WWII ARMY VET TELLS A STORY....

[rooter]

AN OLD STORY FROM A 35TH INFANTRY TROPIC LIGHTNING VETERAN.WW2

When my platoon arrived at the Solomon Island of Vella Lavella, our landing was
from landing craft boats and not too bad of a landing. We were able to capture three Japanese
prisoners when we landed. Japan had other plans and sent one hundred planes to bomb us. Our US
Navy and Air Force were able to shoot down sixty-four planes before they got to the beachhead. It
was raining planes that day. Our area was about 300 yards of beach landing, before you got to the
forest. When the bombing and machine guns started firing, our platoon started running for the
trees. My Lieutenant started yelling to catch our Japanese prisoners, but I couldn’t do it because I
was way ahead of them running for the jungle. Our platoon stayed on Vella Lavella for 65 days,
being bombed and shot at until we secured the area. During many of the days, the Japanese would
fly in and out of our radar. We would hear the sound of the air raid horn all day and night. Until
you heard the all clear horn, you had to be ready at a moment’s notice. The Navy Seabees had to
build an airstrip on the island and they were some real smart guys. During the day, they would
work on the airstrip and then before nightfall they would take some coral rock and pile it up and put
a light on it. When the Japanese planes flew over, they would drop bombs on that spot. Each day
the airstrip would get bigger and better, but every night the Navy Seabees would move the pile of
coral rock for them to bomb. (This also kept the planes from bombing our guys.) This kept us
laughing and laughing at how easy it was to fool the bad guys.

[rcairflr]

Great story, I love the part where the narrator states "but I couldn't because I was way ahead of them running for the jungle".

[Deacon_Man]

Thanks for posting.