From the Project Recover Case Files: Case File P-141M

The Missing Six of the 7th Marines on Peleliu

By James Witkoski, M.A., Research Analyst

 4 October 1944- Umurbrogol Pocket, Peleliu, Palau.

         By 4 October 1944, the 1st Marine Division (1st MarDiv) had been fighting on Peleliu for almost a month. They were up against some of the toughest terrain in the Pacific. Peleliu’s Umurbrogol Pocket was a vast maze of cement hard ridges, valleys, and caves that the Japanese had spent years preparing. One Marine veteran later said fighting there was like fighting on “the surface of a waffle iron, only magnified by about a million.”

         After nearly a month of combat, the 7th Marine Regiment (7th Mar) was worn down and badly undermanned. Even so, the Marines kept following orders from 1st MarDiv commander Major General (MajGen) William Rupertus to push in and tighten the ring around Japanese defenses. On the afternoon of 4 October 1944, the 7th Marines held a line of ridges and a section of Peleliu’s East Road looking at a large rise known as “Baldy Ridge” which dominated the landscape. Colonel (Col) Herman Hanneken, commander of the 7th Marines, knew his men had to take Baldy before they could push deeper into the pocket. So, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines (Co L, 3rd Bn, 7th Mar) got the order to seize three small peaks in front of Baldy first. At the same time, Co I was ordered to conduct “mop up” operations in their area immediately to the right of where Co L would be advancing.

Figure 1: East Road of Peleliu. Baldy Ridge is slightly to the right of the distinct bend in the road. Source- National Archives.

         The attack by Co L began at 1430. Unlike almost every other advance on Peleliu, the Marines met barely any resistance and no Marines were lost. By 1515, less than an hour later, the three peaks were under the control of Co L. Because the attack had gone so fast, commanders pushed them to keep going, hoping to grab even more ridges for the eventual assault on Baldy itself. But the Marines of Co L didn’t know that the Japanese troops had not abandoned their positions. Instead, the Japanese troops were demonstrating incredible fire discipline and had allowed the Marines to move past their camouflaged positions. Once Co L moved up Ridge 120, the Japanese forces opened fire from behind them while other gun positions from Baldy Ridge also opened fire to the front and flank of Co L.

Figure 2: Diagram of action on 4 October 1944. Source- Frank Hough, The Assault on Peleliu.

         The ambush started at 1645 and caused heavy casualties immediately. The Japanese forces had waited until the Marines were completely exposed and in an area that could not be reinforced or easily evacuated. This made the attack even deadlier. And because Peleliu’s coral ground was as hard as cement, the exposed Americans couldn’t even dig a foxhole for cover. While Co L were being ambushed, Co I was experiencing similar challenges during their mopping up operations and sustained heavy casualties.

         Co L was ordered to withdraw from their position on the side of the ridge, a task that was much easier said than done under fire and with dozens of casualties who had to be evacuated. From the surrounding ridges, other Marines of 3rd Bn, 7th Mar called in a smoke screen and some Marines that were close enough even threw white phosphorus grenades to provide cover for the survivors to evacuate. Navy Corpsmen attached to Co L, who were trapped on the ridge along with everyone else, helped coordinate the evacuation.

One of those Corpsmen, Pharmacist Mate Second Class (PHM2c) William Colgan, was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions. PHM2c Colgan treated the wounded, called in the smoke screen, and directed the evacuation of several injured Marines. He was killed while exposing himself to enemy fire to rescue additional men on 4 October. Another Marine, First Lieutenant (1stLt) Harold Collis of Co I showed the same kind of courage that day and paid for it with his life. According to his posthumous Silver Star citation, 1stLt Collis deployed smoke grenades and ran through enemy fire to reach Co L’s position to assist with evacuating the wounded. He was killed in the effort. Collis is one of the six men from the 7th Marines still missing today.

 

Figure 3: PHM2c William Colgan. Source- findagrave.com.

         After nearly two hours, the last of the wounded and survivors of Co L escaped the side of Ridge 120. Out of the 48 men who mounted the assault on the fourth ridge of the day, only five were not wounded. For the Marines of Co I, their day was plagued by constant machine guns and sniper fire as well which resulted in high casualties. The official report of the 3rd Bn, 7th Mar noted that a total of 19 personnel had been killed and a further 43 wounded.

Figure 4: Report from 3rd Bn, 7th Mar for 4 October 1944. Source- National Archives.

Due to the intense enemy fire that both companies experienced throughout the day, the recovery of all the dead from the field proved to be impossible, and many had to be left where they fell. Days later when the 5th Marines, who had relieved the remnants of the 7th Marines finally took the area where Co’s I and L had left their fallen, the bodies of these men were finally recovered. But recovery didn’t always mean identification. Because of decomposition or the nature of the casualties, five Marines from Co’s I and L were buried as Unknowns. Additionally, one Marine from Co G, 2nd Bn, 7th Mar who were operating in the same vicinity was killed and later buried as an Unknown.

 

Figure 5: Example of the grave an Unknown Marine from Saipan. Source- National Archives.

Co L, 3rd Bn, 7th Mar:

Cpl Raymond Smith

PFC Melvin Timberlake

 

Co I, 3rd Bn, 7th Mar:

1stLt Harold Collis

Pvt Jesse Gilbert

Cpl Charles Light

 

Co G, 2nd Bn, 7th Mar:

PFC Carl Gross

         After the war, the American Graves Registration Services (AGRS) searched Peleliu from 16 May to 3 June 1947. They recovered two sets of remains, but neither came from the area where the 7th Marines suffered their losses on 4 October. AGRS commands also attempted to identify Unknown remains as they were disinterred and brought to the Philippines for their final resting place. Even with all that work, every of the individuals from the 7th Marines who fell on 4 October is still unaccounted for.

Over 80 years later, Project Recover continues to review personnel files, X-Files, veterans’ written and oral accounts of the Battle of Peleliu, and other pieces of evidence to continue to search for these missing Marines. This work will be continued until we can provide answers and closure to their loved ones. Project Recover is committed to honoring their sacrifice by continuing the search. But we need your help to do it. Every mission requires funding, expertise, and the support of people who refuse to let these heroes be forgotten.

 

Here’s how you can make a difference:

• Share this story. The more people who know about these missing Marines from Peleliu, the greater the chance that someone holds a piece of the puzzle that leads us to them.
• Support Project Recover. Your donation funds the research and expeditions that make recoveries possible. Donate today
• Stay connected. Follow our work and be the first to hear when we return to continue the search. Sign up for updates.

 

Photography and Imagery

•   Photographs of Charles Light, Harold Collis, and Melvin Timberlake-www.missingmarines.com
•   Photograph of William Colgan- www.findagrave.com.
•   Black and White photograph of East Road and Baldy Ridge- National Archives 
•   Map of 4 October advance- Frank Hough, The Assault on Peleliu.
•   Photo of Unknown Marine Grave on Saipan- National Archives

 

Official Documents and Records

• 3rd Bn, 7th Mar War Diary for Peleliu Operation.
• PHM2c William Colgan Collection (Marine Corps History Division)

 

 

U.S. Marine Corps Official and Veterans Accounts

•                   Hough, Frank. The Assault on Peleliu. Washington D.C.: Historical Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1950.
•                   Sledge, E.B. With The Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. New York: Presidio Press, 1981.