The Pacific

by Hugh Ambrose

  DURING THE PAST FEW NIGHTS THE SOUND OF HEAVY ARTILLERY HAD CARRIED UP to Manila John and the rest of the 1/7, who had returned to the jungle south of the airfield. The enemy had continued landing forces on the other side of the Matanikau and, unsurprisingly, their attacks had come across the river's mouth. Despite all of the supposedly successful U.S. air strikes and naval battles, two nights earlier the IJA had tried to send nine tanks across the mouth of the river. The line had held. The mounting pressure, however, had Topside shifting units within the perimeter. The day before, General Vandegrift had visited the 1/7's line, now known as Sector Three, and declared it a "machine gunner's paradise." This morning he ordered the 2/7 out of Sector Three and up to where it was needed, along the Matanikau River. A number of large holes in the marine perimeter existed over there, and even with the 2/7, the marines would only be holding the high ground. If all those Japanese landing over there crossed the river and found their way through one of the gaps, General Vandegrift ordered his men to "fight as guerrillas."121

  The order to "fight until you are killed" reached Manila John and the 1/7 loud and clear.122 By October 23, though, it was old news. The Japanese left no alternatives. Vandegrift's description of Sector Three as a "machine gunner's paradise," however, only applied to parts of it--like the large field in front of Able Company on his left, or the steep sides of Bloody Ridge manned by Baker Company to Basilone's right. Charlie Company, to which John's two machine-gun sections had been attached, held the center of the line in a flat, dense jungle. The hard work of creating a defensible line had been started on their first deployment here a few weeks earlier. As they turned to the task again, it escaped no one's attention that their job required the skills of a World War I infantryman, not those of an amphibious warrior. Short on food and men, facing a rising tide of the enemy, the men of the 1/7 "knew to a certain extent how the boys on . . . Bataan must have felt."123

  Charlie Company's riflemen dug their foxholes and strung a double apron of barbed wire using metal poles. Basilone placed his two sections about forty yards apart and had his men clear more brush to lengthen their firing lanes and dig their machine-gun pits deeper. Each section, comprised of two guns and seven men, could cover the line between them as well as a similar swath to either side.124 The enemy would surely target the water-cooled heavy machine guns, so the gunners framed their firing ports with earth and sandbags, laying coconut logs over the top. The 81mm mortars, well behind them, and the 105mm artillery a mile back, registered a few rounds along the 1/7's front.

  A patrol returned in the afternoon having found some IJA equipment on some high ground about a thousand yards south of Bloody Ridge. The news, like that from others in the past few days, counted for little when measured against the infernos raging around the airfield, around the Matanikau, and out at sea. Garland, one of John's men, returned from the hospital, bringing word that Steve Helstowski, Manila's buddy who had been wounded on the last trip across the Matanikau River, had been evacuated by plane.125

  The next day brought rain. A hard, soaking rain fell most of October 24, enough to make life in foxholes miserable.126 Movement became difficult and work stopped.127 In the afternoon, Sergeant Briggs from Able Company led his platoon of men to the cheval-de-frise out in front of John's section of line. Made of sharpened sticks and barbed wire on a wooden frame, the cheval acted as a gate across the trail leading south to the observation post (OP), which was on a hill fifteen hundred yards south.128

  About four p.m., Charlie Company's skipper began to get uneasy. Captain Moore ordered his men to pull on their heavy gloves and string more barbed wire, "paying particular attention to the area behind the cheval- de-frise." He got them to wire it tight, attaching "as many trip flares as we had time for."129

  The rain had died away, but the clouds remained, leaving the marines sitting in cold water in the dark. "At about ten p.m.," as Basilone waited to be relieved of the watch, "the telephone rang. I picked it up and listened to it." Instead of the usual news of another air raid, he heard Sergeant Briggs at the OP reporting to Puller at the CP "that there was a large concentration of japs" moving past his position and "headed our way."130 Chesty ordered his men, particularly his 81mm platoon, to give Briggs a chance to escape by holding their fire for as long as possible.131 Before hanging up his connection to his companies, platoon, and sections, Chesty said, "Hold!"132

  Even as Manila put the phone down, "the Japanese were already throwing hand grenades and dynamite."133 Hundreds of them raced up the Bowling Alley to Able Company's section, to John's immediate left. He and the other gunner yanked the ponchos off their guns, swung them hard to port, and pulled the triggers. The violence swelled quickly. The point of the attack came, as expected, where Able Company's line met that of the soldiers of the U.S. Army at the edge of the Bowling Alley. Most of the battalion's heavy weapons, including three 37mm cannons, commanded this area.134 Charlie Company's guns could only lend support by picking off men on the flank. At long range and with a view limited by the jungle, John would have used the Browning's traverse and elevation (T&E) mechanism to control his bursts.

  When finally the wave broke, the enemy soldiers fell back into the jungle. The machine gunners leaned back, unclenching themselves and catching their breaths. From the other side came shouts of "You die tonight, maline!" The low moans and painful cries of wounded would have also been heard.

  The next charge, led by men holding rifles affixed with bayonets, came at Charlie Company directly.135 A horde gathered at the cheval-de-frise, lit by trip flares. All of the extra barbed wire there paid off, though, as it delayed them. The artillery, mortars, and machine guns pounced. Basilone watched the bodies jerk and twist painfully as the stream of bullets cut into them. The rising pile of bodies seemed to have no effect on the men who followed, but eventually the charge faded. He noticed that his guns had burned through a lot of ammunition. Rather than order someone else to do it, Manila made a dash for the battalion CP, loaded bandoliers around his neck, and dashed back.136

  The next attack came from the right and the left simultaneously. The enemy supported the attack by throwing a lot of grenades. John's machine-gun section pointed their muzzles toward the threat and fired into the mass of bodies. Private LaPointe from John's other machine- gun position appeared at his elbow and yelled in his ear, "Sarge, both right flank guns are knocked out."137 There were dead and wounded, he continued. John figured the guns had just jammed, though "not wanting to take any chances," he picked up one of his machine guns with its tripod--all ninety-one pounds of it--yelled, "Powell, Garland, come with me," and hustled out of the back of the pit.138 Hitting a main trail a dozen yards behind their pit, they turned left and ran for the second section.139

  Hustling through the brush Manila "ran smack into a party of japs--about eight of them."140 Cradling a bulky machine gun put John at a disadvantage, but he fired, Powell and Garland fired, and the enemy fell. The marines ran on. Tracers and flares and explosions flashed in the darkness.141

  Coming upon his second section, he realized it had been hit by a grenade or a mortar round because most of the guys weren't moving. He could see Cecil Evans firing his rifle and screaming at the Japanese to come and get some more.142 In the bunker, Billie Joe Crumpton fired his rifle as best he could, one arm wet with blood.143 His face betrayed none of the crazy bravery of Evans, who was running around yelling, only a grim determination to hold his position against all comers.

  Manila did not put his machine gun into the emplacement near the broken ones, but set it outside. "I didn't want to put it in a hole. The Japs sneak into holes."144 He dropped behind the gun. Figures came running across the clearing. John aimed it free hand and pulled the trigger. He knew if he let his fear win, he'd burn out the gun.145 He had to trust Crumpton, LaPointe, and Powell to handle some of them. They could not get them all, however. A few of the rushers swept past well to the left or right before the charge broke. Another pause, they noticed. After giving his gun to Powell, M
anila crawled over to check on the broken machine guns.

  Even in the darkness it was clear the Browning nearest Crumpton had been demolished and its crew killed. John rolled into the hole with the other gun and let his hands fall to their work. He had to forget all the din, ignore the rising number of mortar explosions that signaled the start of another charge. He had to feel it and hear it.

  His fingers slipped over the heavy Browning. Beginning with the obvious, he pulled the trigger, yanked the bolt back, then opened the feed cover. By training he divided problems into several major categories: Were the rounds being fed? Yes. So were the rounds being chambered properly? Yes. There was not a broken cartridge in the chamber; both extraction and ejection seemed fine. So the failure to fire likely had something to do with the firing pin, or the sear spring, or maybe the breach lock.146 He eliminated those possibilities. The trouble was the head spacing, or the space between the base of the cartridge and the face of the bolt.147

  Finding and using the gun's tool kit may not have been an option. There was a quick way to set the head space. It was not precise, but then adjusting any settings on a hot gun was not recommended. John pulled the bolt back three-quarters of an inch, screwed the barrel into the barrel extension (without the gun's combination tool, he could use the tip of a bullet) until the action just closed (recoiling parts went fully forward) without being forced. He unscrewed the barrel two notches. He positioned the belt feed lever stud over the cam groove bolt. Had he had time, Basilone would have cocked the weapon and pulled the trigger to hear the firing pin engage, but it's more likely he connected the ammo belt.

  The yelling became a chorus. They were coming. He snapped the cover shut. The only distinguishable words in their yelling were "Banzai!" and "You die, maliney!" 148 The enemy intended to knock out the guns by throwing grenades and firing mortars. He pulled the trigger and the Browning roared to life, its rhythmic pulse steady and reassuring. Bullets smacked around him. Basilone and his men were pinned down, taking fire from all sides now, holding on.149 The other machine gun fell silent. Billie Joe Crumpton had been hit again, by grenade fragments in the leg, and had been overcome.150

  John told LaPointe and Evans to guard the flanks with their rifles. They had to hit the individuals. Manila began rolling from one Browning to the other, keeping them from overheating, aiming for the groups crossing the wire. Sometimes the mud on the belts forced him to stop and clean out the receiver. Sometimes, he'd hear, "Look out!" John would grab his .45 pistol and whirl around to find Japanese sneaking up behind him. He shot them in the only area visible to him: their faces.151 There were too many, though, and they were everywhere. When the emperor's troops yelled, he and Evans and LaPointe yelled insults back. "We thought," Basilone said, "our time had come."152

  The big shells of the marine artillery crashed among the trees on the other side of the line, as did the 81mms, although some seemed to go too far, while others landed short amid the marines.153 John knew the attackers would try to crawl through the grass underneath his line of fire. Only one had to get close enough to hit him. So he made sure to rake the ground regularly.154

  The ammunition ran low as exhaustion set in. It felt to Manila "like we had fired all night."155 Most sergeants would have sent a man to get more and thereby stayed in command at the line. The enemy had run around behind them, though, cutting the marines off.156 He told his guys to use their rifles for as long as possible. They had to save the last belts of machine-gun ammo for the next charge.157 John picked up his pistol and, with his men providing some covering fire, ran forward toward the enemy, then turned and ran "across the front of his own company in the face of heavy enemy fire."158 It shocked everyone who saw him do it. As soon as he could, he cut back through the line and into the jungle toward the CP.

  Near the ammo pits, several sergeants belted .30-caliber ammunition as fast as they could. Manila slung a bunch of belts over his shoulders until he staggered under the weight. He grabbed some dynamite caps because they were handy.159 Pistol in his hand, Basilone trudged the direct route back through enemy- held territory to LaPointe and Evans.160 The belts were heavy. Bullets sang in the air around him and he felt like an easy mark. "That lousy hundred yards," he said later, took him fifteen minutes.161 The moon came out, providing some light, making it easier to kill. The marines' artillery pounded the enemy's rallying points, a hundred yards beyond the barbed wire.

  The enemy came in another rush just as first daylight began to filter through the trees. The dead bodies covering the barbed wire made crossing it easier. John's firing lines had become blocked by the pile of bodies out there, so he shifted one of his guns to get a better angle. But he didn't fire immediately. He waited. He waited as the enemy got close enough to hurt him, waited until "the japs charged within point-blank range," until he didn't have to have an accurate aim to hit someone, and pulled the trigger.162

  After this charge faded, Manila noticed squads of soldiers surging into the foxholes and gun pits, relieving exhausted marines.163 He was among the last to notice the soldiers, since the 3/164 had been reinforcing the 1/7's line for hours now. Enemy troops were loose in the area. Not far from Manila's position a larger enemy force of about forty was determined to hold on to its breach in the marine line. While Evans, LaPointe, and their sergeant held their post, squads of marines and soldiers set about wiping out the salient in the lines and the individual infiltrators. The process lasted for hours, as it could only be done at close range with rifles and pistols.164

  The soldiers could snap off a full clip of eight shots as fast as they could pull the trigger, while the marines had to slide the bolt back on their Springfields after every shot. Men armed with Springfields killed slowly: Bang! Pause. Pause. Bang! Pause. Pause. Soldiers with Garands, however, fired Bang! Bang! Bang! in groups of eight before the ammo clip was spat out. The "mopping up operations" continued on through the day, the high ping of ammo clips being spat out discernible, as the defensive position line was reestablished.

  Colonel Puller came over to Sergeant Basilone and said, "Nice work."165 By Chesty's count, "there were nearly a thousand japs--dead japs--out in front, and several hundred also dead, between our lines and the wires." Someone counted thirty-eight dead stacked up around the front of John's right gun position.166 Many hundreds more lay dead in the jungles beyond, killed by the artillery or heavy mortars before they could join one of the six "Banzai attacks." Any estimate of the enemy's wounded, using these rough estimates of the KIAs, would number in the thousands.

  The colonel, assisted by the officers of the 1/7, also listened carefully to their men recount the action so as to prepare to write their reports. The number of enemy dead near John's position, while impressive, did not compare with the total in front of Able Company's position. Able Company, however, had had a lot more heavy weapons. Able Company had not been overrun.

  Chesty congratulated all of the 1/7 on a job well done. The 1/7 had only been at 75 percent of its authorized strength and it had held a length of the perimeter usually defended by two battalions with some help from the soldiers.167 As the sergeants began counting noses for their muster rolls, it looked like the night had cost the 1/7 nineteen dead, thirty wounded, and twelve missing in action. John heard the machine guns had burned out twenty-six thousand rounds of .30- caliber slugs. "After that I discovered I was hungry, so I went to the CP to see about getting chow. All we could get was crackers and jam...."168

  In the late afternoon, the 3/167 had taken responsibility for this section of line. The 1/7 may have given them a nod of appreciation before moving up into the relative safety of Bloody Ridge. Before pulling out, John went over to see some of his friends in Able Company, who had stopped the main onslaught coming out of the Bowling Alley. He pointed to one of the 37mm cannons, which had fired canister shot all night, and told his friend Manny, "God bless you guys. Thank you. That, that's the best weapon the world ever saw."169 A few of his Charlie Company marines, their skipper noticed, walked up Bloody Rid
ge carrying the new Garand.170

  The IJA attacked again that night. A few shells landed on the ridge, but this fight belonged to the army. Over the next few days Charlie Company would be drawn back into the fight for brief periods, but there would have been a lot of talk about what had happened and who got hit. The enemy's biggest salient had come near Manila's position, between Charlie Company and Baker Company. Platoon Sergeant Robert Domokos had organized a few men into an assault and wiped them out.171 Sergeant London "Pappy" Traw, a machine-gun platoon sergeant who had been around a lot longer than Manila, had also been at the point of attack, although attached to Baker Company. He had been killed.172 More than ten bodies had been counted in front of Private First Class Edmund Dorsorgna's position.173 One of the gun crews on Ed's right flank had fled, leaving him exposed. He had had to fix his machine guns four times that night. John's Dog Company had lost five WIA and six KIA, including Corporal Weydandt, whose enlistment had run out two weeks before, but he had continued on, although he had decided not to reenlist. Charlie Company had lost eight KIA and nine WIA, including Anderson, who had been shot in the ass.

  ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 25, LIEUTENANT MICHEEL WOKE UP ANGRY THAT he had had to endure another night's shelling because the day before he had failed to find the Tokyo Express. Worse, after two nights of rain, "it was just sloppy as heck" and the Wildcats were struggling to get off the ground. The fighters' Cow Pasture had not been covered in Marston matting. Although Henderson Field had been sheathed in the steel planking, the Dauntlesses and torpedo planes could not take off because the Japanese artillery kept shelling it. Gasoline had run short again. The first enemy planes arrived at eight a.m. Mike, disgusted, "sat there and watched those japs drop bombs on us. . . ." Scouts radioed reports of more enemy ships headed for them. If the Dauntless didn't get up to stop them, he thought, "we're never going to get off this island."