Last Merrill’s Marauder died
Many of you history mavens recall the name Merrill’s Marauders of WWII Burma fame. Russell Hamler, the last surviving member of the Marauders, died near Pittsburgh at age 99 on Tuesday.
The Marauders inspired a 1962 movie called “Merrill’s Marauders,” and dozens of Marauders were awarded individual decorations after the war, from the Distinguished Service Cross to the Silver Star. The Army also awarded the Bronze Star to every soldier in the unit.
The soldiers spent months behind enemy lines, marching hundreds of miles through the tangled jungles and steep mountains of Burma to capture a Japanese-held airfield and open an Allied supply route between India and China.
They battled hunger and disease between firefights with Japanese forces during their secret mission, a grueling journey of roughly 1,000 miles (1,610 kilometers) on foot that killed almost all of them.
In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to have the Army assemble a ground unit, the 5307th Composite Unit Provisional, for a long-range mission behind enemy lines into Japanese-occupied Burma, now Myanmar. Seasoned infantrymen and newly enlisted soldiers alike volunteered for the mission, deemed so secret they weren’t told where they were going.
Merrill’s Marauders — nicknamed for the unit’s commander, Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill — were tasked with cutting off Japanese communications and supply lines along their long march to the airfield at the occupied town of Myitkyina. Often outnumbered, they successfully fought Japanese troops in five major engagements, plus 30 minor ones, between February and August 1944, according to the department.
Starting with 3,000 soldiers, the Marauders completed their mission five months later with barely 200 men still in the fight.* Military Times
*per Wikipedia, that was actually 130 combat effectives. It says the Army also awarded them Ranger tabs Wikipedia
My poor math says that is at least a 94% casualty rate. Hamler was one of the wounded and had to hide, wounded, in a foxhole for 10 days until he could be evacuated. “Greatest generation” indeed.
Category: We Remember, WWII
RIP good sir, you’re sure to go to Heaven, because you’ve served your time in hell!
Yes, they were all considered “grandfathered” for the Ranger Tab. The Ranger Regiment traces its lineage to Merrill’s Marauders and the Star of Burma on their Crest represents that accomplishment. Rest in Peace Russell, Rangers Lead the Way!
See you on the High Ground
According to my calculator that is either 93.3% or 95.7% casualty rate (depending on whether you take the Wikipedia amount of 130 or stick with 200 combat effective).
What a long 10 days that was. Rest in peace, you’ve certainly earned it.
Thank you for oh so much.
{solemn salute}
*Slow Salute*
Look in Mr. Webster’s Book of Definitions for “Hard Core” and it will reference you to the page on “Merrill’s Marauders”.
Rest Easy, Good Sir…you’ve earned it. Salute!
Rest in peace, good man…
The above photo is a reminder of how time flies. Young Soldiers, full of life even during harsh times, knowing that theirs is a righteous cause that will eventually result in victory. You see the same types of photos across armies since the dawn of photography, and I’m sure Roman and Carthaginian soldiers had similar moments of relaxation and enjoyment. Of course, not every soldier comes home, and not every side is the victor, but I’ve seen enough photos of various soldiers to know that the optimism is usually there.
I’m often the guy complaining about the Firsts, those Servicemembers propped up as individuals (as opposed to members of a Team) due to their race or gender, but this time I’ll try to pay homage to the Lasts; those who exemplify a moment in history, as part of a Team of Servicemembers who did what many nowadays would consider impossible.
Mr. Hamler resumed civilian life at the ripe old age of 20, having earned both the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Like so many of his generation, he did what needed to be done before coming home and continuing life. Being recognized as the Last probably stirred up some strong emotions in Mr. Hamler. Being Last means that you are the sole remaining representation of that Team. The men you knew, the deeds you and they accomplished, and the story left to be told is placed squarely on your back. And then, when the Last is gone, an era has truly ended.
We’ve witnessed the WWI Vets decline and pass on, and now the WWII and Korean War Vets are leaving us. Before long, the Vietnam Vets, those who were my current age when I was a boy, will go that way, and decades from now, someone will be the Last OIF/OEF Vet to go.
God Speed Hero!
Rest in peace Sir. God be with your family.
Rest in Peace.
Rest in Peace.
You set an honorable example, and I expect an humble one.
May we who follow strive to live up to it.
I think those of my generation were fortunate to be raised and taught by the men and women of the greatest generation. Our fathers (and sometimes our mothers) were veterans of WWII, our teachers, preachers, the tradesmen and store clerks were more likely to be veterans than not. Fortunate indeed, I just wish I had been smart enough to ask questions to my dad, his brothers and other family members but too late now.
Most of the casualties were from various diseases, not enemy action; 1970 vs. 424.
http://www.marauder.org/casualty.htm
Disease and non combat incidents were the overwhelming cause of death though history all the way to the end of WWI. That changed by WWII. However, these guys were so isolated, without adequate medical support, and in such favorable conditions for disease they were decimated by infectious diseases.
Watching 7 out of ten of your buddies suffer or succumb to diseases and the delirium of fever is brutal.
Rest In Peace, Sir.