Born: September 15, 1903
Died: February, 1984
Campaigns Served: Namur, Saipan, Tinian
Highest Rank Attained: Gunnery Sergeant
Decorations:
Purple Heart
Alfred Brengle was the epitome of an "old salt." He enlisted in 1926, at the age of twenty three, and went through Parris Island with the Fifth Recruit Platoon. After a deployment to the US Virgin Islands, Brengle spent his first tour at a variety of stateside bases. He was accepted to Sea School in 1931, and assigned to the Marine Detachment of the USS West Virginia. Brengle spent much of the next five years aboard the West Virginia, though he also served on the Utah and the Tuscaloosa.
Corporal Brengle was assigned to duty at the Recruit Depot of San Diego in January, 1937. He remained at that post until March, 1938, when he transferred to the Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor. Brengle was promoted to sergeant in November 1939, and served another spell of sea duty aboard the USS New Mexico. He ended the year 1940 as a drill instructor at the recruit depot in San Diego.
With Charlie Company:
By 1943, Brengle was a platoon sergeant with Charlie Company, 24th Marines. He served with the company's machine gunners, who adored the forty year old Marine they affectionately knew as "Pop."
Everyone loved him because he knew so much about tactics and life in general, and he knew his weapons. I remember the remark he made one day on Saipan because of the way we we ate and the way we drank dirty water, and the elements and deprivation. “Mike, if you live to my age, you will be doing great,” he said. “Gunny, if I live to my next birthday,” I say, “I’ll be doing great!”
- Sergeant Major "Iron Mike" Mervosh, quoted in Gail Chatfield's "By Dammit, We're Marines!"
Brengle was wounded on July 1, 1944, while fighting on Saipan. He returned to duty eight days later, in time to finish out the campaign.
With HQ Company:
Gunny Brengle was transferred to the battalion Headquarters Company on July 17, 1944, as an acting First Sergeant. He served through the battle of Tinian with his new company, and left the battalion in the fall of 1944.
Alfred Brengle died in West Virginia in February, 1984.