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Easy Co - 2nd Bn - 1st Reg - 1st Marine Division
1951
Ist Lt. Johnny L. Carter, Easy Company
Commander
Our Regimental Commanders
Lt. Gen Lewis Burwell (Chesty) Puller
26 June, 1898 - 11 Oct, 1971
"OLD BREED? NEW BREED? THERE'S NOT A DAMN BIT OF DIFFERENCE SO LONG
AS IT'S THE MARINE BREED - LT GEN LEWIS B. "Chesty" PULLER - (13th PRESIDENT OF THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION) HIS FAMOUS CREDO WAS "Hi Diddle Diddle,
Straight Up The Middle !"
Landing with the 1st Marines at Inchon, Korea, in Sept 1950, he continued to head that regiment untill
Janurary 1951, when he was promoted to brigadier general and named assistant commander of the 1st Marine Division. One of
the Corps great legends.
Below: General Pullers Ribbons & Awards
He holds the Navy Cross with Gold Stars in lieu of four additional awards - The ArmyDistinguished
Service Cross - The Army Silver Star medal - The Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and Gold Star in lieu of second award - The
Bronze Star Medal - The Air Medal with Gold Stars in lieu of second and third awards - The Purple Heart Medal. His other medals
and decorations include the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with four bronze stars - The Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
with one bronze Star - The World War 1 Victory Medal with West Indies Clasp - The Hatian Campaign Medal - The Second Nicaraguan
Campaign Medal - The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with one bronze star - The China Service Medal - The American Defense
Service Medal with Base clasp - The American Area Campaign Medal - The Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with
four bronze stars - The World War 11 Victory Medal - The National Defense Service Medal - The Korean Service Medal with one
silver star in lieu of five bronze stars - The United Nations Service Medal - The Haitian Medaille Militaire - The Nicaraguan
Presidential Medal of Merit with Diploma - The Nicaraguan Cross of Valor with Diploma - The Republic of Korea Ulchi Medal
withGold Star; and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation with Oak leaf Cluster.
USMC 1st Lieutenant, Lewis B. Puller, Jr.
Major Gen. Wilburt S. (Big Foot) Brown
20 Dec 1900 - 17 Dec 1968
The general embarked for Korea in April 1951, commanding the
1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, until his return to the United States in December 1951. He was awarded the Silver
Star Medal for his service with that regiment. General Brown's
Ribbons & Awards: In addition to the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Navy and Marine Corps
and Purple Heart Medals, the general's medals and decorations include the Presidental Unit Citation ribbon; the Navy Unit
Citation ribbon; the Marine Corps Good Conduct medal; the World War 1 Victory Medal with two combat stars; the Nicaraguan
Campaign Medal; the China Service Medal; the American Area Campaign Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with one
bronze star; the War 11 Victory Medal; the Navy Occupation Service Medal; the Nicaraguan Medal of Merit; the Order of the
Cloud and Banner (China); the Korean Service Medal; the United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
USMC E-2-1 Punchbowl - June, 1951
Below: This is the 2nd Battalion - 1st Regiments
logo now. We didn't have it back in the 40's and 50's but we proudly claim it now.
...................................OooooooRa.................................
Easy Company's Two Medal
Of Honor Recipients (Below)
Charles G. Abrell
Edward Gomez
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS EDWARD GOMEZ UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty
while serving as an Ammunition Bearer in Company E, Second Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in
action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 14 September 1951. Boldly advancing with his squad in support of a group
of riflemen assaulting a series of strongly fortified and bitterly defended hostile positions on Hill 749, Private First Class
Gomez consistently exposed himself to the withering barrage to keep his machine gun supplied with
ammunition during the drive forward to seize the objective. As his squad deployed to meet an imminent counterattack,
he voluntarily moved down an abandoned trench to search for a new location for the gun and, when a hostile grenade landed
between himself and his weapon, shouted a warning to those around him as he grasped the activated charge in his hand. Determined
to save his comrades, he unhesitatingly chose to sacrifice himself and, diving into the ditch with the deadly missile, absorbed
the shattering violence of the explosion in his own body. By his stouthearted courage, incomparable valor and decisive spirit
of self-sacrifice, Private First Class Gomez inspired the others to heroic efforts in subsequently repelling the outnumbering
foe, and his valiant conduct throughout sustained and enhanced the finest traditions
of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
(More on these two Marines at bottom of page under
the link "Interesting USMC Web Sites": USMC Medal Of Honor Recipients)
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Picture below: U. S. Marine Corps Base Camp Joseph H. Pendleton
Oceanside, California-Marine advanced combat training.
130,000 acres of it. (Main Gate-1950)
Pictured below: Camp Pendleton. December, 1950. 1st Weapons
Co. 1st Inf. Tr Bn. Tent Camp #1. Jerry and I in front of our hut. Just before leaving for Korea.
Jerry and I were stationed here for awhile, after flying from Korea on
MATS,Chinhae Air Base, K-10, for our mothers funeral. Map below:
Pictured below: Aiken Victory T-AP-188. After getting advanced combat training and winter manuvers at Camp Idlewild (San Jancento mountains) Camp Pendleton , our unit left on this ship out of San Diego harbor in early Februrary, 1951, along with the USNS Thomas Jefferson.Got
into Kobe, Japan, dropped our sea bags off and sailed for Pusan, Korea.
AIKEN VICTORY T-AP-188
Pictured below: Jerry and I. Last days of winter combat training
before unit left for Korea. Camp Idyllwild, San Jacinto mountains. (Camp Pendleton).
Picture below: Aiken Victory crossing the International Date Line.
(180th Meridian).The initiation of all Marines into the "Imperial Domain Of The Golden Dragon." As you can see, a very
solemn ritual.
Pictured below: Near the Hwachon Reservior (Early April-1951.) My brother Jerry and myself. We were very lucky in that we got to stay together in China and later
on in Korea. And thats good, when you have a great brother like I have. Jerry is living now on his farm in River Falls, Alabama.
Below: USMC Division approximate strength
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Picture Below: Jerry and I on line. Central Korean front.
(March, 51)
Pictured below is George J. "Doc" Douglas - H&S
Co. 2nd Bn 1st Reg 1st Marine Div.George was one of our Battalion's corpsmen. Was assigned with Easy Co. He saved many
Marine lives, especially on the days of June 10-14 1951, near Hangnyong, Korea, "Operation Punch Bowl." Doc lives
in Auburn, Calif. One of my very good friends. We still E-mail each other.
Pictured below: Doc attending the new Korean War Memorial dedication
ceremonies at Carson City, Nevada. (June-2005) He is a member of the Marine Corps League there. The walk in front of
monument is paved with bricks with the names of Korean veterans in that area. Doc's name is on one of them.
Pictured below: Prot. Regimental Chaplin Henry E. "Hollering Hank
Austin" and Easy Co. Corpsman George "Doc" Douglas. They worked close together during all E Co. engagements. Chaplin Austin
Baptized Jerry and I before we returned home for our mothers funeral.
Pictured below: Jerry with light .30
Picture below: Another Machine Gun Section in Easy Company.
(Picture taken about April, 1951.)
L-R - Top row: Howard Good or Peter Fierro, Fred Fyle
- Middle row:
Barney Hill, Bill Pickle, Tommy Young, Jack Herbster, Tom
Perone
Bottom row: George (Doc) Douglas, Chuck Garabedian, David
Church
Below: Letter sent to me from Merlin Schueller (11/10/05).
1st day issue stamp of Chesty Puller. All Marines have been waiting a long time for this occasion. Merlin a Corpsman, served
with us with E-2-1
in Korea.
Below: Map of Treasure Island. This is where most Marines and Naval personnel were processed for discharge or return to Korea.
1951.
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Two pictures below: Aiken Victory pulling away from dock at San
Diego on way to Korea. Top, Jerry looking at camera.
Picture below: Just east of Pusan at Chinhae K-10 air base,
Korea. Jerry. Unit waiting to board DC-3 transport planes enroute to joining 1st Marine Reg. on central Korean front.
Two Pictures below: 1. Pusan Korea - Line of departure for
all "Jar Heads" (Note - Tanks on crest of hill. 2.Pusan Korea - We stayed here one night, then joined the 1st Regiment the
next day on the central front.
Pictured below: Squad tearing down and cleaning gun.
Pictured below: Danish Hospital Ship Jutlandia moored in Pusan Harbor (1951.) This ship was modern with 300 beds, 3 operating theaters a dentest clinic and X-Ray facilities.
The Jutlandia remained there till 1953 following the end of hostilities.
Pictured below: Corpsman Merlin Schueller. Merlin was one of our
corpsmen with Easy Co, 2nd Bn. 1st Marines. Was wounded June 10, 1951 (wounds in leg) at Hangnyong, Korea (Punchbowl). Bottom
Picture, Merlin being presented the Silver Star after he returned home from Korea.
Merlin is living in Waterloo, Iowa. A good friend. We correspond
regularly.
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