William Erich Gehrke
Master Sergeant
Headquarters & Service Company - 1st Marine Aviation Engineer Battalion
The Corps in Haiti
Serene skies and beautiful rolling mountains greeted the fresh load of sharp-featured Marines who arrived in the bustling city of Port-au-Prince in August of 1930. The capital was spread upon the lowlands of a natural port and covered with a thriving community which enjoyed the temperate Caribbean climate. These new Marines were unloaded and taken to their stations, which had been garrisoned by the Corps since 1915 (1). The antiquated colonial buildings and the unique Haitian houses lined the ever-busy streets that captivated the wide-eye marines who were experiencing their first posting. Though having been in the Corps coming on three years, William Gehrke, had never left the comfort of the states, his initial stay in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, being part of his first great adventure. Yet as exciting and as tranquil as the streets of this beautiful city seemed, there was a sense of unwelcomeness that meant they had to be on their guard.
Fifteen years of occupation had worn on the local populace, who had often been subjected to cruel forced-labor programs carried out by the Marines to help improve infrastructure (2). Though William and the others in the Transport Company of the 1st Brigade certainly appreciated the now navigable roads, they had come at a horrible human cost for the people (2). This underlying resentment mixed with the anger spurred by a massacre of peaceful demonstrators the previous December, meant the situation was quite tense (2). Thankfully for the youthful 24-year-old private, the anger didn’t boil over into renewed conflict and he was able to go about his job in logistics unhindered. |
10-months of working on motor transport in the sun made for not so bad of an experience. The monsoon season was rather unpleasant but was bearable compared to the harsh winters back in his home of Minnesota. Mail was frequent and the hard work of William helped ensure it along with the needed materials made it around the island to his fellow Marines. By the time he was preparing to leave, the Corps was getting ready to finally draw down its forces on the island, much of the security details being handed over to the Gendarmerie, which was now mostly composed of Haitians (1). In June of 1931, the tanned Marine departed on pleasant terms from the lovely island having honed his skills as a mechanic. The short stint allowing him to proudly claim to be among the last of the Haiti Marines, the USMC fully withdrawing from the island in 1934 (1).
Shovels and Shells on Guadalcanal
High temperatures and an endlessly muggy humidity drenched the dungaree clad Marines crammed abord navy ships. All were eager to disembark upon coming within sight of the steep peaked hills of Guadalcanal. The grey-tinted sand appearing to mark a tropical paradise, but the dense jungle foliage that lined the hills and the worn look of the personnel already there quickly dissuaded such perceptions. The well-equipped and clean-cut faces of those in the 1st Marine Aviation Engineer Battalion looked totally foreign compared to their compatriots who had existed under a state of endless siege for weeks. Even Master Sergeant William Gehrke gave off the appearance of a green soldier, despite his near 15 years in uniform. The Japanese had clearly given the 1st Marine Division an unrelenting beating and those in this small November relief force prepared to join in the misery as the sounds of combat permeated through the bush.
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The Japanese welcoming gifts did not disappoint as the Marines in the HQ and Service Company of the Battalion clenched the earth under shell fire and air raids. Their job wasn’t to be combatants, but that made them no less of a target as they endured the consistent Japanese attempts to inflict pain upon the invasion force. Thankfully, the fresh reinforcements would help drive the enemy back, forcing their guns out of range of the beach and airfield (3). But life remained difficult even without shells falling on their heads. The horrid tropic conditions and potent diseases quickly began wearing on the men, straining their morale and physical abilities. As a senior NCO, William had to keep his men on task and composed, which was proving to be a momentous task on this miserable island.
The Japanese welcoming gifts did not disappoint as the Marines in the HQ and Service Company of the Battalion clenched the earth under shell fire and air raids. Their job wasn’t to be combatants, but that made them no less of a target as they endured the consistent Japanese attempts to inflict pain upon the invasion force. Thankfully, the fresh reinforcements would help drive the enemy back, forcing their guns out of range of the beach and airfield (3). But life remained difficult even without shells falling on their heads. The horrid tropic conditions and potent diseases quickly began wearing on the men, straining their morale and physical abilities. As a senior NCO, William had to keep his men on task and composed, which was proving to be a momentous task on this miserable island.
Having been officially baptized by the enemy, the Battalion moved to replace the exhausted souls of the Seabees on Henderson field (3). Day and night those men had labored to keep the few intact planes of the Cactus Air Force flying, a seemingly impossible task that was now handed off to the Marine Engineers (3). It was a test of patience and endurance as William helped command the Marines in his Company to support the work efforts of the regular Battalion. Everything was lacking so no supplies could be left to waste, even leftover Japanese construction equipment was requisitioned and put to use (3). With their makeshift arsenal of tools and strong backs, the Marines set out to turn the field into something serviceable. This meant frequently having to work through the night and into the morning to fix the large craters left by Japanese bombing raids (3). Yet despite all this, the field was heavily improved, and the tired Marines were certainly content to watch the dilapidated Air Force blossom into a complete combat formation due to their efforts (3).
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The rehabilitation of the airfield was only the first step, and many more back breaking days were spent working on improving drainage and establishing a new strip known as Sailer field. At 36-years-old, the work was tough, but William continued to lead his Marines with great skill, ensuring the Battalion remained supplied and organized. By the time the job was done, the Japanese force on the island had been thoroughly pulverized in great part due to the mass of planes which flew from these now premiere airfields (3). It was a hard-earned victory for the Battalion that had cost many their sanity and some their lives. For these feats and sacrifices they were recognized with a presidential unit citation and a unit commendation.
A Final Post
Celebrations swept across the country as the end of the war was announced. Now stationed in California, William had a lot to be thankful for, having survived his time in the Pacific and being able to return to his beloved wife in the states. Two of his brothers had also served, one in the Army and the other in the Air Corps, both having come out of it all unscathed as well. No doubt their German parents in Minnesota were overjoyed at this news. Yet just because the war had ended did not mean that all risk of danger had subsided. This was particularly true for the Marines who were now volunteered for duty in China to help disarm the vestiges of the Japanese Empire there.
William would be ordered to pack his kit for deployment, once again acting as a Master Sergeant in a Headquarters and Supply unit, this time for the Seventh Service Regiment. The Old Breed NCO and the many other veteran Marines arrived in Northwest China to find a country ravaged by war and civil strife. The uneasy truce among various Chinese factions brought on by the Japanese invasion had collapsed and war reignited in the streets and countryside all over the nation. It was all quite a bit more than the Marines had bargained for, most just wanting to go home in one piece. As best they could, the men of the Seventh Regiment went around disposing of the leftover Japanese ammunition and arms stockpiles (4). William worked in the truck company of the Regiment and became well acquainted with the rubble and ruin of once prosperous cities; the beauty of China being overshadowed by the human suffering which seemed to have consumed every vestige of society.
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Inside the hearts of the many malnourished Chinese peasants ignited the flame of anger as they flocked to the red banner of communism in mass, occasionally coming into conflict with Marine forces. Skirmishes with communist guerrillas coupled with fatigue from the Second World War meant there was little about this posting that was enjoyable. All in the Corps were glad to depart the country completely in 1948, leaving its people to their own devices. William and the Marines he led returned home having aged under stress, but well decorated and far more importantly, alive.
Sources:
(1) Schutz, Jenna. “Small War Logistics: The Intervention in Haiti, 1915-1934.” University of Nebraska, July 2011. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=historydiss.
(2) Danticat, Edwidge. “The Long Legacy of Occupation in Haiti.” The New Yorker, 28 July 2015, https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/haiti-us-occupation-hundred-year-anniversary.
(3) Hough, Frank O., et al. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II Volume I: Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal. U.S. Marine Corps, 1958. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/I/index.html.
(4) Donnelly, Ralph W., et al. A Chronology of the United States Marine Corps, Volume III: 1947-1964. Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1971.
(1) Schutz, Jenna. “Small War Logistics: The Intervention in Haiti, 1915-1934.” University of Nebraska, July 2011. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=historydiss.
(2) Danticat, Edwidge. “The Long Legacy of Occupation in Haiti.” The New Yorker, 28 July 2015, https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/haiti-us-occupation-hundred-year-anniversary.
(3) Hough, Frank O., et al. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II Volume I: Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal. U.S. Marine Corps, 1958. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/I/index.html.
(4) Donnelly, Ralph W., et al. A Chronology of the United States Marine Corps, Volume III: 1947-1964. Historical Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1971.