China Marine, Battle of Peleliu, Second Marine Aircraft Wing

[kanemono]

Here is a group to Ray Shelby Ede who was born in San Jose, California on November 24, 1908. Ede enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at Sacramento, California, on August 26, 1926. He was a resident of Fallon, Nevada, his occupation was listed as Farmer. After training at Recruit Depot and Sea School, San Diego, California, Ede was assigned to Mail Guard Duty at Spokane, Washington. From 1919 to 1921 about $6 million was lost to mail robbers, Postmaster General Will H. Hays requested President Harding to direct the U.S. Marine Corps to help guard the mail. Within a few days, 2,200 Marines and 53 officers were spread throughout the country as mail guards. Ede was sent to Shanghai, China in 1927, he sailed on the USS Chaumont and arrived in Shanghai on February 24, 1927. The United States sent a contingent of five thousand Marines to China in 1927 to protect American citizens in Shanghai because of Chinese threats against foreign nationals. Ede served with the 28th Machine Gun and Howitzer Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment while in Shanghai. Private Ray S. Ede was awarded the Yangtze Service Medal and the Marine Expeditionary Medal for his service in China. He returned from China on the USS Henderson and arrived at Mare Island, California on February 13, 1930. He was assigned to Guard Company #1, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Mare Island, California. Private Ede was discharged from the United Stated Marine Corps on September 8, 1930.

Ray Shelby Ede re-enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at San Francisco on August 3, 1943. He is listed as an Airplane Mechanic “able to make major repairs and adjustments, assemble and disassemble all types of radial aircraft engines.” Ede was assigned to Service Squadron Eleven, Marine Aircraft Group Eleven, Second Marine Aircraft Wing. Ede “participated in action against the enemy on Peleliu Island, Palau Islands from 30 September 1944 to 29 May 1945 as a rifleman and stretcher bearer.” United States Marines landed on Peleliu Island Pacific on September 15, 1944. Ferocious Japanese resistance inflicted heavy casualties before American troops were able to secure the island. The Battle of Peleliu resulted in the highest casualty rate of any amphibious assault in American history. For their actions on Palau Island, Ede and Marine Aircraft Group Eleven were awarded the Navy Presidential Unit Citation. Sergeant Ray S. Ede was Honorably Discharged from the United States Marine Corps on September 29, 1945. He was recommended for the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. Ray Shelby Ede died in Contra Costa, California on August 24, 1967. It is interesting to note that Ede had a sterling silver bar added to his Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal. I guess that anyone who went through the hell of the Peleliu campaign would make the medal special.

Dick

[ViewfinderGyrene]

Beautiful!

[kanemono]

In the records from St. Louis there is a letter from Ede's niece stating that she received a photo album of Ede's service in China and WW2 and wanted to know how to donate it to the USMC museum. A follow up letter states that all of Ede's papers and photographs were sent to the museum.

[katieony]

A very nice group and certainly a unique bar on the Asiatic-Pacific medal!

[warguy]

That is a great grouping, thanks for sharing. It would be interesting to see if the museum still has the papers. Kevin

[aerialbridge]

Very nice China Marine group. If you check out that lead about his photo album and papers at the museum, hope it turns up more great material that you could scan for your group.