Rest base in the Pacific
April 28, 1944
Dear girls,
I hope you haven’t worried, but I told you there would be this hiatus. We were in the field for a long time – we covered many a mile on these dogs of mine – a lot of firing. We’ve been able to get more ammo on here than we ever got back in the States. It’s been a long, tiring session, but nobody minded it too much. We knew we had to get back into condition, and there were a lot of things we had to learn – mistakes we made last time and how to correct them – new angles to suit the different types of fighting we’re going to do next time. The Marine Corps is really damned good on that angle – preparation and careful planning. We rehearsed our methods and attack formula months before we left Pendleton, though we didn’t know it at that time. It’s the kind of foresight that pays dividends.
We had a parade yesterday, and Nimitz presented the medals and citations to the 4th Division. About 35 were awarded, and almost 90 percent of them went to the 24th Marines. No Congressional Medals were awarded, but 6 Navy Crosses were – the next highest honor. Colonel Hart got one, a company commander in the 2nd Battalion got one, and four were awarded to enlisted men – one man in “B” Company and 3 in “A” Company! Think of it! There are about 65 companies in the Division, and “A” Company got 3 out of the 4 awards made to enlisted men! And to top it all, two of those men were in my platoon! Ervin and Tucker. I felt pretty damned proud, I can tell you – not many Platoon leaders in the American forces can say anything like that.
Admiral Nimitz’s speech was very moving – he set just exactly the right note, and he mentioned three names, typifying those killed who we shall not forget – Steven Hopkins, Col. Dyess, and Jack Brown, whose father was with him in the same outfit.
Ervin told me after it was over that he almost burst into tears when they told him he was getting the Navy Cross – he meant it, and for a tough, hard-bitten little guy like that to feel that way.
Harry was awarded the Silver Star, and another man, Cpl. Frihauf, in the Company, the Bronze Star, so it was a pretty drunken night last night.
Thank you, dears, for the pictures – I especially appreciated the one of you as a girl, Mother. I hope I don’t lose it out here, somehow or other. Gretch, I don’t like your hair the way it was in the picture at the office.
Love,
Phil
The presentation of medals would be repeated twice more for the dwindling number of survivors of the 4th Division. Nimitz's speech - "The world knows of the gallant performance and achievement of the men who fought at Roi and Namur Islands.... There, the Fourth Division wrote another brilliant chapter in the chronicles of the Marine Corps" - resonated with the men, and they could be justly proud of their accomplishments.
Evidently, posthumous decorations were not noted at the ceremony; Lt. Colonel Aquilla Dyess was awarded a Medal of Honor, and Sergeant Fred Penninger of Baker Company received the Navy Cross. The other winners of medals mentioned here were Frank Garretson, commander of G Company, and Corporal Alex Haluchak, Baker Company. Another First Battalion marine was in the hospital and did not attend: PFC Frank Celentano (Charlie Company) saved the lives of five men by throwing a Japanese grenade out of a trench; he lost a hand but lasted the entire night without medical attention or making a sound.
Preparations were underway for the coming invasion of Saipan, and the intense training was designed to incorporate the new men and streamline the new division.