Hi All,
I'm mostly an aviation collector but thought this very large and poignant USMC Guadalcanal grouping I picked up was worthy of sharing. Still going through all the material - this veteran kept everything related to his service. Multiple scrapbooks full of every scrap of paper, every souvenir. Despite being wounded he managed to bring back some Japanese souvenirs and a few rarely seen keepsakes. He gave his helmet and dress blues to a local VFW, otherwise the group would have been near complete head to toe.
He served from 1935 to 1945. Started out in the NYNM, Marine Corps Reserves at New Rochelle NY. Active duty starting in 1940 with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Division. According to his family the Raiders patch was from his time spent training with Edson's 1st Raider Battalion Co.B, he did not go overseas with the Raiders. He landed on Guadalcanal November 4, 1942. He kept a diary from that date through the 21st when he was wounded by Japanese machine gunner putting a bullet through his shoulder. He continued the diary from about another month during his hospitalization recovering from his wound and Malaria. He served through 1945 but did not go back to the Pacific. As my pictures will show, he kept just about everything as he loved the Marine Corps. Some great gear, unusual keepsakes such as his wound tag, empty syrette and sulfa powder packet, high quality pre WWII real photo postcards etc... Still piecing together the details so I'll let the photo do most of the talking. Hope you all find it as interesting as I do.
