, we just did what we thought – what we knew – we should be doing,” Casey said.

“Defend our country. Make a good future for our kids, and our wives, and everything. That’s what, if you want to call it a job, what we were supposed to do. We weren’t heroes and we didn’t think of ourselves as heroes. It is true we did heroic things, but we didn’t do it to be heroes. We did it because the occasion called for extra effort, for something unusual. Give us credit. We were able to stick through it,” he said.

Sticking through it was 69 days of combat at Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. The division had over 16,000 casualties during the four operations, according to 4th Marine Division official history book written by Carl Proehl. Over 3,300 Marines from the division were killed in action or died of wounds while 13,006 were wounded in action.  Today, the men are disappointed that many do not remember the sacrifices made. Their hope – with a touch of advice for recent high school graduates – is that folks will remember history.

Walter Wright, who joined the Marine Corps at 16 by forging his mother’s signature “with the help of the town’s drunk,” noted that the world was a different place even before the world war.  “You have to realize it was ten years before the war – there was the [Great] Depression and there was a drought too,” Wright said. “Farmers were having tough times with the world depression and the drought at the same time. We were in tough shape.”

Veteran Hue Jones recalled his youth in Nebraska during the Great Depression, ten years before joining the Marine Corps. “I’d take my wagon along the railroad tracks when I was 6 or 7 years old and pick up coal while I dragged the wagon. The hobos would help,” Jones said.

Hampton would like to see more taught about the families on the Homefront during World War II. “They had their own garden and couldn’t buy gas or new tires because all the material was going to the cause.”

“Food, butter and eggs were all rationed,” Firgione added.

“Iwo Jima – everyone knows obviously, but it needs to be taught so people don’t forget,” Casey said. “We need to appreciate how we got to where we are today … Also, teach a love of country. A lot of patriotic, good folks gave up their lives.”

Firgione said, “We will remain the home of the free, as long as we remain the home of the brave.
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