World War II Photos:
Brother Gunners
The machine gunners of Dog and Charlie Companies were a close bunch, even before their platoons were joined together in March of 1944. Operating in tight-knit squads, armed with air- or water-cooled Brownings, they provided “flat trajectory” support for riflemen in countless assaults. As high-priority targets, many of them were killed or wounded during the war.
This collection is a compilation of photos from several gunners.
Sandy B. Ball – Company C – courtesy Jack Ball
Carl Cooper and Howard Cooper – Company D & C – courtesy Carl Caldwell
Frank W. Ciecierski – Company D & C – courtesy Karen Hansen
William C. Logan – Company C – courtesy Brad Logan
- Served With: Dog Company, Charlie Company
- Collection Timeline: 1942 – 1945
- Locations: New River, Camp Pendleton, camp Maui
Stateside: 1942 – 1943
Private Sandy B. Ball maintains an air-cooled Browning M1919 machine gun.
Carl Cooper with Jack Coutts, New River 1942-1943. (Cooper collection)
Brothers Howard and Carl Cooper, in helmets, with an unidentified buddy at the New River tank park, 1942. (Cooper collection)
Carl Cooper with an unidentified buddy, New River. (Cooper collection)
Frank Ciecierski poses with a furry friend. Behind him is an American M3 Stuart tank. Photo likely taken at New River, 1943. (Ciecierski collection)
Private Frank Ciecierski, left, with brothers Thaddeus and Stanley, c. 1942. (Ciecierski collection)
Carl Cooper at home on leave in Charleston, WV. He is visiting his girlfriend, Dottie Pendleton. (Cooper collection)
Carl and Dottie in Charleston, c. 1942. (Cooper collection)
“Brothers Join Marines”
The new ‘leathernecks’ are Carl Cooper and Howard Cooper….
Howard and Carl are the sons of the late Mr. and Mrs. John H. Cooper of Rand. Howard, 19, was graduated from du Pont high school, where he played football and baseball. He was working for the Red Parrott Coal Company. Carl, 23, attended Colcord high school in Raleigh county, where he played football. At the time of his enlistment, he was employed by the du Pont company at Belle.
– The Charleston Daily Mail, 25 August 1942
Carl Cooper was killed in action on 2 February 1944, at Roi-Namur. Howard witnessed his brother's death; he was never the same afterwards.
Overseas: 1944 – 1945
Charlie Company buddies on Tinian, August 1944:
Sandy Ball, Wilson Cook, Charles Czerweic, Michael Murray, Giuseppe Giambone
Wallace "Ox" Taylor, Mike Mervosh, Donald Marston, Bill Logan. (Logan collection)
Platoon Sergeant Mike Mervosh (Ciecierski collection)
Bill Logan, John Hasara, "Ox" Taylor, Francis "Red" Slevin (Logan collection)
Dog Company buddies: John Chismar, Frank Ciecierski, "Black" Mike Cusimano, Paul Claffey. (Ciecierski collection)
Howard Cooper and Glenn Buzzard. (Cooper collection)
[Sandy] had somehow captured a motorcycle that had a sidecar attached to it. Unlike the sidecars on American bikes, this [Japanese] one was attached on the left side of the motorcycle because they drive on the opposite site. One day [on Saipan] he said, “Hey, Mervosh – let’s go for a ride.”
I got in the sidecar and we took off on a narrow road and soon came upon some large trucks going real slow. He started to pull out to pass on the left side, but he couldn’t see another truck coming. I was scared to death because I could clearly see the truck coming from my seat. I yelled, “I’ll tell you when it’s clear!”
That was probably my last ride on the bike with him.
– Mike Mervosh in Gregg Stoner, Hardcore Iron Mike, Conqueror of Iwo Jima.
Charlie Company survivors of Iwo Jima. This group is mostly "plank owners" who have been with the unit since 1942.
Charlie Company gunners at Camp Maui. (Ball collection)
Frank Ciecierski (center front) shares a beverage with his squad. (Ciecierski collection.)
John Zink, Bill Logan, George Spindler, Howard Cooper, Louis Naccarato, Robert DeNunzio. (Ciecierski collection)
"Buzz, Miller, Bruce, Cooksey." Camp Maui, 1944. (Ciecierski collection)
Louis Naccarato, one of the 4th Marine Division's notable boxers. (Logan collection)
"Gunslinger" Sandy with a private-purchase pistol he carried on Iwo Jima.
Sandy (left) showing off souvenirs at Camp Maui.
Lots of paperwork for an NCO. Camp Maui.
Gunners ready for the field, Camp Maui.
Sandy (right) with buddies at Camp Maui.
Sandy in the company street, Camp Maui.
Sandy Ball beside his tent at Camp Maui, 1944 – 1945
Unidentified Marine at Camp Maui. (Logan collection)
Unidentified Marine at Camp Maui. (Logan collection)
Unidentified Marine at Camp Maui. (Logan collection)
Bill Logan (left) with buddies at Camp Maui. (Logan collection)
Inside the Staff NCO club at Camp Maui. (Ciecierski collection)
The Staff NCO bar at Camp Maui. Note homemade decorations, and photos of Medal of Honor recipients behind the bar. (Ciecierski collection)
