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Frank Pomroy

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Frank Pomroy was late for the battle on Guadalcanal so he volunteered for a lot of patrols. He and a pal went on a lot of them, then they decided to take it easy for a day. That day turned out to be anything but easy. (Second interview) (9:47)

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The Japanese had another battalion on the way but they attacked the Marines at Tenaru River without waiting for them. They should have waited. Frank Pomroy was manning a 37mm gun and that was a big reason that Banzai charge after Banzai charge failed. (Second interview) (10:02)

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In combat, you have tunnel vision. Frank Pomroy experienced that when he faced waves of Banzai charges on Guadalcanal. They were intended to frighten you enough that you turned and ran but it didn't work on the young Marines. (Second interview) (3:47)

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Frank Pomroy and his fellow Marines were so tired and wracked with malaria that, when they shipped out, they were unable to climb the cargo net. Frank has a novel theory that there were three fronts in the war, the German Front, the Japanese Front and the Douglas MacArthur Front. (Second interview) (5:37)

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After recuperating for a while in Australia, Frank Pomroy's next engagement was at Cape Gloucester. There was a new platoon leader who was a mean Warrant Officer with little respect from the men. The battle kicked off when Frank woke him up because he heard the Japanese setting up in front of his position. Part 1 of 2. (Second interview) (10:05)

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The Japanese were defeated for the first time by a few Marines. The battle fought at the Tenaru River marked not only the beginning of the Guadalcanal campaign but the turning point in their dominance in the Pacific. Frank Pomroy explains why they lost. (First interview) (3:55)

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It was supposed to be an easy day. After a period of patrolling in the jungle Frank Pomroy and his buddy Jim Mangin were going to be part of a work detail at the Guadalcanal air field. When the Japanese bombers showed up, that was the end of that. (First interview) (9:07)

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There was little or no food for the Marines on Guadalcanal. Frank Pomroy recalls how they all ate a lot of coconuts and battled malaria and a host of other ills. Once the island was secure, they had a nice recuperation in Australia. (First interview) (2:50)

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Guadalcanal marked a turning point in the war in the Pacific. The Marines had proved that the Japanese could be beaten. Now the industrial output of America could rise and smother the enemy, which was already suffering attrition of men, ships and planes. Frank Pomroy contrasts the long struggle there with the highly compressed action he would face later on Peleliu. (First interview) (4:44)

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There was a warrant officer in charge of Frank Pomroy's platoon at Cape Gloucester. When Pomroy woke him up to tell him the Japanese were assembling in front of their position, he scoffed but got up anyway. As they stared out into the night he lit a match and held it in front of his face. No Japs out there. See? (First interview) (7:18)