Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
4:52 | On October 13, 1942, Frank Pomroy and his unit try to survive a Japanese bombing run on an airport on the island of Guadalcanal.
Keywords : patrols tobacco air base air raid ordnance casualties Guadalcanal
Exhausted after three days of hard fighting on Peleliu with multiple wounds, Frank Pomroy finds himself separated from his unit. He runs into a Japanese patrol and then is almost killed by his own men.
Frank Pomroy recounts his exploits upon arriving at Guadalcanal on the USS George F. Elliot, his numerous brushes with death on that ship, and witnessing firsthand the Allied defeat at the Battle of Savo Island.
In the marshes of Peleliu, Frank Pomroy has a face to face encounter with a Japanese soldier where neither man comes out unscathed.
Frank Pomroy recalls having to leave his commanding officer, Lt. Fournier, behind, to hold a position by himself, as Frank tries to escape with a badly wounded leg.
After the severe damage to the USS George F. Elliot, Frank Pomroy and a few other men try to survive in the shark infested waters of the South Pacific.
On October 13, 1942, Frank Pomroy and his unit try to survive a Japanese bombing run on an airport on the island of Guadalcanal.
Frank Pomroy recounts the injury of friend and fellow Marine, Ben Coffee, while in combat on Peleliu.
On Peleliu, Frank Pomroy gets into combat with Japanese troops in the dead of night in the Battle of Coffin Corner.
Frank Pomroy recalls the landing at Peleliu from the prep to the landing on the sandy beaches where Frank and a fellow Marine tried desperately to stay alive.
Frank Pomroy recalls how a fellow Marine is seriously injured by friendly fire.
Frank Pomroy tells the "sinful little story" about how he joined the Marine Corps in 1941.
Frank Pomroy describes how the Battle of Savo Island was the Navy's greatest defeat during World War II due primarily to Japan's night-fighting superiority.
Aside from the fronts in Europe and the Pacific during World War II, Frank Pomroy contends that there was actually a third war going on at the time with General MacArthur.
After fighting at Guadalcanal and arriving at Cape Gloucester, Frank Pomroy describes the Battle of Coffin Corner, which resulted in the loss of a close friend.
Frank Pomroy remembers being part of the first wave onto the island of Peleliu and coming face to face with a Japanese soldier during a banzai charge.
Frank Pomroy recalls a memorable experience with legendary Marine officer Chesty Puller on the island of Pelelieu.
While fighting Japanese forces on the island of Pelelieu, Frank Pomroy remembers trying to save a fellow soldier who had been hit by friendly artillery.
