World War II Photos:
William James McCoach
Philadelphian William J. McCoach enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 1943, shortly before his twentieth birthday. He trained as a radio operator at Camp Lejeune, and was assigned duty with the First Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO) attached to the Fourth Marine Division. JASCO troops provided communications personnel to front-line units and were instrumental in coordinating gunnery support from ships and aircraft.
McCoach was part of the JASCO detachment assigned to the First Battalion during the battle of Roi-Namur, and would see further action on Saipan and Iwo Jima. All photographs on this page were kindly provided by his daughter, Patricia Nagele.
- Served With: 1st JASCO
- Collection Timeline: 1944 - 1945
- Locations: Marshall Islands, Camp Maui, Saipan, Iwo Jima
As part of the Fourth Marine Division, the 1st JASCO made its home at Camp Maui between battles.
Sergeant Jesse C. Ford and Corporal William McCoach enjoy a beer at Camp Maui.
McCoach stants at the entrance to his tent at Camp Maui.
McCoach and an unidentified buddy.
Private Rocco Randazzo, a JASCO messenger, summer 1944.
Randazzo at his tent, Camp Maui.
A JASCO man cleans his clothes at Camp Maui, 1944.
A picture of posing for a picture, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel, Camp Maui.
Unidentified JASCO personnel.
Radiomen Donald G. Mehlhoff and Robert R. Townsend training in the field at Camp Maui.
JASCO radiomen James I. Linn, Charles F. Vannice, and McCoach training at Camp Maui.
One of the JASCO men managed to take a small camera into combat to capture these interesting personal snaps of battle.
The dangerous nature of their role is graphically illustrated by McCoach himself, who was wounded in action at Saipan and Iwo Jima. He received two Purple Hearts for his service overseas.
Crane at the end of Yokohama Pier, Roi-Namur, February 1944.
JASCO troops in a sandbagged bunker, Namur.
Dead Japanese soldiers, Namur.
Dead Japanese soldiers, Namur.
Namur's heavy concrete blockhouses were subjected to intense bombardment before the landings.
Blockhouse on Namur.
"The mail plane" – maintaining a vital link with home. Namur, 1944.
Radiomen Eugene Goodman and Robert Townsend with two others during the battle of Saipan.
PFC Leo J. McElwee mans the radio in a camouflaged dugout. Saipan 1944.
Eugene Goodman sets up shop in a captured building at Aslito Airfield, Saipan, 1944.
Abandoned Japanese planes at Aslito Airfield, Saipan.
Wrecked Japanese plane, Saipan.
Marine inspects Japanese anti-aircraft guns at Aslito Airfield, Saipan, 1944.
Aircraft revetments at Aslito Airfield, Saipan.
Japanese air-raid shelter, Saipan, 1944.
An American P-61 "Black Widow" night fighter, presumably at Aslito Airfield. 1944.
Japanese 8" coastal defense gun, Saipan, 1944.
Japanese 8" coastal defense gun, Saipan, 1944.
Abandoned buildings on Saipan.
"Power plant" – presumably on Saipan, 1944.
Farmhouses on Saipan, 1944.
Narrow-gauge railroad used for transporting sugar cane. Saipan, 1944.
A massive explosion in the distance. Although McCoach labeled this picture as "Namur," the terrain suggests Saipan as a more likely location.
Looking down a valley towards Charan Kanoa, Saipan.
Ruins of Charan Kanoa. The town was badly damaged during the fighting. Saipan, 1944.
"Tinian from the southern tip of Saipan."
Tinian, the next objective, just three miles across the open water from Saipan.
Rocky coastline of southern Saipan, 1944.
Cliffs at Marpi Point. In this area, thousands of civilians jumped to their deaths.
Cliffs at Marpi Point.
Marines at Marpi Point, the northernmost point of Saipan.
One of the JASCO men got to ride in an artillery spotter plane and brought the camera along. Japanese seaplane base at Tanapag, Saipan.
Ruins of Garapan, Saipan, July 1944.
Aerial view of Marpi Point, Saipan.
Northern Saipan as seen from the air.
The northwest coast of Saipan.
The infamous Iwo Jima beaches. (This is an official Marine Corps photograph.)
I really appreciate these photographs! My father served in a Jasco Unit from 1944-1945 in the 6th Marines, first with a battalion in the the 22nd Marines and then at Okinawa with the regimental Jasco of the 4th Marines. He never spoke a lot about it, other than his immense respect for Colonel Alan Shapely, and his sadness when his battalion Jasco unit was wiped out after his transfer to regimental. Dad didn’t leave any photos, and now he is gone. I would love to learn more details about how Jasco units functioned in the South Pacific, especially at Okinawa. How might I obtain official reports of the 4th Marines Jasco unit at Okinawa? Where would I look and who would I contact?
Thanks for this website!
JR