Jump to content

UNIS Marked 14th Marines Identified lower pack (601) H & S Battery


nchistory
 Share

Recommended Posts

PFC Joseph D Dudleys ( Joe D) UNIS marked (601)(HQ and Service Battery, 14th Marines) lower pack (Boyt 44). I normally havent collected any UNIS marked equipment, but thought Id try one, so any information on the pack or marking, but most importantly Dudley is greatly appreciated. PFC Dudley was the Radio Operator for H&S Battery, 14th Marines, it says (CP), so guessing he was the Command Post operator for the 14th Marines from April 44-Oct 45 encompassing Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. Not sure of the exact role of H&S or Dudley during these campaigns, any help is greatly appreciated. It seems all the Battalions had an H & S Battery, including the 14th Artillery of which Dudley was a member.

Dudley was born in Iowa 15 May, 1924 graduating from Roosevelt HS in Des Moines in 1942, joining the Marines in March 1943 entering boot camp at San Diego. Prior to joining the 14th Marines, he attended Signal School at Camp Pendleton, and Tank Battalion training at San Diego. As noted, I dont have any details of his Combat experience with H&S, but he had a brilliant postwar career. After his tour in the Corps, he attended Iowa State, graduating from Syracuse University School of Journalism spending the next 25 years as an Advertising Executive with the likes of Howard Swink, Osborn-Propst, and other high profile Advertising agencies. Joe died at age 47 in Sea Girt, Monmouth County, New Jersey, not sure the cause of the untimely death. Joe was difficult to research, with his constant moving, Im glad his postwar career mentioned his service in the Corps and Newspaper.com was more helpful that ancestry this time around.

post-153086-0-19795700-1560798103_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice Pack! I believe 601 puts him with H&S of 1st Battalion, 14th Marines. The 14th Marines was the regiment, and it contained four battalions each with a H&S Battery. In addition to H&S Battery, 1st Battalion also included firing batteries A, B, and C.

I looked quickly through H&S in the 14th Marines 'Redbook' and did not find him so he may have transferred in after the 4th Division left California in early '44.

There is a group posted by devildog34 to the forum which belonged to a Larance Strickler, also of H&S 1st Battalion that has a good description of some of the action on Saipan:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/95207-usmc-saipan-and-iwo-grouping/

 

I do not know anything about Dudley, but I can recommend some additional resources with info about the combat experience of the general unit with some specific accounts from Radio Operators. PM me if interested in more, but one that is available online is a very interesting and unusual perspective on the Saipan battle by a radioman with 4th Battalion:

 

https://www.craigsams.com/saipan-the-other-d-day

 

Interesting that a lot of these packs with multi color markings come form the 4th Marine Division, and specifically the 14th Marines.

Thanks for posting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice Pack! I believe 601 puts him with H&S of 1st Battalion, 14th Marines. The 14th Marines was the regiment, and it contained four battalions each with a H&S Battery. In addition to H&S Battery, 1st Battalion also included firing batteries A, B, and C.

I looked quickly through H&S in the 14th Marines 'Redbook' and did not find him so he may have transferred in after the 4th Division left California in early '44.

There is a group posted by devildog34 to the forum which belonged to a Larance Strickler, also of H&S 1st Battalion that has a good description of some of the action on Saipan:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/95207-usmc-saipan-and-iwo-grouping/

 

I do not know anything about Dudley, but I can recommend some additional resources with info about the combat experience of the general unit with some specific accounts from Radio Operators. PM me if interested in more, but one that is available online is a very interesting and unusual perspective on the Saipan battle by a radioman with 4th Battalion:

 

https://www.craigsams.com/saipan-the-other-d-day

 

Interesting that a lot of these packs with multi color markings come form the 4th Marine Division, and specifically the 14th Marines.

Thanks for posting.

 

Thanks much for your response GMPete. Pretty sure 601 was Regimental Headquarters per this chart. post-153086-0-09797700-1560882108_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

YOU ARE CORRECT!!! My apologies! in my excitement I neglected to check the chart. I should know better than to try to do UNIS from memory...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From A Brief History of the 14th Marines regarding D-Day Saipan:

 

"The regimental command group under Lieutenant Randall Victory, landed at Blue Beach 2 at about 1300. It established a command post in an abandoned trenchline located in a small grove of trees about 500 yards inland. While the position offered relative safety, the Marines killed two snipers within 40 yards of the command post. In spite of the hardships and confusion on the beach, the 14th Marines had all of its batteries ashore and firing before dark."

 

post-20738-0-74242600-1560884854.jpeg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From A Brief History of the 14th Marines regarding D-Day Saipan:

 

"The regimental command group under Lieutenant Randall Victory, landed at Blue Beach 2 at about 1300. It established a command post in an abandoned trenchline located in a small grove of trees about 500 yards inland. While the position offered relative safety, the Marines killed two snipers within 40 yards of the command post. In spite of the hardships and confusion on the beach, the 14th Marines had all of its batteries ashore and firing before dark."

 

attachicon.gifIMG_2394.jpeg

That is cool information, love the history, Thank you. If you have any more on Saipan or other battles, it would be greatly appreciated. And by the way, I knew zip about UNIS marked equipment, the webpage I posted helped me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As you can see from the map Regimental HQ was set up pretty close to 2nd, 4th, and 5th Battalions for the first few days on Saipan when things were pretty bad so any account from someone in those battalions would be generally relevant. 1st and 3rd were south near Agingan Point in an area that was somewhat less difficult.

Regimental would have had several radio operators to communicate with the battalions and Division etc., and to coordinate with the Navy and Army as well. (The report says that the command post initially had two radio jeeps in the trenches which might be specifically relevant to your man.) They are mentioned regularly in the official report and issued orders for position changes and organized the displacements. There would have been transportation and supply elements, ordnance, maintenance, weapons, etc.. Someone on the forum can outline their specific duties better than I can but generally they were the overall command unit for the regiment coordinating and overseeing all activities of subordinate units and receiving orders from Division.

The14th Marines after action report for Saipan is available online through Fold3 and is pretty interesting. I have not read the one for the Regiment for Iwo but imagine it is there also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As you can see from the map Regimental HQ was set up pretty close to 2nd, 4th, and 5th Battalions for the first few days on Saipan when things were pretty bad so any account from someone in those battalions would be generally relevant. 1st and 3rd were south near Agingan Point in an area that was somewhat less difficult.

Regimental would have had several radio operators to communicate with the battalions and Division etc., and to coordinate with the Navy and Army as well. (The report says that the command post initially had two radio jeeps in the trenches which might be specifically relevant to your man.)

They are mentioned regularly in the official report and issued orders for position changes and organized the displacements. There would have been transportation and supply elements, ordnance, maintenance, weapons, etc.. Someone on the forum can outline their specific duties better than I can but generally they were the overall command unit for the regiment coordinating and overseeing all activities of subordinate units and receiving orders from Division.

The14th Marines after action report for Saipan is available online through Fold3 and is pretty interesting. I have not read the one for the Regiment for Iwo but imagine it is there also.

 

Thanks GMPETE... Do you have a link to that report on fold 3? I belong to Fold3 but can't find 4th Reports. Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go to WWII War Diaries, then search Saipan, then add 14th Marines as a filter. you can pick any page of 'MAR 4TH DIV' that comes up and make your way to page number 240. That is where the 14th Marines section of the 4th Marine Division Operations Report - Saipan starts. Good Luck! That together with the USMC Saipan monograph gives a pretty full picture. Same goes for Iwo.

Did you pull his file? How did you know about Signal School, Tanks, and 'CP'? If you have it you can also check the transports he was on and read the individual ship's War Diaries if interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go to WWII War Diaries, then search Saipan, then add 14th Marines as a filter. you can pick any page of 'MAR 4TH DIV' that comes up and make your way to page number 240. That is where the 14th Marines section of the 4th Marine Division Operations Report - Saipan starts. Good Luck! That together with the USMC Saipan monograph gives a pretty full picture. Same goes for Iwo.

Did you pull his file? How did you know about Signal School, Tanks, and 'CP'? If you have it you can also check the transports he was on and read the individual ship's War Diaries if interested.

Thanks GMPETE, no I haven't pulled his file, yet pulled information from muster rolls on ancestry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...