Private Whittlesey was killed in action on Guadalcanal as part of the First Marine Division.
He was the son of Melzar M. Whittlesey and Adelaide Gould Ingram.
Frank Whittlesey was the nephew of Colonel Charles Whittlesey, the commander of the famed World War I "Lost Battalion". On September 14, 1942, Whittlesey's platoon ,from Company B, 1st Raider Battalion, setup along a slope, just south of Henderson Air Field on Guadalcanal, in anticipation of a large Japanese attack. The platoon's orders were to delay the attack. Shortly after nightfall a large Japanese force attacked and overwhelmed the outnumbered platoon. During the fighting, Whittlesey's close friend, Ed Shepard, was wounded and unable to fallback with the reminder of the platoon. Whittlesey stood over Shepherd and protected him. When Shepherd told Whittlesey to leave him...Whittlesey replied, "go to hell Shep". When there was a lull in the fighting, Whittlesey used his shirt as bandages to dress Shepherd's wounds. Afterwards, he attempted to carry Shepherd back to their lines. A Japanese patrol found them and attacked. Whittlesey killed two of the Japanese soldiers in hand to hand combat, before he was bayoneted by other Japanese soldiers. Whittlesey's last words were, "Well Shep, I guess this is where we came in". Shepherd was overlooked by the patrol and rescued by his fellow Marines the following day. (Source: War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars, page 198).The battle on that slope became know as the Battle of Edison's Ridge. Whittlesey was buried where he had died. After attempts in 1947 and 1949 to locate his grave was unsuccessful, he was declared non-recoverable...until 1989, when they were found.
~
Entered the service from New York.
He was the son of Melzar M. Whittlesey and Adelaide Gould Ingram.
Frank Whittlesey was the nephew of Colonel Charles Whittlesey, the commander of the famed World War I "Lost Battalion". On September 14, 1942, Whittlesey's platoon ,from Company B, 1st Raider Battalion, setup along a slope, just south of Henderson Air Field on Guadalcanal, in anticipation of a large Japanese attack. The platoon's orders were to delay the attack. Shortly after nightfall a large Japanese force attacked and overwhelmed the outnumbered platoon. During the fighting, Whittlesey's close friend, Ed Shepard, was wounded and unable to fallback with the reminder of the platoon. Whittlesey stood over Shepherd and protected him. When Shepherd told Whittlesey to leave him...Whittlesey replied, "go to hell Shep". When there was a lull in the fighting, Whittlesey used his shirt as bandages to dress Shepherd's wounds. Afterwards, he attempted to carry Shepherd back to their lines. A Japanese patrol found them and attacked. Whittlesey killed two of the Japanese soldiers in hand to hand combat, before he was bayoneted by other Japanese soldiers. Whittlesey's last words were, "Well Shep, I guess this is where we came in". Shepherd was overlooked by the patrol and rescued by his fellow Marines the following day. (Source: War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars, page 198).The battle on that slope became know as the Battle of Edison's Ridge. Whittlesey was buried where he had died. After attempts in 1947 and 1949 to locate his grave was unsuccessful, he was declared non-recoverable...until 1989, when they were found.
~
Entered the service from New York.
Private Whittlesey was killed in action on Guadalcanal as part of the First Marine Division.
He was the son of Melzar M. Whittlesey and Adelaide Gould Ingram.
Frank Whittlesey was the nephew of Colonel Charles Whittlesey, the commander of the famed World War I "Lost Battalion". On September 14, 1942, Whittlesey's platoon ,from Company B, 1st Raider Battalion, setup along a slope, just south of Henderson Air Field on Guadalcanal, in anticipation of a large Japanese attack. The platoon's orders were to delay the attack. Shortly after nightfall a large Japanese force attacked and overwhelmed the outnumbered platoon. During the fighting, Whittlesey's close friend, Ed Shepard, was wounded and unable to fallback with the reminder of the platoon. Whittlesey stood over Shepherd and protected him. When Shepherd told Whittlesey to leave him...Whittlesey replied, "go to hell Shep". When there was a lull in the fighting, Whittlesey used his shirt as bandages to dress Shepherd's wounds. Afterwards, he attempted to carry Shepherd back to their lines. A Japanese patrol found them and attacked. Whittlesey killed two of the Japanese soldiers in hand to hand combat, before he was bayoneted by other Japanese soldiers. Whittlesey's last words were, "Well Shep, I guess this is where we came in". Shepherd was overlooked by the patrol and rescued by his fellow Marines the following day. (Source: War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars, page 198).The battle on that slope became know as the Battle of Edison's Ridge. Whittlesey was buried where he had died. After attempts in 1947 and 1949 to locate his grave was unsuccessful, he was declared non-recoverable...until 1989, when they were found.
~
Entered the service from New York.
He was the son of Melzar M. Whittlesey and Adelaide Gould Ingram.
Frank Whittlesey was the nephew of Colonel Charles Whittlesey, the commander of the famed World War I "Lost Battalion". On September 14, 1942, Whittlesey's platoon ,from Company B, 1st Raider Battalion, setup along a slope, just south of Henderson Air Field on Guadalcanal, in anticipation of a large Japanese attack. The platoon's orders were to delay the attack. Shortly after nightfall a large Japanese force attacked and overwhelmed the outnumbered platoon. During the fighting, Whittlesey's close friend, Ed Shepard, was wounded and unable to fallback with the reminder of the platoon. Whittlesey stood over Shepherd and protected him. When Shepherd told Whittlesey to leave him...Whittlesey replied, "go to hell Shep". When there was a lull in the fighting, Whittlesey used his shirt as bandages to dress Shepherd's wounds. Afterwards, he attempted to carry Shepherd back to their lines. A Japanese patrol found them and attacked. Whittlesey killed two of the Japanese soldiers in hand to hand combat, before he was bayoneted by other Japanese soldiers. Whittlesey's last words were, "Well Shep, I guess this is where we came in". Shepherd was overlooked by the patrol and rescued by his fellow Marines the following day. (Source: War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars, page 198).The battle on that slope became know as the Battle of Edison's Ridge. Whittlesey was buried where he had died. After attempts in 1947 and 1949 to locate his grave was unsuccessful, he was declared non-recoverable...until 1989, when they were found.
~
Entered the service from New York.
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PVT, US MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II
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