Hi John, I kind of think you were right about Guadalcanal, I remember this as one of the places my father mentioned also. Have you tried writing for your dad's records? A very nice man who is the assistant curator at the Raider Museum, Richmond, Va. emailed me with the following information: next of kin can write to the following address to receive a form to request military records, the form is SF-180, National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records Center - Marines, 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. He said that it may take quite a few months to receive information, but you will receive it. After you receive the information the Historian for the Marine Raider Association would like to receive a copy of them along with a picture of you dad, a brief biography and his obituary. Send the information to: Jerome J.C. Beau, Major, USMC (Ret.), 5139 S. Cole Road, Boise, ID 83709-6010. Also, you can join the Raider Association as an associate member for $25 per year if you'd like, I have. Go to the Raider Association pages at www.usmarineraiders.org to print out the membership form.




I wonder if our dad's knew each other? They were really a close knit group from what I perceived from my dad's letters to my mom. It's no wonder that many of them didn't talk about the war afterwards after losing so many friends they had made. My dad always put a humorous tint to the stories he told us; but, I found out more of what it was really like speaking to men he knew who were also in the service after he passed away. Good luck in your search. Keep in touch. My email is dloeffel@hotmail.com if you're interested. Denise Loeffel

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Judging from your post, you are searching for much the same information I am, and have for some months now. My father also served in the Sixth and was WIA on Okinawa. He is gone now and the computer is one way I can make contact with some of the handful of survivors. It's good to know others are trying the same thing. I am writing this from Northern Utah, although I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio where my father enlisted in 1944.




If your father served in the places you mentioned, he was a lucky one to survive. I was thinking that Edson's raiders served on Guadalcanal, but I am no historian. Just a reader and boobtube watcher of the History Channel, which has done a program on Merit Edson and the raiders. You have good reason to be proud. And with all those relatives serving too. Some deal.


I wish you luck in your search. Perhaps we can share notes as we explore the past and the Sixth MARDIV.




Sincerely,




John J. Wise


son of Sixth vet

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Hello all,


I'm new to this, and to your website. I have been making a scrapbook of all of the letters, pictures, cards, etc. written to my mother from my dad when he was in the Marines in WW II. This site and others have been very helpful in tracing my dad's service. He was in the Edson's Raiders Co. A 1st. Marine Raider Battalion from April of 1943 until he was reassigned to C Co., 1st Battalion, 4th. Marines Reinforced, 6th. Marine Division in September of 1944. My Uncle Paul Loeffel was also a Marine in WW II, as was my Uncle Jack Trainor. My grandfather Alfred Roth was in the Navy during the same time. I grew up in what I refer to as a very unique family, as the saying Once a Marine, Always a Marine certainly did apply and I am proud when I get a chance to tell anyone about it. As I mention above my father was a Platoon Sergeant upon discharge, but he called himself a gunnery sergeant. Can anyone explain this to me? I have many letters from my uncles and my father's Marine buddies during the war which refer to my father as a great morale builder and a great person to serve with which also makes me very proud as he was also a great father. I hope you all don't mind my communicating with you. Sincerely, Denise Loeffel