A hero, a survivor, a Marine

By Claudia Dunigan
Special to Derry News

April 25, 2008 07:00 am

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At his home in Chester, Robert Hall talked of his time spent in World War II.

While some young men served their country in the Army or the Navy, for Hall there was a never a doubt which branch of the military he would enlist in.

"The Marines of course," he said, with a gentle laugh. "The Marine First Division, I was assigned to the First Amphibian Tractor (Amtrac) Division. The best part of the military."

The primary mission of the First Marine Division is to execute amphibious assault operations. It is the most decorated division-sized unit in the United States Marine Corps. Its involvement is famous in Marine Corp history, and includes the first major offensive of the Pacific Theater during WWII, the Guadalcanal operation, launched Aug. 7, 1942.

"It was sunrise and we didn't know where we were going, only the officers knew," said Hall. "The sun was coming up and they ordered us on board our amtracs, the floating swimming tanks and head for orange beach (Guadalcanal). Our mission was to secure the airport and get it back into working conditions.

"We were basically living in the jungle, poor conditions, it was very unsanitary, we had no food or clean drinking water, we would watch the supply ships coming, get ready to take the amtracs out to meet them and bring back much needed supplies. The (Japanese) saw the ships also and would blow them out of the water, we watched some sink knowing we couldn't do anything to save the troops and we watched others head out and leave. They would come back in a few days and we were able to get some supplies but it was constant fighting all the time and loss of life, we lost a lot of troops," he said in a low, far away voice.

After a few moments of silence he said in a much lighter tone, "we left that place on Dec. 17, staying four months, and sailed to sunny Brisbane, Australia. (We) stayed a few days then sailed to Melbourne, Australia and set up camp for nine months."

As for what they did in Melbourne for nine months, Hall chuckled.

"I can't tell you that," he said.

They left Melbourne and headed for Cape Gloucester where they stayed for three-and-a-half months. It was the same mission, to secure the airport. They were also used for back up for the infantry and went where they were needed.

"The troops didn't like to ride with us in the amtrac because we were such an easy target," Hall recalled.

With each battle the amtrac got bigger and better, starting off with 13 men inside and growing 30 men inside. As a mechanic he had to learn how to fix the newer ones as they came along.

Hall remembered a story that took place at the battle in Peleliu.

"It was the worse battles of the whole war, made all the rest look like a dance class," said Hall.

In Peleliu, Hall said he was on one of the big ships and it couldn't get close to shore because of a sea ledge of coral reef, the only thing that could get ashore was the amtrac, it could drive right over those reefs. The bow of the ship would drop down and the ramp would go into the water, the amtracs would disembark off of the ramp.

"We couldn't see the island because all of the shellings and bombings, too much black smoke," he said. "Our orders were to get as many troops and equipment ashore as we could. A lot of amtracs never made it, blown out of the water or land mines. Ours made a couple of runs, before we got hit and one of our tracks was blown off. Our driver, Paul Marks, couldn't go straight we could only go in a semi-circle.

"Well, my job as a mechanic is to fix it and fix it fast. I don't know how I did it, running up and down the beach taking parts from other disabled blown up tanks and I fixed ours right on the spot." Hall proudly said.

The new and bigger amtrac he was assigned to had a flamethrower that could throw a flame the length of two football fields. The infantry used Hall and his crew to smoke out the Japanese, which were hiding in the hills and underground bunkers. They made just enough room for their guns to stick out and pick off Marines as they tried to secure the island. Hall said their new amtrac, equipped with the flame thrower, sent those Japanese running out of hiding in no time.

Hall spent two-and-a-half years in the South Pacific and sailed home under the Golden Gate Bridge in December 1944. The last of his duties was a month of rest and relaxation at Paris Island, where it all began at boot camp. Then it was out to California, to Amphibian camp, training new recruits for their tour of duty.

His only injury during his tour of duty occurred at a ball game, when a rigged bat made from a pick handle flew out of the batter's hand, hitting Hall in the eye, requiring three stitches. Hall survived 59 shellings and 30 bombings.

When he enlisted on Jan. 28, 1942, he was 23-years-old. Hall served at Guadalcanal, Talasea, New Britain, Cape Gloucester, the Russell Islands and Peleliu. He moved up the ranks very quickly, starting out as a private and, in just four years, made Staff Sergeant (E6).

He was discharged exactly four years later, Jan. 28, 1946.

Hall married Lois Lee Arnold, his wife of 58 years on Aug. 18, 1945. He has two daughters, Sandy and Hilary and a son, Jim. His son Jim was also a Marine, served in Vietnam, and during Desert Storm and retired after 30 years as a Master Gunnery sergeant (E9).

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