(For You, Dad. Now I understand.)
Joe Gooch and Edward (Smitty) Smithline are "Lost and Found" on Peleliu - This is the only photo I have ever seen of my father in the Marines, in combat or otherwise.
- The story he told us kids was a little different than the "official" version. He said they had been going down a road (trail?) with a couple of green recruits and a shell hit between Dad and Smitty, and them.
- They'd hit the ditch so fast the new guys thought they had taken a direct hit and reported this when they got back, which wasn't too long the way they took off!
- Meanwhile, the "Old Salts" took their time and kept to the jungle the rest of the way. I don't know which version they told when they got back, but I do know that my grandmother was visited twice within one or two days and notified of her son being "MIA" and and then found the next day. (I remember seeing a newspaper story about that, I'll see if I can find it.) Seems they must have been pretty sure they were not going to show up to have reported them missing so quickly.
Joseph G. Gooch (Dad) and Edward S. Smithline (It looks like Communication wire strung behind them.)
(I enhanced the the faded purple print on the back by replacing some of the darker shades with black.
Below is the original with text following)
- Text on back of photo:
- These two Marine communications men who were knocked unconscious
- by an enemy mortar while making their way up to a forward
- artillery observation lost (post) on Peleliu, were reported missing
- in action until they showed up at their post 24 hours later.
- left to right: Pvt. Joseph G. Gooch, of 3120 Pennsylvania Ave.
- Dallas, Tex., and Pfc. Edward S. Smithline, of 2701 East Tecurse
- St., Tulsa, Okla.
- Hdqtr:(?) No. 95214 WATCH YOUR CREDIT LINE
- OFFICIAL U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO
- BY SIDERMAN
- 1(?)ST. SPD
- PHOTO SYN(?)
- DIV.PUB.REL. WASH(?)
peleliu pileliu pelelui pelelue pelou pavuvu 1st marine division guadalcanal soloman gilbert island cape graucester WWII gooch smithline chesty puller radioman communication amphibious assault tommy gun