I Was Blood From Head To Foot.
Letter from PFC Donald “Red” Rothweiler.
To his parents, William & Leenella Rothweiler
Donald Maurice Rothweiler – known to friends and family as “Don” or “Red” – hailed from Palmyra, Missouri and served with Baker Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines. The nineteen-year-old rifleman survived his first encounter with Japanese troops on Namur intact – “without a scratch,” he proudly informed his parents – but had a much tougher time on Saipan. Red was slightly wounded shortly after landing, but kept fighting for another three weeks. On 5 July 1944, within the space of a few minutes, he was blown up by a land mine and shot through the helmet. Red “had the feeling that my leg had been torn off” and his face swelled so badly that he was blind for a week. Fortunately, he kept both his sight and the ability to walk – though the experience left him, understandably, “a little nervous.”
This letter was penned from a Navy hospital in Seattle, and printed in the Palmyra Spectator on 9 August 1944. Red tells his parents how he was wounded, his healing progress, and hopes for a thirty-day furlough. He did receive his convalescent leave (the Spectator had a reporter on hand to interview the returning hero) and after several more months in Navy hospitals received a discharge for medical disability on 7 July 1945.
The Spectator also included a brief blurb to introduce the letter, which appears below.
“Wounded After 21 Days Of Fighting”
PFC Donald Rothweiler, U. S. Marines, one of the heroes of the battle of Siapan [sic] is in the States and hopes to be home for a visit to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Rothweiler, in the near future, or as soon as he is feeling better. After twenty-one days of fighting he was severely wounded when the enemy threw a land mine in his direction, the mine exploding within two feet of him, and a few minutes later a bullet passed through his helmet striking him near the right eye. He was wounded July 5 and the next day was flown to Pearl Harbor where he was hospitalized. He took part in the invasion of Manur [sic] in the Marshall group in February, coming through uninjured and had been overseas since January. He arrived in Seattle, Wash. last Thursday and here it the letter which was received by his parents Monday.
Dear folks:
I am feeling very good and have been up and around for the last ten days. Will try and explain what happened. A Jap threw a land mine at me and it exploded about two feet away. Was knocked over, falling on my back and had the feeling that my leg had been torn off, but there were only two small holes in it (my right leg) one about the size of a nickel and the other about the size of a pencil. Another fragment pierced my arm. Was also hit in the eye and for a while thought I would lose it. The swelling was very bad and I was blind for a week but it is coming along fine now. Got another hole in the back about the size of a quarter, but that wound has healed.
After being knocked down by the land mine, I got up and tried to walk but my leg would not hold me up. Falling to the ground I started to crawl and something hit my helmet. More blood started to run down the side of my face and by that time I was blood from head to foot. I felt the side of my head and discovered a gash about two inches in length where a bullet had gone through the helmet, grazing the side of my head. It wasn’t very bad and don’t believe the injury will be permanent – however, the doctors haven’t told me as yet. Am still a little nervous but will get over that.
I was on Siapan [sic] for twenty-one days. Went ashore D-day and was wounded July 5. The next day I was flown all the way to Pearl Harbor in a C-54 by the U.S. Army Transport Command. There were two good-looking nurses there, too.
Forgot to say that it was my right eye that was injured but it will clear up all right. Don’t know how long I’ll be here, but just as soon as I am a little better, will be home on a thirty day leave. My hand is getting tired so will stop for now. Had not better tell you too much, as won’t have anything to talk about when I get home. Say hello to everyone back there for me.
Your loving son,
Don