My father, Jeremiah E. G., served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II from March 1943 through October 1945. He went through basic training in San Diego and did his infantry training at Camp Pendleton, CA. He was stationed throughout the South Pacific and proudly served in the following battles:
- Battle of Leyte, Philippines
- Battle of Iwo Jima
- Battle of Okinawa
He was an aircraft Mechanic and worked on several Navy vessels. He also worked diligently to remove the dead and wounded in all of the above battles. My father last saw his brother, James P. G. (USMC) at infantry training at Camp Pendleton, California in 1943. His brother was shot down and was killed in action at the Battle of Rabul, located near New Britain in February, 1944. It was a loss that he would never get over.
My father is a very humble man and has not spoken of his time in the Marine Corps very often. It may be difficult for him to relate to his past experiences due to his Parkinson’s disease and also his humble personality. We can only the real war stories that must be locked into his memory as he moves on to his final stage of life.
I would like to thank Belmont Village for establishing this American Heroes exhibit and hope that it serves as an amazing testimonial to the bravery of these veterans!
Respectfully Submitted,
James P. G. (USMC)