G.I. Stories 1941-1945

28/08/2026

Another view of the landings by the 23rd and 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division on Roi-Namur, Marshall Islands on February 1, 1944. This footage was filmed by a Navy photographer attached to the Marine assault force.

The large cloud in the background is likely another view of the torpedo magazine exploding on Namur. Finding a large concrete structure, Marines mistook it for a blockhouse or bunker. After tossing in satchel charges, the torpedo warheads detonated. According to Marines who were on Roi and Namur, the island shook and disappeared in dust and smoke. Unfortunately, this resulted in the Marines in the immediate area being KIA. I read that approximately 20 men were lost in the immediate aftermath of that event.

Source: NARA, 428-NPC-1471



PRESENTED FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

28/08/2026

𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙧 - In 1931, Sandor Klein received a Pulitzer Traveling Scholarship for his art studies. He studied at the National Academy of Design in New York, and traveled through Europe in the early 1930s on the Pulitzer scholarship. During WWII, he served as a combat artist in the United States Coast Guard. These photos show him reuniting with his brother on Namur in early February 1944, and Sandor at work on a painting for a Coast Guard LST.

Original caption (first photo): "BROTHERS REUNITED IN KWAJALEIN INVASION - 'Fancy meeting you here,' Coast Guard Combat Artist Sandor Klein (left), and his Marine brother, Mac Klein, run upon each other 48 hours after they had come ashore in the initial assault on Namur Island of Kwajalein atoll. By that time, Mac had killed six J**s and Sandor had had a narrow escape under a burst of J*p machine gun fire. They are sons of Mrs. Mollie Klein of 1680 Crotona Park, East, Bronx, N. Y."

Source: NARA, 26-G-3283



Second Photo: Close-up of Sandor Klein's dungarees with "U.S.C.G. Combat Artist" inked on the sleeve.

Third Photo: Sandor Klein at work. Original caption: "COAST GUARDSMAN PAINTS INVASION INSIGNE [sic] - Coast Guard Combat Artist Sandor Klein paints the unofficial amphibious force insigne an alligator spewing out tanks aboard a Coast Guard manned transport participating in amphibious invasion operations. Coast Guardsmen have manned transports, invasion barges and LSTs (Landing Ship Tanks) during invasions. Coast Guardsmen Klein, onetime winner of the Pulitzer prize for oil painting, was a well known New York artist before the war."

28/08/2026

Operation Flintlock was a success. The operation began on January 31 and the islands were secured by February 4. Army and Marine casualties were comparatively low, yet there were still a combined 372 KIA and over 1500 WIA. J*panese casualties were between 5000-7000, including Korean forced laborers.

This clip gives an insight to the tough situation on the beach at Roi. Men of the 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division were immediately in combat and under fire when they hit the beaches. The Marine photographers were in the thick of the action, shoulder to shoulder with the men in the assault wave.

Source: NARA, 127-R-2586



PRESENTED FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

27/08/2026

Original color footage of "Operation Flintlock" landings on Roi-Namur by 23rd and 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division.

Please subscribe to the YouTube channel for more footage like this. I make $0 off of this, just doing it as a service to make this original footage more accessible.

February 1, 1944 – This original color footage was filmed leading u...

27/08/2026

Here is a great image of 7th Infantry Division soldiers preparing to land on one of the outlying islands next to Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. This was the Army contingent of Operation Flintlock, the invasion of the Marshall Islands. Note the unique camouflage patterns painted on their helmets.

Interestingly, this US Coast Guard photo is a great example of incorrect information in an original caption. These are 7th ID soldiers, not Marines. This is incorrect in the original caption: "PARADISE LOST BY J**S AT KWAJALEIN - Palm-studded Carlos Island, a South Pacific paradise in the Marshalls, falls to American invasion forces driving ashore in Coast Guard-manned landing craft. Expressions on the faces of these seasoned Marines indicate calm assurance of a successful conquest."

Source: NARA, 26-G-3289



PRESENTED FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

26/08/2026

Marines of either the 23rd or 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division on the beach at Roi-Namur, Marshall Islands. I originally thought the men in this footage were at one of the Red beaches, making them 23rd Marines, but I have not been able to confirm. No unit specifics are given in the archival descriptions. In fact, this footage is labeled as landing at Kwajalein - part of the larger operation, but the 7th Infantry Division landed at Kwajalein the day before, on January 31. That is why this amphibious landing on Roi-Namur technically took place on D+1, not D-Day.

As you can see in this footage, the photographers landed right in the thick of it with the assault troops. Also, open suitcase-looking container about halfway through the clip appears to be a chaplain's field kit.

A little note on nomenclature: a regiment in proper parlance would be "23rd Marines" or "23rd Marine Regiment" - for Army - "159th Infantry" or "159th Infantry Regiment." A division is always "4th Marine Division" or "7th Infantry Division."

Source: NARA, 127-R-2586



PRESENTED FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

24/08/2026

Men of either the 23rd or 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division show off their haircut spelling "VICTORY." There is a famous photo of sailors with their haircuts spelling "HELL," but I had not seen this one before. They will land under fire on Roi-Namur, Marshall Islands shortly after the filming of this footage.

Source: NARA, 127-R-2586



PRESENTED FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

23/08/2026

M5 Light Tanks of the 4th Tank Battalion (4th Marine Division) lands on Roi-Namur during Operation Flintlock on February 1, 1944. This appears to be on the Red Beaches of 23rd Marines.

"At 1145, Company C, 4th Tank Battalion, began landing its medium tanks and flamethrower-equipped light tanks. These armored vehicles overtook the infantry on the runway and prepared to race across the remainder of the island. [. . .]

If zest for combat can be considered a crime, the worst offenders were the tank and armored amphibian units. The crews of these vehicles, protected by armor plate, were indifferent to the .256 caliber rifle bullets that were cracking across the island. Upon reaching the O–1 Line, the commander of Company C, 4th Tank Battalion, radioed for permission to continue the attack, but interference prevented his message from getting through. He then decided to advance rather than wait at the edge of the runway for further orders."

(from "Central Pacific Drive" by Shaw, Nalty, & Turnbladh. Official History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II)

Source: NARA, 127-R-2586

22/08/2026

Original color footage filmed on either June 8 or 9, 1945 of men of the 29th Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division clearing J*panese caves used as defensive positions on the Oroku Peninsula, south of Naha, Okinawa. Even after VE Day, the fighting raged on as US forces pushed toward Mainland J*pan.

PRESENTED FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

Source: NARA, 127-R-2523

21/08/2026

Men of the 29th Marines clear caves with demo charges on the Oroku Peninsula, south of Naha, Okinawa. Some details on this part of the campaign below:

"The 4th and 22d Marines made slow but steady progress on 10 June, but 29th Marines battalions continued to meet stubborn resistance and could report only limited gains. Moving slowly through Oroku village behind flame tanks, 2/29 was held up and its way blocked when the lead tank was destroyed by a direct hit from a J*panese 8-inch shell. The regiment, therefore, was unable to reach the last major enemy defense pocket in the sector, which was located on the high ground west of Oroku village. The J*panese troops trapped here began a number of frantic attempts to break out. [. . .]

At 1450 [11 June], Company L [22nd Marines] occupied Hill 53, giving the 6th Division high ground that overlooked not only the Kokuba Estuary, but also the entire Oroku area to the north where the 29th Marines had been unable to make any headway. That regiment attacked to seize the commanding terrain west of Oroku village repeatedly throughout the day, but was unable to find a way to overcome the series of small, mutually supporting hill positions that comprised the defense system here." From "History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Volume V: Victory and Occupation" by Benis M. Frank and Henry I. Shaw

PRESENTED FOR HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

Source: NARA, 127-R-2523