Daniel J. Girdano
Daniel John Girdano joined A/1/24 in the fall of 1944. He fought as a machine gunner on Iwo Jima, where he was wounded three times; his refusal to leave the line for medical treatment would later cost him a well-deserved Purple Heart.
Dan’s pictures show members of Company A in the spring and summer of 1945, as they recovered from Iwo and prepared for the invasion of Japan. He also served with the 6th Service Depot in Hawaii for a few months after the war ended.
All images on this page are courtesy of Mr. Girdano’s daughter, Danielle.
- Served With: Able Company (Machine Gunner), 6th Service Depot
- Collection Timeline: February 1945 – January 1946
- Locations: Iwo Jima, Camp Maui, Hawaiian Islands
Camp Maui
Above: Walter "Butch" Campbell, "GI," and Austin "Pop" Johnson in company street, Camp Maui.
While some of these photographs of Company A at Camp Maui may be dated to winter 1944, the majority are believed to depict the spring of 1945, after Iwo Jima. Most of the Marines pictured were members of the machine gun platoon, but not all names are known.
Please contact us if you recognize any of these men.
Souvenirs of Hawaii
Above: Danny Girdano (right) poses with an unknown buddy at a souvenir photo booth.
A group of 24th Marines – buddies from home and from fighting in the Pacific – share a laugh for the camera in 1945.
The 6th Service Depot, 1945 – 1946
On 10 October 1945, PFC Daniel Girdano transferred to Service Command, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, for duty with the 6th Service Depot. He appears on the rolls of the Transport Company through January 1946, at which time he was sent back to the United States to prepare for his discharge.
These photos depict life in Hawaii immediately after the end of the war, including a road trip and a beach barbecue. While a number of First Battalion men served with the Transport Company, most of the individuals in these photographs are unknown.
Squad 5 my grandpa is in the bottom left with hat on robert hurdel jr
Your Grandfather was good friends with my Dad, Ed DuBeck. He kept in touch with my Dad up until my Dad passed away in 1996.
Yes I remember!!!