Everett Schafer's Letters
Letter #14
Our Gun Was Credited With 80 Dead…
To “Mom & All”
27 August 1944
August 27 1944
Base Camp
Dear mother + family
After so long of a time down in the war zone and being aboard ship, I finally got back to the base camp. It’s the same camp I was at before we went to Saipan. Since we got back we haven’t done a thing except get personally squared away. Everyone was really pleased, for we have been aboard ship for a couple of weeks.[1] I had my first fresh water shower in about fifty days. All others was salt water or distilled.
Well first I’ll say that I have received all the back mail and packages that you sent. They were all here at this camp when I arrived. The contents was in good condition and very tasty.
I was very glad to hear that you are in the new house. From your description it is very nice and I’m sure glad you are so well pleased with it. I knew that sometime you would have a place like you wanted, one that you don’t have to work on all the time.[2] Another important thing is that you aren’t working any more. I never was in favor of that and intended to do something about it, but now things worked out for the better.
I received your letter that mentions me thinking of you in second place. I was a bit disappointed in your understanding of me. I have always written you before writing anyone else. My reason for not putting in all the gory details of battle was for your benefit. I truly thought you wouldn’t want to read things like that. LaFerhn, I thought wouldn’t take them things too serious, and Dutch would like to hear the details. I didn’t know about the exchange of letters or I would have written the details to you. From now on I shall write you everything, and hope you don’t feel that I’m slighting you, for it is not my intentions.[3]
I have forgotten just what I said about being in the hospital but this is how it went.
After resting for about two weeks on Saipan we crossed over the channel and on July 24, we made the assault on Tinian. Our battalion was the second to hit the island. It didn’t take long to secure a beachhead and after that it was just the routine fighting. Our company never had much opposition until the ninth day when we were about 2,000 yards from the end. It was the day after we went through Tinian Town that things began to happen.[4] We were moving up in a line with one platoon of B Co. on the beach, and the rest of the outfit extended across the island. Our tanks were out in front giving covering fire. Then as we started into a wooded area along the beach a Jap machine gun opened up. While the platoon or one squad was taking care of it, I set my gun up covering them from the flank. We had been left behind for the rest of the company had pushed on about 300 yards when the word was passed back that the Japs were coming back our way. When they got to us we opened up and cut them off from breaking through the rear. We had a couple riflemen with us but they pulled back as soon as they threw their grenades, so we just stayed and kept firing all we could.[5] They threw hand grenades at us but we were cutting them down before they got close enough to be effective. Grenades were bursting alongside the gun on the road where we were and all around but they were missing us. All of a sudden I saw one of their knee mortar shells coming right at me.[6] I was really worried then. I had time to raise myself up on one leg and start to jump and it went off where I was laying. I felt stunned for a few seconds and knew I was hit, but I didn’t hurt. I turned around to look for the other two fellows that were next to me on the gun and another one busted right by me on the road. I felt a piece of shrapnel hit my back and one in the little finger. I made a dive for cover as they were really letting us have it. When I looked up the other two fellows were right behind me and both of them were hit.[7] One of the shells had landed on the gun and knocked it over. A couple of Japs ran over and tried to get the gun but they were killed by a rifleman on the spot. Then we were evacuated to the hospital on Saipan. I had several small pieces of shrapnel in me. One in the foot, both legs, in the back, under the arm and in my little finger. None of them were bad and I was out of the hospital in five days. Now I would never know I’d been hit.
PFCs William E. Muller and Charles F. Naab, Jr., Baker Company machine gunners wounded on 31 July 1944. They are likely the "other two fellows."
Our gun was credited with eighty dead Japs, and after the battle the Company “B” had near 400, so I guess it was a good day’s work. Two days later the island was secured, and that’s the story.
I just received the package from Shirley, so you can let her know. I’m glad she’s back with you and know you are.
Well for now this is about all I can think of. Tell everyone hello for me and that I’m fine. So till the next letter,
Your loving son,
Everett
Footnotes
1. The 24th Marines departed Tinian on 8 August 1944 (the day Everett was released from the hospital) and arrived back at Camp Maui on 24 August.
2. Everett’s mother has settled in to her new home in Indianapolis.
3. Dora apparently feels a bit put out after receiving Everett’s very detailed description of Saipan via LaFehrn. As his nephew, Gary Schafer, explained: “This is an abnormal amount of detail for his letters to his mother. But he was responding to an earlier letter from his mother, who complained about his lack of detail. This is an example of “Be careful what you ask for….”
4. The action described took place on 31 July 1944.
5. By this point in the Mariana Islands campaign, Baker Company had a high percentage of inexperienced replacements in the ranks, all of whom were “temporarily attached.” Most fought very bravely, but a few were less effective either due to inexperience or lack of attachment to the company.
6. “Knee mortar” is the American term for a Japanese 50mm grenade launcher.
7. The “other two fellows” are probably PFCs William E. Muller and Charles F. Naab, Jr., both Baker Company machine gunners who suffered minor shrapnel wounds. Like Everett, they returned to duty on 8 August 1944.