Hi from Don Langer and Ruthadele

   "Welcome to my US Marine Corps page. I'd like to tell you about my World War II service ... and I'd like to hear about yours, or get your link and read about it. Just put a note in the Guestbook. And if you think no one cares, you're wrong -- just read your stories here in the New Guestbook and the Old Guestbook! Thanks." Don

   "USMC Searchers, send for Standard Form 180 at National Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63132. The more information you can put down on this form the more information you will receive from them. We have found this very helpful even for members of the family in the Civil War." Ruthadele

   "Cape Coral proudly boasts an Iwo Jima Memorial. Of the three replicas of the Iwo Jima Memorial, only one is owned privately ... it is located on Veterans Memorial Parkway next to Eco Park in Cape Coral, Florida. Click icons for enlarged views of our statue." Ruthadele <Top>

posted 5/15/99

Guadalcanal Then

December 7, 1941
   "I enlisted in the Marine Corps on December 7, 1941 and was sworn in at 90 Church Street, N.Y., N.Y. on January 9, 1942. Basic Training at Parris Island, S.C.-- Platoon #76. May 20, 1942 (one of my daughters was born on May 20, 1955), we shipped out aboard the U.S.S. Wakefield, had an escort of destroyers from Newport News to the Panama Canal. An escort of P.T. boats after the canal for about 70 miles, then we were on our own. Violent storm, boat creaked, stress plates did their job. Landed in New Zealand in June, went to Camp Paekakariki (thanks for spelling, Peter King in guestbook) in the outskirts of Wellington. Sailed to Fiji aboard the U.S.S. Fuller, I landed on Guadalcanal in the second Higgins boat to go ashore, no opposition. We moved in towards Henderson Airfield, again, no opposition. Then -- after 2 or 3 days all hell broke loose. There were 13 scouts in our outfit, 11 were killed, 1 was wounded and the other was YOURS TRULY. I was lead scout looking for the Goettge Patrol, we went up the Minitakau River, water up to our chests. We were a rifle platoon, we found the patrol, bodies all cut up. After this, 'no prisoners' was an unspoken agreement. My Captain said that I had done such a good job as scout on the 'Canal' that he was going to send me to 'scout and sniper' school. I told him what he could do with his school, now you can guess why I remained a PFC for the remainder of my service time!"

December 25, 1942
   "We were on Guadalcanal until November when the Army took over. On Christmas Day 1942, we arrived in Brisbane, Australia, went to Doomben Hospital with malaria, the rest of the 1st Division went to Melbourne. I went to Sydney on a liberty ship, spent a week there, then caught up with my outfit in Melbourne. Went to New Britain with General 'Chesty' Puller -- I was a scout. Then to the Russell Islands for R & R, then back to the U.S. Landed in San Diego in July of 1944. 25 months overseas."

November 11, 1945
   "Went to Hingham Naval Ammo Depot in MA, then discharged in Long Beach, N.Y. on November 11, 1945. I had malaria 22 times while I was in the service." Don <Top>

posted 7/18/98

Guadalcanal Now

   Photos ©Dennis Letourneau, May 2000. See complete entry in the Old Guestbook for September 2000. Click the icons for full photos to follow the story. "Dennis and his father toured Guadalcanal in July 1999. Thanks Dennis!" Don.

   Dennis writes, "... the Matanikau sandbar and surrounding area were filled with a shantytown of Gilbertese migrants and we were soon accosted by unsavoury characters so we did not linger long.¹ I took a picture of the top of a Japanese tank turret that is barely visible above the waves. This is one of the tanks that was knocked out on the sandbar.² I also took a couple photos from the Matanikau bridge (where Mendana Avenue, the main road, crosses over the river). One view looks downstream towards the sandbar, the other view looks upstream. I gather that this is where you waded upstream³ .... The fourth picture is taken through a dirty plane window as we flew by the Matanikau valley - the sandbar is just visible between the first and second boat from the right ..."⁴ Dennis Letourneau, May 2000 <Top>

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Stories from Don

1 "Born in [Orange,] New Jersey, family moved to Long Island, NY when I was a baby. We lived in a comfortable house in Lynbrook, NY. Walked to school, cutting through neighbors' yards. My father worked for a newspaper, The American Metal Market, in the advertising department. He ended up being president of the company for a few years before his death in 1958. The depression caused the company to pay their employees one week's pay for two weeks of work. My family did not really suffer during the depression.
   My mother stayed home, took care of their 3 children, I was the oldest, then my sister and brother. (An older half-brother ended up being Treasurer of Federated Department Stores, he died in 1964.) Seems to me that she always had help in the house and liberal control of the household expenses. I.e.: Mother had milk, bread, groceries, and laundry, etc delivered to the house. She claimed she needed $100.00 a week to run the house, and then paid for the delivery services by check. Upon her death in 1958, shortly before my father, we found out just how much she had stashed away.
   Must admit I was the apple of my parent's eyes -- always had the use of the car as I grew older. My sister was very popular and the best dressed in high school. I had a sharp wardrobe. I was my mother's favorite chauffeur, took her on her errands and am glad now that I was so good to her. For two summers I went to CMTC (Civilian Military Training Corps) spending one summer at Fort Dix, New Jersey and another at Plattsburgh, NY. This Corps was good training, and if you spent 4 summers there you would get a commission (probably in the reserve).
   This was the height of the big band era, we jitterbugged, went to dance halls in New York and New Jersey. In high school I was a fairly good student, skipped school and went to the burlesque in Jamaica. Was failing English, aced the final test and graduated. I still keep in touch with some of my high school friends, male and female.  We went to the Adirondacks in upstate NY for vacations. Really led a very comfortable life. Went to church fairly regularly, our minister was a member of the local fire department, on occasion he would respond to an alarm and leave the pulpit. He was also Chaplain of the New York American Legion (a "hell-fire and brimstone" minister). He was important in my life."

2 "My mother, father, sister and I were playing bridge when the news of the strike on Pearl Harbor came over the radio. We were, at first, stunned, then very angry. Lots of expletives regarding the Japanese. I was nineteen years old and we were living a comfortable life. My father had a very good job, even through the depression. My mother was "stay at home". I had the use of the family car whenever I wanted it, also ran errands for my mother.
   I had graduated from high school in 1940, living at home and working in New York City. Led an active social life, dances and parties. Didn't have a steady girl friend, played the field. Hung out with buddies I had since grammar school; Jack went into the Air Corps - got shot down on his first mission over Germany and spent the duration in a prison camp. Ben went into the Marines, became a pilot and saw quite a bit of action. Jack and Ben are deceased, my wife and I are in contact with their widows.
   The Pearl Harbor news changed my life -- went to 90 Church Street, New York the next day and enlisted in the Marines. My country needed me. I was allowed to spend the Christmas holidays home, then reported back for induction on January 9, 1942. Went to boot camp at Parris Island, Platoon Rec #76. My parents supported me 100%. My father had served at Bellau Woods and the Argonne Forest in France in 1917-1918. My father was glad that I had some training. I had gone to CMTC for two summers while in high school. On January 8, 2001 my grandson went to Parris Island as a new Marine recruit, says I am his role model, very proud of him."

3 "After I enlisted I signed for an allotment to be sent to my mother. In the middle of each month she sent me a check in the same amount. I always had some money and it came in handy when we were playing poker on the afterdeck of the USS Wakefield (the old USS Manhattan). My buddy played, I held the money. We did well, sent my mother $1,500.00. She promptly bought my Dad a solid gold watch and held the remainder of the money for me. We hit a violent storm on that trip; we could hear the stress plates of the ship creak. It was a most terrifying thing -- thought the ship would break into pieces."

4 "When I decided to enlist in the Marines at 90 Church St., New York, some of my buddies asked me to look up a cousin of theirs. Their cousin was Eddie Sims from New Jersey and, as fate would have it, I met up with him. His story is interesting and ironic, possibly funny. He was working on a tug boat in New York Harbor, he went to the Coast Guard to sign up and, with his background, he was told he would never leave the harbor, he would earn his mate's papers for use after the war, the hitch was -- he had to sign up for 4 years. Eddie said, "This war isn't going to last 4 years." So he signed up with the USMC. He spent 3 years and 11 months in the Marines. Going to Guadalcanal (in my company), was wounded, was on the New Britain campaign and spent a year in Australia."

5 "Hymie Cohen enlisted at the same time I did, we were in the same platoon, he was my buddy. While we were in Melbourne, he gave me a clean, pressed shirt to wear into town. Saw him later with an un-ironed shirt. Good buddy. While we were in the Russells on R & R, Hymie got malaria and missed the boat home to the U.S. He went to the next campaign at Tarawa and got killed. SEMPER FI, buddy!!!!!"

6 "During the war I had attacks of malaria 22 times. After the war I was sent to Hingham, MA, an ammunition depot. Heard that most of the ammo used in the Omaha Beach landing came from there. I had an attack of malaria, doctors couldn't get my temperature of 104 degrees down. The dentist came by, ordered a shot of hot whiskey and lemon juice -- that did the trick, within hours I had sweated the temperature out.
   I had been scheduled to report to Klamath Falls, a rest area in Oregon. I had come home safely, knew in my heart that if I went back overseas I would not come back. Oregon was just too close to the Far East. My father had friends. Senator Frank Lehman and Leonard Hall (Republican National Chairman) contacted them and my orders were changed to Hingham, MA. I tried to get a medical discharge, surveyed by doctors (Naval) three times and their recommendation for discharge was denied in Washington. They had said, "this man is no longer fit for military service", Washington thought otherwise.
   Next stop was Long Island, NY -- worked in Records and found out I had enough points to get a discharge. Points: 1 point for each month in service, 2 points for each months overseas, 5 points for every ribbon, and 5 points for each additional star. 85 Points were needed for discharge; I had about 125 and received my discharge out of Bainbridge, MD. In a very unusual occurrence my discharge read that I was entitled to get a small pension for malaria. This pension lasted about two years. After discharge I worked for the government discharging Navy men at the Lido Beach Hotel in Point Lookout, NY. Then worked for an insurance company. I was offered a job at American Metal Market, working with the presses and also proofreading. Was offered a job in the Advertising Department by one of the owners. Now I was working with my father, we had a great relationship. He became President, I remained in Advertising. This job afforded me great access to travel and entertaining."

7 "[In trying to recall the Goettge Patrol in 1996], remember that these events took place more than fifty-five years ago. Besides my memory, I have a copy of 'The Old Breed', first edition, copyright 1949. I did see a copy of this book at a gun show a few years ago, it was priced at $125.00. I made notations in the book as I read it; these are most helpful in bringing back memories.
   George McMillan, author of the book, interviewed Sergeant Charles C. 'Monk' Arndt, one of the survivors in May 1948. Part of interview: "August 12 a Japanese party was willing to surrender, patrol was formed to recon (no fighting was to take place). Patrol was ambushed. Three men returned to Kukum. There is no mention of who the third man was. I do not remember his name.* The other man, Frank Few (he was half-Indian) and later my Platoon Sergeant stated that he saw 'swords flashing in the sun.'" *['The 3rd survivor of the Goettge Patrol was Corporal Joseph Spaulding,' reports fazzinpa@muohio.edu in Guestbook on 7/28/06; thank you!]
   About a week later, August 18, a patrol was sent to find bodies. 'B', 'I' and 'L' of the 5th Marines. I was a lead scout on the 'I' patrol. We made a shore-to-shore landing trying to cut off the Jap retreat and killed about forty Japs. We did see bodies of the Goettge Patrol, however the book says, 'The bodies of the Geottge patrol went undiscovered.' Many years ago I underlined this with a note 'not true.' Conditions at ambush site: Beach and then jungle. Conditions of our search: Shore to shore landing. Under fire: No, enemy was gone. Body parts: I saw only body parts. I do not know if burial services were performed, or identification recovered along with military or personal equipment. Monk Arndt and Frank Few had been in the Corps, they were sergeants, older than I, and I would assume they would be at least 80 years old now.
   'The Thin Red Line', a movie about Guadalcanal. Saw movie -- nothing like I remembered. Showed mountains -- no mountains on Guadalcanal. Was very disappointed in the movie."

8 "Honored to be featured at Rube Garret's site. Scroll to 'Index', then scroll all the way down to 'Don Langer and the Goettge Patrol'. Semper Fi and thanks, Rube!" Includes itinerary of Don's military experience. <Top>

Important Military Links

22nd Marines Jim Reed · 93rd Illinois Infantry · A Marine Diary: My Experiences on Guadalcanal · Goettge Patrol · Guadalcanal Online · Iwo Jima at GeoCities · Iwo Jima.com Statues · MarineLink · Marine Shop Clothier to The Officer & The Gentlemen · Parris Island · Military Street · Raiders! Dan Marsh · Russell Islands · Semper Fi Chat · US Marine Corps · US Marine Corps at GeoCities <Top>

posted 7/18/98

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