Author: ryevets1

Private First Class John F. Samler, U. S. Marine Corps – 1st Battalion, 26Th Marine Regiment Battalion, 26Th Marine Regiment, 5Th Marine DivIsion

The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945), or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States Armed Forces fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese Empire. The American invasion had the goal of capturing the entire island, including its three airfields (including South Field and Central Field), to provide a staging area for attacks on the Japanese main islands. This five-week battle comprised some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the War in the Pacific of World War II.

On Iwo Jima 8 Mar 45, D+17, the weather was cloudy and cool, visibility fair. The 26th Marines attacked at 0815 against a heavy fortified Japanese line. The plan of action for the last several days called for the 5th Marine Division to complete the drive northeast and split the Japanes defenses in two. This included taking the highground of Hill 362 and Nishi Ridge.

Japanese resistance was fierce, both in front and from a number of bypassed positions, the Marines burned and blasted their way onwards. Action of LT 126 was supported by fire of tanks. At this stage of the operation after 17 days of continuos combat, qualified small unit leaders as well as the more aggressive riflemen had become so depleted that offensive efficiency and spirit were seriously affected, out of proportion to strength figures.

“The Japs werent on Iwo Jima”, said a Captain of the 26th Marines, “They were in Iwo Jima.”

Casualties for the 26th Marines on 8 Mar 45 were 1 Officer and 74 enlisted men, including Private First Class John F. Samler, Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1939

Service Time: Thomas enlisted in the U. S. Marines in July, 1943. He received training with the 28th Replacement Draft before joining the Third Marine Division on Guam in January, 1945. The 28Th Replacement Draft, 3rd Marine Division, was formed at Camp Pendleton in Nov. 44 and sailed on the USS Rochambeau from San Diego on 11/12/44 to San Francisco to form a convoy and left on 11/16 arriving at Pearl Harbor 11/23 Thanksgiving Day. They left there on 11/26 and arrived Eniwetok Island 12/4/44. Sailed for Guam on 12/23, and arrived 12/27 and assigned to the 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division. They had a tent camp near the village of Yona, and spent the next 6 1/2 weeks there training for Iwo Jima but didnt know that .

The replacements practiced unloading landing craft, hiking, etc, and on 2/8/45 Thomas and fellow Marines hiked with full packs and rifles across Guam, about 7 miles, to Apra Harbor and boarded ship. They didnt sail until 2/17, two days before the invasion because they were to be reserve troops only, and werent scheduled for combat Thomass ship remained about 80 miles off Iwo, but after 3 days, causalities were so severe, they were being sent ashore in groups. Unhappily most of the replacement men had only brief training in combat and many were killed or wounded. The 28th Draft men were all ashore and fighting or serving as beach unloaders by 2/28, and integrated into various units.

Iwo Jima -The Situation D+11: 2 March 1945 “Oh God, not another Ridge”.

On the right flank, the 25th Marines kept up pressure on both the Turkey Knob and Hill 382. The 1st Battalion attempted pre-dawn infiltrations but they were driven back by mortar and machine gun fire. A number of Sherman tanks and flamethrower tanks nicknamed Zippos moved up in support and pounded the blockhouse at the top of the Turkey Knob but the Japanese simply retired to the depths of their tunnels to wait out the barrage. The 26th Marines, after some intense fighting, managed to secure a foothold on Hill 382 2nd Battalion after a three-pronged attack following a short but sharp artillery barrage. In many instances artillery could not be used due to the closeness of the combatants and the Marines had to use small arms, explosives, grenades and flamethrowers to pry the Japanese out of their positions.

In the center, the hopes of the 3rd Marine Division of making a rapid dash to the sea were rapidly fading in the face of determined Japanese resistance. The division had still to take Hills 362B and C but pressed forward towards the unfinished Airfield No. 3 and the base of Hill 362B with the support of tanks. The open ground of the airfield gave virtually no cover from the Japanese artillery and the 9th Marines came up against the defenses of Baron Nishis command and progress remained slow.

On the left flank, the 5th Marine Division were encountering fewer and fewer man made obstacles as the ground became rougher and there were plenty of ravines, canyons, valleys and draws so that this natural defensive cover was all the Japanese needed. Nishi Ridge lay some 200 yds beyond Hill 362A and the 5th Engineers had to come forward and fill an antitank ditch in order for the attack to proceed. The 26th and 28th Marines then had the task of clearing the remainder of Hill 362A, after which they advanced to the base of Nishi Ridge.

Thomas M. Black was wounded on March 2, and died of his wounds on 3/3/1945 and was buried on the island of Iwo Jima in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery.

The Third Marine Division incurred 1,131 killed in action and 4,438 wounded during its invasion and combat on the island of Iwo Jima from February 20, 1945 to March 16, 1945. The Battle of Iwo Jima has become etched in the historical memory of Americans largely because of the iconic photograph taken by photographer Joe Rosenthal. The photo derives power from more than its stunning visual image. It conveys the struggle and ultimate victory of U. S. Marines who played a critical role in bringing the catastrophic destruction of World War II to an end less than six months later. This battle came at an extraordinary cost to the United States; nearly seven thousand dead, almost six thousand of which were Marines. Iwo Jima remains the costliest battle in the history of the U. S. Marine Corps and represented approximately one third of the entire Marine death toll during World War II.

American Admiral Chester Nimitz reflected on the incredible sacrifice of the Marines who fought at Iwo Jima by saying, “Uncommon valor was a common virtue”.

Thomas M. Black, Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1943

Robert H. Davidson was born in Massachusetts in 1919. He later moved to Rye with his loving family, where they rented a house at 5 Oakwood Ave for $60 a month ($1,144.52 today). His residence consisted of his father Ellis W. Davidson, his mother Mildred Davidson, his older brother Richard Davidson, and his servant Stella Simgouski. Robert’s father was a college educated man, who worked as an editor, he was making around $5,000 a year ($95,376.43 today). Robert’s mom had a high school education, and did not work.

Robert was a proud graduate of the Class of 1936. Throughout his high school career, Robert took part in many school activities, he was a member of the honor society and took honors level classes. Robert was also a stagecoach and editor-in-chief of Hitching Post. During Freshman year Robert served as the class vice president and continued his service during Junior year when he became a part of the class council. In Robert’s free time, you would often see him playing baseball and enjoying the outdoors.

Robert’s impressive military career began in July of 1943 when he enlisted in Marine corps school, from there he was detached a captain and was assigned to the 4th Marine Division. Robert’s was one of the youngest officers in the marines to be assigned to a combat unit, he was only 24. The next year Davidson was promoted to Major and assigned as the Training Officer of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, and participated in the training phase prior to and during initial combat operations at the Battle of Saipan in the Marianas Islands June 15-July, 1944 . On the fifth day of Saipan operations, Davidson was appointed battalion executive officer for the remainder of the Saipan battle and served in this position during the Battle of Tinian July 24-August 1, 1944. A few months later Major Davidson assumed permanent command of 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines. He continued in this capacity until the end of the war. As the Battalion commander, Davidson was responsible for training, supply, discipline and welfare of a unit of approximately 1,000 men in garrison. As a Landing Force commander, Davidson was responsible for embarking his command aboard 6 naval attack transports. On February 19, 1945, Davidson commanded one of seven Battalion Landing Teams in the initial assault at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Davidsons command was composed of an Infantry Battalion plus attachments totaling approximately 1,800 men. He continued as Battalion Commander throughout the Iwo Jima operation.

After the war Robert’s joined the Marine Corps reserve and was personally given a silver star by president Truman for his heroic actions throughout the battle of Iwo Jima. While in the reserves Robert continued towards his goal of becoming a successful businessman, and quickly he became an executive for General Foods.

Robert’s stayed with General Foods until he determined he was ready for a bigger position. Ultimately Roberts became the President and Chief Operating Officer of PVO International of Boonton, New Jersey, and San Francisco, California; soybean processors and marketers. He worked for them until retirement in 1976.

Robert Davidson died suddenly on October 10, 1982, of a coronary occlusion in Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Connecticut. He is survived by his 1 daughter.

Austin Harvey
RHS 2021

“President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major Robert H. Davidson MCSN: 0-7430 , United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, Twenty-third Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault and capture of Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 February to 16 March 1945. Landing with the initial elements of his unit amidst heavy hostile mortar, artillery and small-arms fire on 19 February, and confronted with an enemy strong point which threatened to place his Battalion in an extremely disadvantageous position during the night, Major Davidson cleverly maneuvered his assault units to high ground from which he was able to render the position of the Japanese untenable and, later, personally supervised the reduction of this area of resistance. Although suffering from severe wounds as a result of enemy rocket fire and having lost all the key personnel of his staff while his Battalion was leading the assault of the Regiment, Major Davidson refused to be evacuated and continued to control his unit, until ordered by the Regimental Commander to relinquish command. His keen tactical judgment and courageous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

James L. Larkin enlisted in the Marine Corp. on February 6, 1942. after training he became a member of the 5th Marine Division, 26th Marines, 3rd Battalion, HQ Company

D+13 Action Report 26th Marines D+13, 4 Mar 45 Weather: Intermittent rainfall, visibility poor.

“CT 26 attacked at 0730 with 3 LTs abreast to seize a very limited objective, with LT 127 passing through the right company of LT 226. Plans called for LT 126 to be relieved and to revert to CT 26 reserve, however, this was not accomplished until 1730. About 1030 an uncoordinated counter-attack against LT 126 was broken up by effective close-in artillery fires. Tanks and half-tracks were employed effectively against enemy cave positions in the center. CT 26 CP displaced forward. At 2100 a counter-attack of undetermined size appeared to be developing on the front of LT 226. This activity was reported broken up at about 2120, after artillery and rocket barrages were brought down.
Casualties 6 off, 205 Enl. Effective strength: 104 Off, 2049 Enl.”

The weather on Iwo Jima on 4 March was warm 75, but low-hanging clouds reduced visibility and intermittent showers dampened the spirits as well as the bodies of exhausted troops. The two tired regiments, after a night of heading off infiltrating Japanese, Sgt Larkins 26th Marines alone killed 97. The marines attacked again on D+13 against a front swept by machine gun and rifle fire from a new line of caves and tangled underbrush. The attack was sluggish and the Japanese seemed to sense it, two or three times forming groups of 200 or 300 for counterattacks which were promptly broken up by artillery and mortar fire.

Some units pushed forward in more or less uncoordinated fashion and were promptly hit on the flanks by fire and forced to withdraw, leaving the net gain for the day at zero. The only successful move, in fact, was made by Division Headquarters which moved from its original location near the eastern beaches to a position north of Airfield No. 1 on the west side of the island.

Behind the lines, replacements trudged single file up the road, staring silently at the tired, bearded Marines coming back. Here and there among the replacements were men wearing blue dungarees and shirts of the Navy, Marines returning from hospital ships after being wounded earlier in the operation.

The day-long struggle cost 200 Marine casualties including Sgt James L Larkin, he had participated in four major campaigns in the South Pacific. Despite sustaining frightful losses, the Marines had chewed through a substantial chunk of Japanese General Kuribayashis main defenses, forcing the enemy commander to shift his command post to a northern cave.

Combat on Iwo Jima was perhaps the most brutal, tragic, and costly in American history. This day 4 March 1945 was described as the unsuspected turning point on Iwo Jima. That afternoon the first crippled B-29 “Dina Might” landed on the island. In terms of American morale, it could not have come at a better time, but for one Rye Marine time had run out. Altogether 2,251 B-29 Superfortresses would force land on Iwo Jima and each carried eleven crewmen, accordingly, the Battle of Iwo Jima may have saved the lives of 24,761 American Air Men.

James L. Larkin Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1941.