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Pvt Richard Barzelogna
to remember
Marine PFC Jesse Bowers.
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Jesse Eugene Bowers' last known employment was that of Construction Contractor in the Persian Gulf region.
Other Comments:
Jesse Eugene "Gene" Bowers was born 7-7-1923 in Baxley, Georgia.
Gene served in the USMC, 7-10-1942 through 10-15-1945, with most of his service being deployed in the Pacific Theater, with one 30 day leave home during autumn, 1945, in which he surprised his mother. He kept a framed patch of III Amphibious Corps and was very proud of his service with that unit.
He was a very active life member of DAV Jim Bowe Chapter 86, Flagler Beach, Florida, and VFW Flagler County Post 5213, Bunnell, Florida.
On 7-6-1980, he was murdered by his wife, Francis, with a single gun shot while visiting a friend and fellow USMC veteran/ VFW Life member in Bunnell, Florida. She was found Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity in the subsequent murder trial that followed.
Marianas Operation /Battle of Guam (1944)
From Month/Year
July / 1944
To Month/Year
August / 1944
Description Guam, ringed by reefs, cliffs, and heavy surf, presents a formidable challenge for an attacker. But despite the obstacles, on 21 July, the Americans landed on both sides of the Orote peninsula on the western side of Guam, planning to cut off the airfield. The 3rd Marine Division landed near Agana to the north of Orote at 08:28, and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade landed near Agat to the south. Japanese artillery sank 20 LVTs, and inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans, especially on the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, but by 09:00 men and tanks were ashore at both beaches. The 77th Infantry Division had a more difficult landing. Lacking amphibious vehicles, they had to wade ashore from the edge of the reef where they were dropped by their landing craft. The men stationed in the two beachheads were pinned down by heavy Japanese fire, making initial progress inland quite slow.
US Marines move inland.
By nightfall, the Americans had established beachheads about 6,600 feet (2,000 m) deep.[1] Japanese counterattacks were made throughout the first few days of the battle, mostly at night, using infiltration tactics. Several times, they penetrated the American defenses and were driven back with heavy loss of men and equipment. Lieutenant General Takeshi Takashina was killed on 28 July, and Lieutenant General Hideyoshi Obata took over the command of the defenders.
Supply was very difficult[2] for the Americans in the first days of the battle. Landing ships could not come closer than the reef, several hundred yards from the beach, and amphibious vehicles were scarce. However, the two beachheads were joined up on 25 July, and the Orote airfield and Apra harbor were captured by 30 July.
The counterattacks against the American beachheads, as well as the fierce fighting, had exhausted the Japanese. At the start of August, they were running out of food and ammunition and had only a handful of tanks left. Obata withdrew his troops from the south of Guam, planning to make a stand in the mountainous central and northern part of the island. But with resupply and reinforcement impossible because of American control of the sea and air around Guam, he could hope to do no more than delay the inevitable defeat for a few days.
Rain and thick jungle made conditions difficult for the Americans, but after an engagement at Mount Barrigada from 2-4 August, the Japanese line collapsed; the rest of the battle was a pursuit to the north. As in other battles of the Pacific War, the Japanese refused to surrender, and almost all were killed. On 10 August, after three weeks of combat, organized Japanese resistance ended, and Guam was declared secure. The next day, Obata committed ritual suicide.
