Fighting handguns of WWII: heroes, their hardware and the American fighting spirit

American Handgunner, March-April, 2003 by Clint Smith

Much has been written about the small arms--specifically handguns--used by American Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Aircrews in the conflagration known as World War II. The manufacturers, the number of pieces produced, the fit and finish are duly noted and documented.

But what of the individual stories of these American servicemen using handguns? In a war rife with artillery and aircraft carriers, started by Stukas and ending with the blazing flash and mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb -what possible role could a handgun have played

Indeed, it seems at times, handguns played pivotal roles in the often very personal fights for freedom that occurred at toe-to-toe distances during the war. One only has to read some of the Medal of Honor citations to see, in sterile, official, but nonetheless dramatic text, exactly how a .45 or a .38 in the hands of a brave soldier proved the handgun had and still has a role in warfare. There are enough old-timers still around who, reluctantly, can still share their experiences. Here are some of those.

Over a period from 19 June to 12 July 1944 Private Baker's Company A was heavily engaged in combat. His company pinned down by strong enemy positions, Private Baker single handedly attacked fortified positions with a bazooka. Several days later encountering several groups of enemy soldiers numbering up to twelve men, he attacked alone without hesitation. On July 7th, a force of several thousand Japanese soldiers attacked the perimeter where Private Baker stood in defense. Seriously wounded, with his personal weapon destroyed from hand to hand combat, Private Baker was given a pistol. Refusing to be evacuated, he was last seen alive back against a tree with pistol in hand. Later, when units returned to the battlefield, Private Thomas A. Baker's body was found, -- empty pistol in hand -- with the bodies of eight dead Japanese soldiers lying at his feet.

While in the advance, Corporal Bennett's company was pinned down by a strong machine-gun position. Corporal Bennett, flanking the enemy position, closed with and killed one enemy soldier with a knife. Proceeding into the building he charged the machine gun position killing three enemy with rifle fire, clubbed one to death with his rifle and dispatched the last three enemy gunners with .45 caliber pistol fire.

Iwo Jima March 1945

In possibly the only ground action of it's kind involving Army Air Force pilots and aircrew, the Japanese assault on Iwo Jima in March 1945 goes down as unique. Several hundred Japanese broke out of a containment pocket and staged an attack through the tent area of the newly arrived fighter squadron personnel. In the ensuing melee United States Army Air Corps personnel armed with .45 caliber pistols, MI Carbines -- and assisted by a Marine patrol in the area -- killed over three hundred Japanese.

Okinawa Jima, 1945

Serving as a medical Corpsman 3rd Platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines on Okinawa Jima on 2 May 1945 Robert E. Bush moved fearlessly among his wounded Marines. Exposed to fire as the Japanese counterattacked, Corpsman Bush was administering plasma to a wounded Marine officer on the ridgeline. Holding the plasma bottle in one hand the corpsman drew is pistol and emptied the weapon into the on-coming mass. Corpsman Bush, wounded to the degree of losing one eye, continued to protect the wounded marine with an M-l carbine until his charge could be evacuated. President Harry S. Truman awarded corpsman Robert E. Bush his Medal of Honor 5 October 1945.

Iwo Jima 3 March 1945

Leading Marines of the 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Sergeant William G. Harrell was standing watch in the darkness of 3, March, 1945 on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. In the early hours of dawn, Japanese infiltrators attacked his position. Opening fire with an M-1 Carbine Sgt. Harrell killed several of the enemy soldiers as an exploding grenade severed his left hand. Drawing his pistol he killed a sword-wielding opponent who entered his position. As more enemy poured into his position he killed several more until his pistol ran out of ammunition. Surrounded by several enemy troops, he picked up a grenade that had been thrown at him and held it against the remaining enemy soldier occupying his position. The blast severed Sgt Harrell's right hand and killed the enemy soldier. Sgt. Harrell was evacuated the next morning, his position surrounded by a dozen enemy dead,

Sgt. William Harrell was awarded the Medal of Honor 5 October 1945 at the White House by President Harry S. Truman.

Sgt. Harrell passed 9 August 1964 in San Antonio, Texas.

High Flying Heroics

Flying five miles above Germany in aircraft with quirky talismans like "Flak-Magnet," "Corky," and the "Impatient Virgin" adorning their aircraft, the aircrews of the B-24s and B-17s sustained tremendous losses of life and aircraft. Raids with losses of sixty aircraft were not uncommon. Sixty aircraft may not sound like many but the number of lives lost could be shocking. Sixty aircraft equates to six hundred empty beds--and six hundred empty places at the chow hall that evening.