US Marine Tanker, Private Bruce Rutherford from Bristol, Tennessee is seen cleaning his Thompson submachine gun while playing with rescued puppies Nanci, Shoto, Sake, Zero, Banzai, and Okinawa on the Pacific Island of Okinawa. 1st of June 1945. Our research tells us (so far) that this Marine could be sitting on a Sherman M4A2 of the 1st Marine Tank Regiment. The two Marine units on Okinawa were the veteran 1st Btn., who were equipped with the M4A2 and the newer 6th Battalion using the M4A3. The 1st Battalion started the campaign with 47 M4A2 tanks in May. During the course of the fighting, operational strength plummeted from 47 to 28 tanks by June 22nd. The heaviest casualties were during the fighting for Kunishi Ridge in mid-June, with a single days loss of 21 tanks. The Marines on Kunishi critically needed reinforcements and resupplies; their growing number of wounded needed evacuation. Only the Sherman medium tank had the bulk and mobility to provide relief. The next several days marked the finest achievements of the 1st Tank Battalion, even at the loss of 21 of its Shermans to enemy fire. By removing two crewmen, the tankers could stuff six replacement riflemen inside each vehicle. Personnel exchanges once atop the hill were another matter. No one could stand erect without getting shot, so all transactions had to take place via the escape hatch in the bottom of the tanks hull. These scenes then became commonplace: a tank would lurch into the beleaguered Marine positions on Kunishi, remain buttoned up while the replacement troops slithered out of the escape hatch carrying ammo, rations, plasma, and water; then other Marines would crawl under, dragging their wounded comrades on ponchos and manhandle them into the small hole. For those badly wounded who lacked this flexibility, the only option was the dubious privilege of riding back down to safety while lashed to a stretcher topside behind the turret. Tank drivers frequently sought to provide maximum protection to their exposed stretcher cases by backing down the entire 800-yard gauntlet. In this painstaking fashion the tankers managed to deliver 50 fresh troops and evacuate 35 wounded men the day following the 7th Marines night attack. (by Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC Ret) Colourised by Paul Reynolds. https://facebook/PhotoColourisation Historic Military Photo Colourisations)
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 14:44:09 +0000