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WWII Marine Raider Speaks To BLT 3/2
(December 31, 2008) |
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| | December 28, 2008 -- MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.
After hours of classroom instruction and raid exercises,
Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit had a chance to hear first-hand
accounts of what it was like to be a Marine Raider in World War II.
Ken O'Donnell, an original member of the 4th Marine Raider Battalion, spoke with
Marines from Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine
regiment, 22nd MEU, aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Dec. 17, 2008.
The Marine Raiders were elite units established by the Marine Corps during WWII
to conduct amphibious light-infantry warfare, such as landing in rubber boats
and operating behind enemy lines. According to O'Donnell, the units sometimes
operated for as many as 30 days behind enemy lines, using captured weapons and
ammunition to continue the fight. |
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Former Marine Ken O'Donnell, left, a Marine
Raider who served in the island-hopping campaign during World War
II.
Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Theodore W. Ritchie) |
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"The Marine Corps was fortunate or unfortunate, depending on
how you look at it," said O'Donnell, a native of Belle Fourche, S.D. "There was
always a battle, and the Marine Corps was fighting all those years."
As he talked, Marines looked at a black and white photo of young O'Donnell posed
atop a hill, Thompson machine gun in hand and Colt model 1911 .45 caliber pistol
on his hip. O'Donnell even brought a camouflage jacket he wore during his time
in the Pacific theater, a ragged hole still in the sleeve where he took a
Japanese bullet through the wrist.
"There's still blood on it," a Marine exclaimed as he examined the jacket. Other
Marines crowed closer to inspect.
As Marines listened, they could understand how O'Donnell's stories apply to
their experiences today.
"We all can relate somehow to what they did," said Sgt. Aaron C. Huffman, a
Light Armored Vehicle commander and native of Olathe, Kan. "They're the ones who
made the name for us back in World War II."
After O'Donnell told his stories, Huffman and other Marines showed him what type
of equipment the Marine Corps is currently using compared to what was used in
the past.
As a Marine showed O'Donnell a M240B medium machine gun, O'Donnell told the
Marine of the medium machine gun his unit carried -- the Browning Automatic
Rifle, or BAR for short. The young Marines, who are more accustomed to carrying
hundreds of rounds of ammunition into battle, were shocked to hear the BAR only
had a 20 round capacity.
"It makes us all feel proud to have him come out here and speak to us," said
Staff Sgt. Jonathan M. Breeden, the platoon sergeant for the Combined Anti-Armor
Team and native of Dry Ridge, Ky. "It was his generation that helped us progress
to where we are today."
O'Donnell said, during his time as a Marine Raider, if a Marine went down, there
was always someone there to help them, much like the Marines of today.
"The Marines here look out for each other the way we did," said O'Donnell. "The
strength of the Marine Corps is the guy behind you, beside you and in front of
you."
The 22nd MEU is a scalable, multipurpose force of more than 2,200 Marines and
sailors. Commanded by Col. Gareth F. Brandl, it consists of its Ground Combat
Element, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; Aviation
Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); Logistics
Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; and its Command Element.
The 22nd MEU is currently conducting pre-deployment training and is scheduled to
deploy this spring. For more information about the 22nd MEU, visit the unit's
website at www.22meu.usmc.mil. | |
By Marine LCpl. Alicia R. Giron
22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit
Copyright 2008
Reprinted
from U.S. Marines Website
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