Entered the service from Pennsylvania. (This and date of death recorded above obtained from cemetery office records.)
**********
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: A report by Robert J. Cressman states that Sgt. Henry Bedell was killed on 23 Dec 1941; the day the Marines surrendered Wake Island.
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: The roster of Marines killed on Wake shows his death date as 23 Feb 1941.
**********
The Japanese naval invasion force, commanded by Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka, arrived 11 December. With only 450 special naval landing troops at his disposal, Kajioka just barely outnumbered the defending Marines, who used their six 5-inch coast-defense guns that protected Wake Island with amazing skill and accuracy. The 5-inch/51-caliber seacoast guns hurled a 50-pound shell at 3,150 feet per second up to a range of 17,100 yards.2 Kajioka's flagship Yubari was hit 11 times, while the lead ship of three destroyers, Hayate, was struck by three two-gun salvos at a distance of only 4,000 yards "so accurately that she blew up, broke in two, and sank immediately."
The Marines from Battery L cheered so wildly that Sergeant Henry Bedell, an Old Breed Marine [1st Marine Division] hollered at his Marines, "Knock it off, you bastards, and get back on the guns. What d'ya think this is, a ball game?" The Marines had every reason to cheer, as Hayate was the first Japanese surface ship to be sunk during the war. Battery L then set their sights on Japanese destroyer Oite and scored two hits. They then fired on the next leading transport, which turned seaward and retired behind a destroyer smoke screen, leaving the survivors of Hayate to drown (only one sailor from her crew of 148 survived). The well-trained Marines from Battery B, on Peale Island, let loose with salvos from their 5-inch/51-caliber guns on the leading ship Yahoi, which scored one hit. The enemy fired upon Battery B in return, severing fire-control communications, but otherwise not doing any harm. The Marines shifted fire to another destroyer and soon all the Japanese ships retired.
Source: https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1941/philippines/defenders-of-wake.html
Contributor: NEIL O'CONNOR (48663429)
**********
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: A report by Robert J. Cressman states that Sgt. Henry Bedell was killed on 23 Dec 1941; the day the Marines surrendered Wake Island.
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: The roster of Marines killed on Wake shows his death date as 23 Feb 1941.
**********
The Japanese naval invasion force, commanded by Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka, arrived 11 December. With only 450 special naval landing troops at his disposal, Kajioka just barely outnumbered the defending Marines, who used their six 5-inch coast-defense guns that protected Wake Island with amazing skill and accuracy. The 5-inch/51-caliber seacoast guns hurled a 50-pound shell at 3,150 feet per second up to a range of 17,100 yards.2 Kajioka's flagship Yubari was hit 11 times, while the lead ship of three destroyers, Hayate, was struck by three two-gun salvos at a distance of only 4,000 yards "so accurately that she blew up, broke in two, and sank immediately."
The Marines from Battery L cheered so wildly that Sergeant Henry Bedell, an Old Breed Marine [1st Marine Division] hollered at his Marines, "Knock it off, you bastards, and get back on the guns. What d'ya think this is, a ball game?" The Marines had every reason to cheer, as Hayate was the first Japanese surface ship to be sunk during the war. Battery L then set their sights on Japanese destroyer Oite and scored two hits. They then fired on the next leading transport, which turned seaward and retired behind a destroyer smoke screen, leaving the survivors of Hayate to drown (only one sailor from her crew of 148 survived). The well-trained Marines from Battery B, on Peale Island, let loose with salvos from their 5-inch/51-caliber guns on the leading ship Yahoi, which scored one hit. The enemy fired upon Battery B in return, severing fire-control communications, but otherwise not doing any harm. The Marines shifted fire to another destroyer and soon all the Japanese ships retired.
Source: https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1941/philippines/defenders-of-wake.html
Contributor: NEIL O'CONNOR (48663429)
Entered the service from Pennsylvania. (This and date of death recorded above obtained from cemetery office records.)
**********
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: A report by Robert J. Cressman states that Sgt. Henry Bedell was killed on 23 Dec 1941; the day the Marines surrendered Wake Island.
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: The roster of Marines killed on Wake shows his death date as 23 Feb 1941.
**********
The Japanese naval invasion force, commanded by Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka, arrived 11 December. With only 450 special naval landing troops at his disposal, Kajioka just barely outnumbered the defending Marines, who used their six 5-inch coast-defense guns that protected Wake Island with amazing skill and accuracy. The 5-inch/51-caliber seacoast guns hurled a 50-pound shell at 3,150 feet per second up to a range of 17,100 yards.2 Kajioka's flagship Yubari was hit 11 times, while the lead ship of three destroyers, Hayate, was struck by three two-gun salvos at a distance of only 4,000 yards "so accurately that she blew up, broke in two, and sank immediately."
The Marines from Battery L cheered so wildly that Sergeant Henry Bedell, an Old Breed Marine [1st Marine Division] hollered at his Marines, "Knock it off, you bastards, and get back on the guns. What d'ya think this is, a ball game?" The Marines had every reason to cheer, as Hayate was the first Japanese surface ship to be sunk during the war. Battery L then set their sights on Japanese destroyer Oite and scored two hits. They then fired on the next leading transport, which turned seaward and retired behind a destroyer smoke screen, leaving the survivors of Hayate to drown (only one sailor from her crew of 148 survived). The well-trained Marines from Battery B, on Peale Island, let loose with salvos from their 5-inch/51-caliber guns on the leading ship Yahoi, which scored one hit. The enemy fired upon Battery B in return, severing fire-control communications, but otherwise not doing any harm. The Marines shifted fire to another destroyer and soon all the Japanese ships retired.
Source: https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1941/philippines/defenders-of-wake.html
Contributor: NEIL O'CONNOR (48663429)
**********
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: A report by Robert J. Cressman states that Sgt. Henry Bedell was killed on 23 Dec 1941; the day the Marines surrendered Wake Island.
Thanks very much to FAG Member, Major Jim Geiser, for providing this information: The roster of Marines killed on Wake shows his death date as 23 Feb 1941.
**********
The Japanese naval invasion force, commanded by Rear Admiral Sadamichi Kajioka, arrived 11 December. With only 450 special naval landing troops at his disposal, Kajioka just barely outnumbered the defending Marines, who used their six 5-inch coast-defense guns that protected Wake Island with amazing skill and accuracy. The 5-inch/51-caliber seacoast guns hurled a 50-pound shell at 3,150 feet per second up to a range of 17,100 yards.2 Kajioka's flagship Yubari was hit 11 times, while the lead ship of three destroyers, Hayate, was struck by three two-gun salvos at a distance of only 4,000 yards "so accurately that she blew up, broke in two, and sank immediately."
The Marines from Battery L cheered so wildly that Sergeant Henry Bedell, an Old Breed Marine [1st Marine Division] hollered at his Marines, "Knock it off, you bastards, and get back on the guns. What d'ya think this is, a ball game?" The Marines had every reason to cheer, as Hayate was the first Japanese surface ship to be sunk during the war. Battery L then set their sights on Japanese destroyer Oite and scored two hits. They then fired on the next leading transport, which turned seaward and retired behind a destroyer smoke screen, leaving the survivors of Hayate to drown (only one sailor from her crew of 148 survived). The well-trained Marines from Battery B, on Peale Island, let loose with salvos from their 5-inch/51-caliber guns on the leading ship Yahoi, which scored one hit. The enemy fired upon Battery B in return, severing fire-control communications, but otherwise not doing any harm. The Marines shifted fire to another destroyer and soon all the Japanese ships retired.
Source: https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1941/philippines/defenders-of-wake.html
Contributor: NEIL O'CONNOR (48663429)
Inscription
USMC, PL SGT
Gravesite Details
Date of death differs according to sources.
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