Born: August 5, 1920
Died: July 6, 1944
Campaigns Served: Namur, Saipan (killed)
Highest Rank Attained: First Lieutenant
Decorations:
Silver Star, Purple Heart
Charles Carbeau joined the Marine Corps in July, 1942, after completing his collegiate studies. He was selected for Officer Candidate School, and after graduating was assigned to Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines.
Carbeau was assigned as the battalion's Liaison Officer in the fall of 1943, and saw action at the battle of Namur. He returned to Camp Maui with the battalion, and spent the spring training for the invasion of the Marianas.
The young lieutenant was popular with his fellow officers, and readily identifiable by many of the enlisted men in the battalion; he was universally known as "Bill" and was a regular fixture at many of the battalion's sporting events. When the Division reorganized, Carbeau accepted the position of battalion Transport Quartermaster. Lieutenant Philip Wood of Company A had been offered the post but declined; he described the duties in a letter home:
Our Battalion Commander wanted to make me T.Q.M. – a job peculiar to the Marine Corps, concerned with Combat loading and unloading of ships. I would have had charge of all the supplies for the Battalion. A responsible job and all that, and someone has to do it, but I didn’t want it. It meant leaving my men, and the Company, and I like working with the mortars – and it’s too far behind the lines.
- Philip Wood, letter dated March 3, 1944.
Carbeau had his hands full loading the battalion's supplies aboard their assigned transport - not only was he responsible for making sure that every clip of ammunition and packet of sulfa powder was present, but the ship needed to be loaded in such a way that essential material could be offloaded first in a combat situation. The headache went both ways; after the battalion had landed and was battling across the island of Saipan, Carbeau stayed at the beach for days, unloading supplies and sending them up to the front lines. Finally, his task complete, he rejoined the battalion.
Lt. Bill Carbeau, our transport quartermaster, finally joined the battalion after more than two weeks spent in unloading all our cargo from the transport. It was a tribute to Bill's versatility that he was immediately assigned to "B" Company as a rifle platoon leader. In the past twelve months his work had not involved the handling of troops in the field, but his capabilities were highly regarded, and Captain Cokin was glad to welcome him into the company.
- Frederic Stott, "Saipan Under Fire"
With Baker Company:
Baker Company had lost four lieutenants by the time Carbeau joined them on July 1, 1944, and Carbeau was sorely needed. The attacks continued as the division pushed north towards Marpi Point and the end of the battle.
On July 6, First Battalion continued their advance along a high ridge of ground near Saipan's northern coast. They gained 2,500 yards and a good position, but the terrain came at a cost. Baker Company lost three men wounded and one killed - their new platoon leader Bill Carbeau, hit in the chest by a Japanese sniper. He was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart, and a Silver Star for his actions on his date of death.
Photo from Young American Patriots.
Carbeau was buried in Plot 4, Row 6, Grave 873 of the Fourth Marine Division Cemetery. After the war, his remains were reburied in a private cemetery in the United States.