Saipan: 17 June 1944

There's a page about my dad that reads in part, in his words:

I was wounded in action 17 June 1944 on the Island of Saipan in the Marianas Islands with 23 Marines (23rd Regiment, Fourth Marine Division). We had landed via amphibious tanks/tractors of of LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks). We received the Presidential Unit Citation and I received a "gunshot wound, left leg" on Saipan--40 percent disability by the Veterans Administration. And ... yes ..I received the Purple Heart.

As the LST's landed on the beach at Saipan, the men were told not to take pot shots, just to take cover. Dad looked over and a man from his little worship group appeared to be praying. Dad put his hand on the Marine's shoulder to comfort him and his head fell back, the whites of his eyes turned red and burst. Blood ran down his face. His fellow GIrene had caught a bullet under his helmet.
I do not recall whether dad went over the side or down the ramp onto the beach but he was in the water receiving heavy fire from machine gun nests from the Japanese. He decided to take cover behind the LST and with all that loud gunfire and bullets whizzing around him, a still, small voice said in almost a whisper, "You'd better move." Dad swam from behind the LST. Just then, the vessel lunged backward and would have turned my pop into hamburger, had he not obeyed the voice.

Three days later, on the island Dad was told to inform the forward positions that chow was on. He proceeded to do so. He went to one group and said, "Chow's on!"
"Go to HELL, Roebuck," came the response.

He went to another, "Chow's one!""Go to HELL, Roebuck!" came the response from the second group. He moved forward and again said,
"Chow's on!" BANG! He saw a flash in front of him and immediately felt led burning its way into the calf of his left leg as he fell to the ground and in my dad's words, "Squeeled like a stuck pig!" He lay there, having told the Lord, "It's You and me from here on out" after God's warning that earlier saved his life. Now, a new conversation, "Well, Lord, I guess this is it..." What seemed like eternity passed and then, in the words of dad, "The most beautiful little corpsman came up and said, 'We're gonna get you out  of here, Marine!' "


Read the whole account, if you wish, at:  http://www.justinmuseum.com/oralbio/roebuckbbio.html