Stories of Faith and Courage From World War II (25 page)

“I know,” said Packard heroically. “It takes a lot of experience.”
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Pyle may have made a conscientious effort to better understand the “big picture” of politics and strategy, but, fortunately, he continued to focus his stories on the ordinary soldiers fighting the war. He said, “ I love the infantry because they are the underdogs… they have no comforts… and in the end they are the guys that wars can’t be won without. ”
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When he was killed on Okinawa, the soldiers erected a simple plaque: “ At this spot, the 77
^th
Infantry Division lost a buddy, Ernie Pyle, 18 April 1945.”
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Ernie Pyle’s personal humility and empathy toward others made him a beloved figure to the soldiers he wrote about and to readers in four hundred daily newspapers.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

—Matthew 23:12

A
PRIL 30

Down to Bed Rock

No one on earth complains like a soldier in combat or has more reason to. He suffers from hunger, thirst, exhaustion, fear, and the perceived incompetence of those “above” him. And he doesn’t suffer in silence. Expressing himself effectively with a mixture of profanity and humor is a matter of professional pride. Sgt. Ray Salisbury was with the U.S. forces in North Africa in 1943 and had his own observations on this trait of the American soldier:

We can complain to ourselves, grouse about conditions and yell about anything or everything but when something comes up that needs everyone’s cooperation the Americans are there to do it. Then they go back to their complaining… Just to witness the ingenuity of soldiers who aren’t provided with the comforts of home, to see them make crystals for their watches out of a turret canopy—to watch them repair their shoes with nails made from carpet tacks. There are countless other things they do. They do not complain because they are without facilities—they make their own… Here is where you get down to bed rock. Here is where you discover that you have pools of energy that have never been tapped.
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It is the same now as it was then: our soldiers are a product of the society they come from. They are used to thinking for themselves and don’t usually hesitate to state their opinions, even when they irritate those “above” them. The smart officer (as well as employer or parent) doesn’t fight this ingrained trait. They do better to facilitate it. You will have a better military unit, business, or family if those under your supervision have a regular way to express their opinions. When you insist on positive suggestions along with the complaints, you tap into the “bed rock” mentioned above: the creative potential and energy of people molded in the spirit of freedom.

I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

—Psalm 119:32

Soldiers landing on North African beaches (National Archives)

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AY

Advance in the Western Pacific

After the Battle of Midway, the strategic focus of Japan and the United States shifted to an obscure and remote corner of the Western Pacific known as the Solomon Islands. On August 7, 1942, the 1
^st
Marine Division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Alexander Vandegrift, landed on Guadalcanal and quickly took control of a partially finished airstrip, which the Marines renamed Henderson Field. Work on the runway was rushed to completion, and, in little over a week, Marine dive-bombers and fighter aircraft were landing to add airpower to the defense of the new base.

Contrary to the ease of its capture, the defense of Guadalcanal became a long, drawn-out nightmare for the Marines ashore and the sailors at sea. On the night of the second day, a strong Japanese naval force arrived and decimated the U.S. covering force. In the night Battle of Savo Island the Allies lost four cruisers and one thousand seamen. The Japanese fleet turned away before finishing the fleet of transport ships still off-loading cargo across the beaches, miraculously saving the invasion from ruin.

The desperate struggle for Guadalcanal continued for four months. Both sides were forced to resupply and reinforce at night due to the threat of air strikes during daylight hours. The Japanese were able to bring in a constant stream of new troops and, by early November, outnumbered the Marines. They launched attack after attack against the positions around Henderson Field. The Marines held on in spite of hunger, malaria, and severe shortages of equipment and supplies. At this point in the war, the North African landings and supply convoys to England and Russia were competing for every item of logistical support.

As the Marines held on ashore the Navy fought a series of battles at sea that would prove critical to the final outcome. Fortunately, the determined and aggressive Adm. William F. “Bull” Halsey took command of the naval forces conducting the Solomons campaign. On the night of November 1415 a battleship engagement was fought off Guadalcanal. The Japanese lost one of their largest ships, and another major resupply effort was thwarted. After this, the Japanese did not launch another significant offensive against the island. The Marines were relieved on December 9, at which time General Vandegrift told his men: “ It may well be that this modest operation begun four months ago today has, through your efforts, been successful in thwarting the large aims of our enemy in the Pacific.”
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As the Marines were securing Guadalcanal, American and Australian forces under Gen. Douglas MacArthur were defeating Japanese forces defending the Papuan Peninsula on the southern end of New Guinea. In early 1943, both forces went on the offensive, advancing toward the Japanese stronghold of Rabaul on the eastern end of New Britain. MacArthur’s units leapfrogged up the coast of New Guinea as Halsey’s force, spearheaded by the Marines, attacked through the central Solomons and Bougainville.

By early 1944 both forces converged on the Admiralty Islands. When Manus was taken and forward naval and air bases established, Rabaul was effectively bypassed, isolating and neutralizing more than ninety thousand Japanese troops in strong defensive positions. At this point, MacArthur was ready to continue his advance along the coast of New Guinea toward the Philippines as the bulk of Navy and Marine units turned their attention to the Central Pacific.

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AY 1

Hearing God

As the Japanese moved relentlessly through Southeast Asia, a group of Christian missionaries assembled on the Netherlands East Indies island of Celebes to anxiously await developments. In late January 1942 the Dutch police came to Dr. Robert Jaffrey, the mission chairman, to inform him that a ship was lying at anchor to evacuate the last of the foreigners from the island. Dr. Jaffrey called a meeting to share this information and to determine who was going to leave and who was going to stay. He gave them challenging instructions:

I want to counsel you not to discuss this decision that must be made with each other—not even husband and wife. Go to your knees and say, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do? Shall I go or shall I stay?’ This is extremely vital, because then no matter what happens in the months or possibly years ahead, you will know that you are exactly where God wants you to be. If He leads you to leave, you’ll never feel that you were a coward and fled. If you are led to stay, no matter what happens you can look up and say, ‘Lord, you intended for me to be right here.’
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Later, when the trucks arrived to pick up the missionaries, not one stepped forward to leave. All knew with certainty that God had called them to stay. Dr. Jaffrey said, “ God does not work in confusion, a wife against her husband or vice versa, in a matter that concerns both of you. This is but a confirmation to your hearts of His directive.”
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Three days later it was reported that their assigned ship had been torpedoed and sunk with no known survivors. God had obviously spoken to these missionaries, and, amazingly, they were able individually to discern his guidance. We have to be inspired by the example of these spiritual people. Like them, we should seek to grow constantly in our ability to distinguish God’s voice amid the clutter and distractions of our lives. This is no less a matter of life and death for us than for a group of missionaries long ago in the Pacific.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

—John 10:3–4

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AY 2

106 Miles through the Valley

Seventeen-year-old Glenn Frazier was captured on the Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 and spent three and a half years in Japanese prisoner camps. His worst ordeal was the first six days and seven nights. Glenn surrendered with seventy-eight thousand other U.S. and Philippine troops who found themselves at the mercy of an enemy who held the act of surrender in the greatest contempt. The Japanese forced their already exhausted and disease-ridden captives to march overland with practically no food or water to distant prison camps. Those who fell out along the way were killed. Thousands died along this grim trail in a tragedy that the survivors would never forget. Throughout the infamous Bataan Death March, Glenn Frazier turned to God for the strength to keep going and, because of his powerful faith, ultimately survived the brutal trial of endurance. He later described his ordeal and his salvation in a paraphrase of the 23
^rd
Psalm:

Yea though I walked 106 miles through the valley and in the shadow of death, I feared the evil of the imperial Japanese soldier. They had the guns and bayonets to use against me. All I had was the love and faith that God would comfort me. I knew the Lord was my shepherd. They forbid me to lay down in green pastures for six days and seven nights. I was marched by running water but was forbidden a drink. The Japanese prepared their tables before me but I was forbidden food. They maketh me march without mercy. But only God could restoreth my soul. He leadeth me step by step along the way in the face of my enemies. He promised to anoint my head with love and understanding and, even though my cup was empty, I knew it would be filled in his name’s sake. I knew that goodness and mercy would follow me. My life would be spared in his name. I knew that even though the path was long and hard, it was the path of righteousness for his name sake.
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Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens… Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign L
ORD
comes escape from death.

—Psalm 68:19–20

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AY 3

The Fighting Chaplain

Chaplain George Rentz was liked and admired by all aboard the USS
Houston
. Fifty-nine years old and a veteran of World War I, he was probably the oldest man on the ship. He was most often found walking among the men, helping where he could and giving words of encouragement. He often brought ice water and cookies to those on watch, and was even known to give out a few unauthorized drinks of harder stuff when conditions called for it.
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Even when the ship was under air attack, Chaplain Rentz remained topside to be with the anti-aircraft gun crews. An officer noted that when the gunners “ saw this man of God walking fearlessly among them, they no longer felt alone. ”
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