Hell in the Solomons: The 37th Infantry Division at New Georgia, July-August 1943
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- Hell in the Solomons: The 37th Infantry Division at New Georgia, July-August 1943
With Matt LeMasters
Part of Pacific Week on WW2TV
• The Pacific
More WW2TV content about New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
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"Hell in the Solomons: The 37th Infantry Division at New Georgia, July-August 1943" examines the trial-by-fire history of a storied Army National Guard division's first combat campaign. Drawing upon archival unit records, period photographs, and oral history interviews, the presentation tells the story of a singular unit during one of the Army's many neglected campaigns in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Matt LeMasters has worked as an independent military records researcher at the National Archives in St. Louis, MO from 2018-2020, focusing on personnel and unit-level records. He has researched at NARA since 2015. His clientele consisted of veteran's families, authors, historians, and collectors. An example of my work can be found in the attached link, where he collaborated with historian Tom Kelly to debunk Frank Irgang's "Etched in Purple." tomharperkelly...
Interest in Subject: With a lifelong passion for World War II history, the 37th Infantry Division has been my main focus for nearly a decade, due to the silence surrounding the service of my great uncle, Raymond LeMasters, who served in the division from 1942-1945. My ultimate goal is to someday write a book about his company, drawing upon archival materials, interviews I've conducted, and letters/diaries from company veterans.
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Matt did a fantastic job with this presentation, using personalized accounts of a campaign close to his heart. This was simply brilliant
Thank you for putting a spotlight on these unsung heros. I had 3 uncles who served in the Pacific as members of the Army. Its nice to see the stories of men like them are finally being told.
My Dad, from Worcester Ma., was in the 37th on Bougainville and Luzon. He was wounded 3 times in a month on Bougainville. On Luzon later on he was a guard at MacArthur's compound in Manilla. The Buckeye Div. due to their insignia was known by other units at the "Flaming Assholes". Pops didn't think that funny when I found out about it.
This is officially my favorite CZcams channel. Thanks to all involved in its production. Hopefully 40 years from now ww2 buffs will be watching these videos.
Thanks very much
Nice to see younger presenters. Good show.
What a great program today! I had to tune in to this one as my Uncle served with the 37th during the war. I'm glad I know more of what he endured after this presentation. I posted over on your FaceBook page--thanks! The individual stories were moving. Great job Matt! Thanks for another great show Paul!!
That's cool. My great grandfather was also in the 37th. He participated in the Solomon islands campaign as well as many other battles. Maybe your uncle & my great grandfather Sgt Carl "Dutch" Wolfe could have known each other.
My uncle served in HQ Co, 156th Infantry Regiment. PFC James Beckett@@nancyfazenbaker3567
26:20 Right there with that sentence you've identified why the New Georgia campaign is largely unknown in the popular memory today, even in the USA. There wasn't a Marine Division there. The USMC's reputation for fighting prowess is well deserved, but it is also well publicised, by the USMC. They are always aware of the risk of being absorbed into the US Army and are therefore always sure to advertise their exploits whereas the Army is more likely to let their work speak for itself. As we can see, that strategy doesn't usually work when it comes to embedding your exploits in the popular memory.
Nicely done! I had two 1st/2nd cousins (mother's side) who fought with the 37th in the Solomon Islands: Pfc Basil Armentrout, Co.E, 148th Infantry, KIA August 2, 1943; Cpl Alva C. Armentrout, Co. C, 148th Infantry, KIA August 4, 1943. At the same time, Basil's brother Cpl. William A. Armentrout, served with the 33rd Division in the South Pacific. He, amazingly, made it back. All from Ohio.
A harrowing presentation. It is a gift that WW2TV can provide a forum for the expertise of people like Matt to be conveyed to us, in detail. Thank you.
A great presentation. I am glad this unit is getting the recognition they deserve.
You’ve brought the real heartbreak of war home. I wish more of the world could realize this. Baedeker guides were used throughout Europe in WWII. I believe tourist guides were used in Granada as well. Whatever works. Thank you as ever for your choice of subject and presenter
My grandfather was drafted into the 148th division and was promoted to a staff sergeant by the end of the war. By the time I was in my early teens he had opened up a lot more and actually talked a fair bit about his experiences in the war, especially when I asked him. He made it out in March of 1945 after being shot in the knee during the battle for Manila in the brutal street fighting. By the time he got shot only 4 of his 12 man squad were not dead or wounded themselves during the battle. When he talked about getting shot there is this immense sense of relief that he would always convey, because he never really thought he would survive the war at that point. He then spent nearly 2 years in and out of the hospital while they tried to fix his knee before they finally performed surgery to fuse the joint and he walked with a stiff leg from then on. He also lived with the mental wounds for the rest of his life, often having nightmares daily where he was back in the war, even just when taking a midafternoon nap. You would see him tense up, start breathing heavily, clench his fists and sometimes even moving suddenly and violently in his sleep enough to wake himself.
It's always amazed me that he had the strength of will to not only survive that but also live a happy and fulfilling life afterwards. Two of his brothers fought in the war, one died during and the other died fairly early due to alcoholism (I think 40s or 50s maybe). My grandpa was maybe the kindest most gentle man I've ever met, and he was deeply religious as well (southern baptist then converted to Catholicism when he married my grandma). From his stories I know he killed at least 3 men, and may have killed more but I think it was really hard to tell sometimes with how thick the jungle was during most of his engagements. One of those was nearly point blank, when a Japanese soldier my grandfather hadn't noticed yet took a pot shot at him in a field. He threw himself on the ground hiding behind some tall grass and the Japanese soldier lost track of him. When the Japanese soldier poked his head out of the grass looking for my grandpa just a few feet away my grandpa shot him. When he told that story he talked about how scary it was, and how lucky he was, that if the Japanese soldier had been a better shot he would have been dead before he even knew it. He also went over and looked at his body after a while when he was reasonably sure he was safe and saw that the soldier was a very young man, probably just a teenager. I remember that he said that he thought about how that "Jap" was probably just like him and didn't even want to be their in the first place. He got really quiet after that. The killing and the horror of it all tormented him his whole life, but he still found a way to press on.
This is so amazing. Thank you! My great grandfather was in the 37th buckeye division & participated in the Solomon islands campaign. Because of movies the marines get all the glory of the pacific. Not to take away the marine sacrifices but it seems the army never gets much recognition for their part in the pacific. Thank you for highlighting my great grandfather Sgt Carl "Dutch" Wolfe & all the others of the 37th infantry the buckeyes!
My Dad, SSgt John Henry Burns, fought in the 37th Buckeye division and was in combat for 3 years from 1942-1945. He was wounded 3 times and the last time was combat evacuated from Fort Statsenburg in the Philippines. He got hit by Jap artillery and was disabled for the rest of his life, enduring 5 surgeries in Iowa City veterans Hospital, and had an open prescription for opium to kill the pain. But, he never complained because he was grateful to be still alive. He had PTSD but always told me that it was just an excuse for cowardice. He was my Hero. 🪖
Sadly a rerun, busy so missed the livestream.A great presentation on another aspect of the Pacific War,I have learnt about, thank you Matt and Paul always a pleasure to watch and follow WW2TV
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Wow. SERIOUS preparation went into this. Great stuff. BTW, Munda field was one of the main bases for 'Pappy' Boyington's Black Sheep Marine Corsairs.
Yep, Matt was amazing
Howdy folks. Tremendous explanation of a complex infantry operation in the Pacific. Great look at the common foot soldier and how he dealt with the enemy, ‘friendly’ artillery and an unforgiving terrain. Great job John and Woodie.
I remembered that WW2TV was coming on in 2 mins about two hours ago and got distracted.
Oops
What a haunting testimonial. Thank you Matt and Paul for a great episode.
Yep, it was a great one
Good stuff. My grandparents met on a transport heading from NY to North Africa
This is just a suggestion but from this show about New Georgia and the amount of PTSD or combat fatigue casualties suffered by the Army divisions I think a battlefield virtual tour may help us understand just how difficult this jungle terrain may have been. Harrowing topic that I think links nicely with the US Marines conflict at Tarawa.
It would be great to do something along those lines
@@WW2TV I think fighting in the jungle with modern weapons is like two knights going at it blindfolded in a cupboard.
The greatest part of this podcast is letting us hear about the U S ARMY in the Pacific. Most Pacific war history portrays a Marine Corps only fight.
We've done quite a few shows about the Army in the Pacific theatre
superb. I will pass this along to my 148 mates
My dad was in M Company, 148th.
@@williammitchell5058 very cool what town was M associated with
@@stewartorr1939 Not sure I understand the question. My dad's hometown was Philadelphia.
@@williammitchell5058 OK he wasn't in the division in the national guard when it was mobilized
That was very interesting. I learnt something today, as I always do on WW2TV.
I love your videos!
It would be good if you could do a video of the Japanese battles and everything from 1931 to 1945, as you don't hear much about Japan's invasion of Korea.
If I could find the right historian
Dad was in Bougainville end of 1943. Then landed on Lingayan Gulf Jan. 9 1945. From there down to Manilla, wounded in Bagio in April then moved up the Cagayan valley.
F 148th..
that was really interesting, it wasn't until I started to watch this channel and read Hells battlefield did I realise that the US army were so involved on the ground, John Wayne was always in the Marines! He should get on with the book asap with just what he has it would be great
This is a great account, very sad
Ok. Had to leave and now back to learn more of Our Greatest Generation.
Or than racism part they were pretty good imo
Woody, I've looked it up, with proper pronunciation and Bougainville should be pronounced Booganville. As I was born 1 year after the war and have had numerous contacts with vets who fought there Booganville was what I learned as a kid. Boganville just doesn't sound correct.
I've heard both pronunciations use by veterans and historians, but I personally would use Boogainville, but it doesn't make a big difference
@@WW2TV I know, it just sounds weird.
Long story short I highly respect every independent researcher every scholar and war historian I must say that just like Mr lemasters i too had a relative to serve in the 37th and no one knew what or were he was or where he had been except that he had been the only army enlisted man and BTW a know nothing of fighting a war " national guardsmen ". What makes this unique and never ever heard from all these teachers and discussions by ppl who claim as to be divisional or the lesser known representative to the armys role even people who have wrote books on the 37th mentioning the most memorable people only mentioned for the role in heroic acts and bad assereee that are great stories of sacrifice and should be told no meeting how one man during the whole Pacific and European campaign was set a reminder for what he did or was awarded for his heroic deed Uncle Kenna was the only army enlisted man to be awarded a Navy cross for saving a whole platoon of Marine _ we_ his squad army squad attached to the 3rd marine div. Taking out three machine gun creating a diversion and destroyi ing the emerging enemy with rapid and accurate fire while signaling to his comrades to withdrawal as he was willing to sacrifice himself so his whole unit could withdrawal safely no casualtys wel except for him being wounded 😊3 times himself. I wish there was more on this particular action and I would say that Play cat's heart nature the Marines head towards the army 🪖 and the Publix knowledge of Marines fighting the Pacific war keeping them safe at night rather than a bunch of weekend warriors how much was this affected and really should have been a medal of honor Worthy stance😊 either way I'm proud to call this man my uncle I'm proud to be a Appalachia raised man and apparently these men were highly sout t
After men hunting and outdoor background and just a surviving in the wilderness types that were very important and defeating these hidden by 6 foliage Forest skirmishes ll
@derickbishop2217 by chance was your relative Lester Kenna? I have a picture of him being awarded the Navy Cross.
The lack of recognition for Army units and personnel should be laid at the feet of Douglas MacArthur. He defeated the Japanese with a little help from others.
I know my Dad sent a lot of stuff to the WW2 museum in N.O.
screwed up downloads.
Sorry, what?
Great video! Great presentation!
wow, what a great presentation: great maps, pics, and personal stories. it never ceases to amaze me how much you can learn on this channel! awesome as always, thanks(i also thought that he noticed the rabbithole trend)