Skip to content
  • Camp Pendleton
  • Hawaii

World War II Photos:
William Thomas Freeman

Lieutenant Freeman – “Big Bill,” as he was called – was an officer with the Fourth Motor Transport Battalion. He served with the unit from their creation in 1943, first as a platoon leader and later rising to command the battalion’s Company A. Freeman, his men, and their important jeeps and trucks provided sterling service to the Fourth Marine Division in four difficult campaigns.

These photographs appear to start during training at Camp Pendleton in 1943, and conclude at Camp Maui in 1945. They have been made available courtesy of Bill Freeman’s daughter, Janelle Handley, and her son Lieutenant (j.g.) Edwin Handley, USN. 

  • Served With: Fourth Motor Transport Battalion
  • Collection Timeline: 1943 - 1945
  • Locations: Camp Pendleton, Camp Maui, Hawaii
  • Camp Pendleton
  • Hawaii

Camp Pendleton

"There are no non-essentials in today's war. There are no non-combatants. The officers and men of my command are specialists. It is to us that men in all other branches of service must look for the tools and services that make it possible to engage and destroy the enemy.

"Without your courage and your determination to carry through despite any obstacles, there could be no Guadalcanals, no Bougainvilles, no victories."

– Colonel R. H. Schubert
CO Service Troops, 4th Marine Division, 1943

A convoy makes its way through the mountainous Camp Pendleton backcountry.
A high-altitude view of the "boondocks."
PFC Harry E. Gibson contemplates the California scenery.
Schwing mugs for the camera in the boondocks.
PFC Robert Paul Schwing, a truck driver from Philadelphia.
Schwing with an unidentified buddy.
The Camp Pendleton barracks can be seen in the middle distance.
Chow time in the field. Lieutenant Freeman is getting into the driver's seat.
Freeman keeps a straight face, desipte the antics of senior mechanic SSgt. Edward Morris.
Relaxing in the field, with one of Pendleton's infamous cacti in the background.
Field training for Motor Transport also included weapons practice.
Training with gas masks for a chemical attack.
Manning a .50 caliber machine gun during a gas drill.
Loading a "casualty" onto a Jeep trailer. The dog may be a company mascot.
From left: 2Lt. Frank E. Rodgers, Jr., unidentified, Pvt. Rubin Logan, Pvt. Harry S. Kokinacis, Pvt. Ronald Clements, Pvt. Charles W. Dutton, unidentified, and 2Lt. Louis Verna.
Unidentified trio of Motor T men, Camp Pendleton.
PFC Robert Schwing, mechanic, and PFC Bernard J. Finnegan, driver, with their truck "Ramblin' Wreck."
Schwing stands by as a convoy prepares to leave Camp Pendleton.
A convoy paused along the road.
Unidentified Marines on liberty, believed to be in California, 1943.
Robert Schwing (right) with two unidentified buddies.
Schwing (left) with an unidentified corporal.
  • Camp Pendleton
  • Hawaii
  • Camp Pendleton
  • Hawaii

Hawaii

Freeman's battalion deployed overseas in January, 1944, and supported the Fourth Marine Division in action at Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima.

Between battles, they made their home at Camp Maui in the Hawaiian Islands.

"Tim, Lou, and Gilly, April 1944." Gunner Carl Timmerman was the Company A maintenance officer; Lieutenants Louis Verna and Paul Gilroy were platoon leaders.
"Sam Mandich, Warrant Officer Canfield, & a Doc." Mandich was assigned to the 20th Marines; Canfield to the 4th Service Battalion ordnance company.
"Giving them the word." Lieutenant Freeman addresses his men at Camp Maui.
Back row: Lieutenants William Prosser, Lou Verna, Frank Rogers. Front Row: Gunner Timmerman, Lieutenant Freeman.
Unidentified; Lieutenants Paul Gilroy, Frederick J. Winker, Louis Verna.
Freeman with B Company officers: "Moody," Martin Schneider, John Rill, Lawrence Dusenberg, and George Miller.
Lieutenants Edward L. Lewis, Jr., and Freeman flanked by "Webber" and "Durrett" – believed to be medical officers.
Lieutenant Robert Rossing (4th MT Bn) with "Faulkner, Feulknop, and Woody" – organization unknown.
Freeman was not called "Big Bill" for nothing – posed here with Lt. Rossing.
Lieutenants Robert Logue and Bill Freeman, Camp Maui.
Bill Freeman and Fred Winker. May 10, 1945.
Freeman and Edward Lewis. Note Lewis has to stand on a step to match "Big Bill." July 15, 1945.
Freeman, Lewis, and the laundry. Camp Maui, July 15, 1945.
Freeman and "T-Ghoul," real name unknown. July 20, 1945.
Unidentified Marines at Camp Maui.
Senior NCOs and officers at Camp Maui. Back row: Herman Peters, Paul Gilroy, Charles Rogers Middle: William F. Vause, Ralph Spain Front: Freeman, Frank Rogers
Almost the same crew as the previous picture; Freeman is replaced by Lt. Loris N. Mouser.
By the summer of 1945, the MT officers were close-knit bunch. Lieutenants Kenneth "Whitey" Whitescarver, Ed Lewis, Bill Freeman, Fred Winker, and Lloyd Reese.
Lewis seems to have stolen Whitey's cap, much to Winker's delight.
Cap recovered, Whitescarver is almost photo ready.
Lt. Fred Fraider joins the group for a more sedate photo. These were taken on July 4, 1945.
Company A officers at the end of the war: 2Lt. Michael A. DeSimone, 1Lt. Ed Lewis, 2Lt. Joseph H. Hoehl; 1Lt. Freeman. DeSimone and Hoehl were replacement officers; note that neither wears campaign ribbons.
Dressed up for a formal occasion, presumably a parade. Back row: Capt. Walter Alford, Capt. Daniel Allen, Lt. Prosser, Lt. Freeman Front row: Lt. Whitescarver, [unidentified], Capt. Lawrence Duensing, Lt. George Miller

When off duty, the Fourth Motor Transport Battalion made the most of their time in Hawaii.

Bill Freeman at the "Company Party," May 10 1945.
Freeman and "Gum-beating Lewis," May 10 1945.
Lt. Frank Rodgers and SSgt. Felix Mayfield, May 10 1945.
Enlisted men enjoy the May 10 party. From left: SSgt. Charles G. Braun, PFC Joseph M. Hiers, Sgt. William Miltenberg, PFC Warren J. Van Amringe, [unidentified], PFC Charles J. Lamp, Sgt. Raymond Emmert, [unidentified]
Company A gathers for a unique performance...
..."a professional" acrobat from within their ranks. Unfortunately, his name is not known.
Acrobatics for Company A
Harry S. Kokinacis, [unidentified], Ario G. Gallese, [unidentified], Lionel J. Bushy
SSgt. Felix Mansfield, Cpl. George Sevak, PFC Richard Darrah
Bill Freeman's "command group" consisting of Lieutenants Lewis and Whitescarver, May 10 1945.
Football by the seaside, May 10 1945.
Veteran enlisted men in Hawaii: Marshall D. Pillow, Jr., [unidentified], Francis L. McDermott, William Van Hoesen, Millard E. Burke
Warrant Officer Lloyd C. Goodman, 1945.
At this impressive formal event, Major Michael Danneker (CO of the Fourth MT Bn) slices a truck-shaped cake for BGen. Franklin A. Hart, assistant division commander.
Danneker, LtCol. Melvin Krulewich, Capt. Joseph L. Hockman, Lt. Lou Verna, Capt. Walter Alford, WO John Rill, Lt. Patrick R. Donnelly, and WO George Bickel at dinner.
BGen Hart takes a turn on the dance floor.
Bill Freeman with "Hank DeLoof, MP," Hawaii.
A much less formal liberty, enjoyed by Whitescarver, Lewis, Duensing, and Walker from the 4th MT Bn. They are joined by Lts. John Courtney and Andrew Thach, Navy surgeons from the 4th Medical Battalion.
Lewis, Whitescarver, Walker, Courtney, Thach, and Freeman.
Walker, Whitescarver, Freeman, Duensing.
Walker, Whitescarver, Freeman, Duensing.
The war is over, and the Battalion is heading back to the States. Lieutenants Freeman, Rodgers, Lewis, and Whitescarver are ready to board.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome aboard! If you're looking for www.1stbattalion24thmarines.com – you're in the right place.

We're still working to get all the content from the old site to the new server, so if you can't find what you're looking for, it's probably in the queue. Check out the "NEWS" tab for the latest updates.

Thanks,
Geoffrey

Latest Updates
X