Close up of the Japanese stamps and Ray's name stamp on flag.

Gang,

Ray Merrill is still around and has wrote about his experiances in the Corps, he has his book about his time in the Corps for sale on my site below (mid-way on the right)in case anyone wants to contact him for a copy.

 

S/F

Bob

Okinawarelics.com

Some stunning items here!

 

Ray Merrell's book is a great read, not just for those interested in the actions of Marine Raiders but the infantryman on the front line and the relationship he has with his family and sweetheart back home. Ray's a top class guy to boot! :thumbsup:

 

Here's my contribution to the thread; an E.G. Waterman fighting knife which more than likely belonged to a 1st Raider KIA and a letter written by a 2nd Raider corpsman from 'somewhere in the South Pacific' to friends back home.

 

Will

 

here is one of my raider hearts

2

3

Here is my contribution. What else can I say?

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...harles+lindberg

Here's the only Raider uniform I have that I have photos of. This is the officer's greens of R. S. Wade. This set is named to him as a Lieutenant in 1941. Thanks to another forum member who provided info after the uniform was posted a couple years ago, it seems he was a Major in 1943 and assigned to 2n Raider Regiment.

 

The uniform comes with blouse with EGAs and ribbon bar, trousers, and Sam Browne belt. IWhen I was looking the uniform over, I found ther stub of a ticket from the Globe Ticket Company, Philadelphia, for an event on the Marine Corps birthday, 10 November, 1944.

 

 

Here is the information provided by a forum member and ther ticket stub that was in the inside pocket of the blouse.

 

Great stuff. Really enjoy seeing it all.

Nice USMC stuff guys don't get any better

Heres mine was in 4th Para. then WIA on Iwo Jima

I was following the auction of Ray Merrells collection and it's amazing!!

 

I'm very happy to see it went to a member here.

-Steve

Here's the uniform of Allan Beale, 26th Marines, 5th MARDIV, from Clarksburg, IN. Had his airborne training at Camp Gillespie, CA, and was wounded on Iwo Jima. Museum of the Soldier Collection, Portland, IN.

Here is a medal group from Thomas Allen who was killed on Okinawa. He had served with the Raiders.

 

 

I have an update on Thomas Allen. One of the forum members was able to get me more information about him. Turns out that he was nearly court martialed for attempted theft while under the influence and disrespected an officer. He was also cook for HQ, Co. E and F 2nd Raider Battalion. He continued as Mess Sgt. in the 4th Marines. It is with this unit that he volunteered to carry ammunition for an MG squad on Ryukyu Island. After many amo carries he was hit several times while giving covering fire to several wounded members of the MG squad. Allen gave his life so that these other men could be brought to safety. Though suffering several wounds it was a neck wound that ended his life.

 

Many thanks to MES for securing this information for me. I have always cherished this small group but now I have an even deeper respect and appreciation for it. Amazing that it has been entrusted to me.

Let's keep this thread going!! Anyone have anything to add?

Does anyone have any Raider or Paramarine mannequins? It's my dream and goal!!

 

-Steve

I would like to learn more about the paramarines do you guys know of any good web sites I can look at? By the way awsome groups guys I like every one of them. What about the parachute patch on the lower left sleeve of the paramarine dress blues? Was that something they wore that meant they were jump qualified kind of like jump wings? And were the raiders jump qualified or was that tne only diffrence between the raiders and paramarine training? Sorry if these are stupid questions but im trying to learn as much as I can about the paramarines. Im very interested in them and can't find alot of info about them.

Here is mine

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...hl=3+war+marine

 

Pete

I would like to learn more about the paramarines do you guys know of any good web sites I can look at? By the way awsome groups guys I like every one of them. What about the parachute patch on the lower left sleeve of the paramarine dress blues? Was that something they wore that meant they were jump qualified kind of like jump wings? And were the raiders jump qualified or was that tne only diffrence between the raiders and paramarine training? Sorry if these are stupid questions but im trying to learn as much as I can about the paramarines. Im very interested in them and can't find alot of info about them.

 

Here's a book you can pick up:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Paramarine-Uniforms-...r/dp/0764319248

 

I don't own it and can't say to the quality but I wouldn't go by the review that is listed on Amazon.

 

The parachute patch on the arm is what I believe a Rigger qualification patch, basically stating that you are qualified to pack parachute bags.

 

I'm sure there was some raiders who might of qualified for jump wings but overall they were two separate and distinct organizations.

 

 

...and I got to say these are awesome collections!!! Yes, if there is one uniform I want in my collection it is a Jump qualified marine from WWII with a Fifth Division patch!

 

Leonardo

Thanks guys for the links and info on these guys. Now were all of the paramarines rigger qualified or just a few? I saw on ebay a few of the rigger patchs there was a white one red and gold colored patchs. Were there that many diffrent colors or are these just fakes im seeing? And how rare or hard is it to find these rigger patches? Thanks again for the info im starting to really get into ww2 Marine stuff now that I have finished up my projects for my family members ww2 stuff. And these paramarines really interest me so I want to know all I can about them. One more question were there more raiders then paramarines or the other way around?

Absolutely superb thread!

Heres my only Raider related group.

 

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...Raider+Corpsman

Heres one Paramarine patch that I picked up last week.

I've got a pair of para marine groupings. The frst consists of jump wings, custom made leather chin cup, and a dog tag style medallion that he wore all the way through the war with the Lord's Prayer imprinted on it. He fought with the 2nd Marine Parachute Battalion at Choiseul. Then he was cadre and a squad leader in the 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima. Will try to post pics later of this small but neat grouping.

Forgot the other grouping! Paramarine with 1st Marine Parachute Regiment who fought on Vella Lavella and Bougainville. Paramarine patch, jump wings, and some papers. Pics to follow.