Lucy, Thanks for your reply. Yes I've been on the Marine Raider site, and have sent in a membership application to join as an associate. I have printed out much of their information; but, as many of the battles referred to don't contain dates it is hard for me to follow who was where. I only have letters with dates and return addresses which tell me what Bn, etc. my dad was in at what time, but not where he was as they weren't allowed to even hint at it. It is sometimes unsettling to be reading a letter and have a big piece cut out by the censors and then try to read the rest....I have sent to the records dept. to try to get further info.




Sincerely,


Denise Loeffel

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Have you looked at the Marine Raiders' web site? We have much information there on the Marine campaigns, of which some of the 6th Division were a part of. Visit their site at http://www.usmarineraiders.org

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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