Harold Junior Oberheide

Inducted into Naval service 19 June 1944. Boot camp at MCRD San Diego with 6th Recruit Battalion. Outposted to 7th Training Battalion, Second Infantry Training Regiment for instruction as anti-tank gunner and halftrack driver.

Assigned to 24th Replacement Draft for deployment overseas. Attached to Fourth Marine Division in winter of 1944, in preparation for Iwo Jima operation. Traveled to Iwo Jima aboard USS Newberry; performed stevedore and salvage work until assigned to Able Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines as a battle replacement on 27 February 1945.

Outfit: A/1/24th Marines
Rank: Private
MOS: 610 (Anti-tank gunner)
Important Events:
February 27, 1945 – joined from 24th Replacement Draft

One of the first guys I saw killed was a friend of mine I’d gone through boot camp with, we were right side by side, standing at an embankment looking out, and he said “Did you see that spider trap foxhole over there?” A spider trap foxhole has a lid on it and they raise it up, stick their head out and shoot, then duck back down. So he was trying to tell me where it was, and he turned to look at me – and then he was gone, fell over backwards and I looked down and it took me a minute to realize who it was because he had been shot through the head and his head fell down lower than his feet and all the blood rushed down and he just blew up like a pumpkin. I knew who it was, but only because he had been right there beside me.

Transferred to Weapons Company, 24th Marines on 8 April 1945; duty as anti-tank gunner through end of war. On 5 October 1945, transferred to 18th Service Battalion for duty with guard company.

Honorably discharged 9 July 1946 with rank of corporal.