Transcript Uncle Arnold - Waverly-Shell Rock School District

Wading
Ashore Among
Bodies
A tribute to Arnold Cook and his service to America in
World War II and Beyond
Thank you Uncle Arnold.
World War II
He remembers what
we should never
forget. “Freedom is
never free!”
235th Anniversary
Joining the Marine Corps
• Born - November 25, 1920
• Entered Marine Corps- Age 22, San
Diego, Cal.- July 2, 1942- 8 weeks
Boot camp
• E Company 2nd Battalion- 6th
Marines (2/6)
• Platoon 532
Short History of the 2nd Battalion 6th Marines
May to July 1941
The battalion is reassigned to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade and
deploys to garrison Reykjavik, Iceland against German invasion.
March 1942
The battalion returns to San Diego and is reassigned to 2nd Marine
Division.
Fall 1942
The battalion sails to Wellington, New Zealand where it begins to
have advanced combat training.
Nov. 21, 1943
The battalion lands on Guadalcanal and quickly becomes a vital
influence in the final days of that campaign.
June 15, 1944
The battalion fights on Saipan in the Marianas Islands.
Sept. 1945
The battalion deploys to Nagasaki, Japan and takes part in the
occupation of Japan until July 1945.
Bootcamp
Guadalcanal- Jan. 1943
Guadalcanal
Tarawa
Tarawa
Saipan
•Saipan landing - 15 Jun 1944
•2d 6th marines Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Raymond L. Murray. Composed of
companies E,F,G,H
•2/6th Marines assigned to land First Wave (Initial Assualt Force) Beaches Red 2 and Red 3
(Left Flank) assualt landing craft drift 400 yards in current and land mostly Red 1 and Red 2,
bunching up and congesting the left flank. Left flank advance line for day 1 is code named O-1.
•On the Red Beaches, the 2d and 3d Battalions of the 6th Marines encountered stiff resistance
and suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment.
6th Regiment could force only a shallow, 75 to 100 yard beachhead across the coastal road.
Company F of the 2d Battalion already had elements on the O-1 line, however, because this unit
had landed north of its assigned beach between Company F (along the beach).
•Company E existed a gap which was subsequently filled by Company I of the 3d Battalion.
Japanese attack force infiltrates thru gap and attacks rear area.
•About noon, two Japanese tanks moved from covered positions to the north, along the beach
road, and through the lines of Company F, 6th Marines. Apparently not realizing where they
were, they stopped to have a look around, the leading tank even "unbuttoning" its turret. At
this point, bazookas and AT grenades from Company F converged on the surprised visitors and
destroyed them.
•Shortly before dusk, men of Companies F and I, along the left of the 6th Marines' lines,
observed large groups of Japanese streaming down from the hills onto the coastal flats well to
the north of the regiment's lines. As a precaution, taken by the 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, a
strongpoint was established on a small hummock about 75 yards forward of the lines.
•The first attack against the left flank took place at about 2200 was a probing attack. Striking
along the coast road against Companies F and I.
•DAY TWO 6/16/44
•At 0300, after a series of reconnaissance-in-force actions by the enemy, the final sustained
effort of the night began. A Japanese bugler75 sounded a loud, clear call on the tense night
air, and with a waving of flags, loud screams, and a brandishing of swords, the attack was
launched. Men of Companies F and I opened with accurate, devastating fire.
•By 0545, the Japanese pressure reached a peak; two Marine 37mm guns near the beach were
knocked out and their crews forced back. Although the main positions held, a false report
reached the 6th Marines' command post to the effect that Company F's lines along the beach
had been forced back about 50 yards. This erroneous report, probably fostered by the
withdrawal of the two 37mm crews and the infiltration of small enemy groups to the
regimental command post, had no basis in fact. Five medium tanks from Company B, 2d
Tank Battalion, arrived and under the fusillade, the enemy effort withered and died.
•With the coming of daylight, it was discovered that several small harassing and infiltrating
groups had penetrated to rear areas. Mopping-up patrols from the 6th Marines' scout-sniper
platoon immediately set about the task of finding and eliminating the enemy groups.
•During 16 June, the 6th Marines (on the left, pivot flank) held the same general position,
consolidating and reorganizing front lines. In the afternoon, remaining elements of the
regimental weapons company (75mm halftracks and 37mm guns) came ashore and were
incorporated into defensive plans. Only sporadic activity (mostly mopping-up of Japanese
infiltrators and by-passed groups) occurred in the 6th Marines' zone during the day and
early evening.
Saipan
Tinian
Tinian
Stateside 1945- Malaria; The End
of the War and the GI BILL
Malaria
Private SNAFU: "It's Murder She Says“- 4:40
• Click on the link below.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7Yab
7iuLcQ
Discharge
GI Bill
The Peace Corps
A family hears their
nation and the
world’s call one
more time.
The Honor Flight
Thank you, Uncle
Arnold.