Blair and his detail were killed August 12/13, 1942 along the west bank of the Matanikau River, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The US government issued a 'finding of death' on August 14, 1943.
The following is provided courtesy of Eileen Lentz:
In June (1942), he left for the Pacific, where he joined other Marine units for the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on August 7, 1942. On August 12, 1942, he was selected to be in a 26-man detail commanded by intelligence officer, Colonel Frank Bryan Goettge to take into custody Japanese soldiers who they were informed were ripe for surrender west of the Matanikau River. After several delays and problems organizing the mission, they took a different path than was advised.
"The boat ran up on a sandbar, forcing the Marines to jump over the gunwhales and rock it free, creating quite a racket. They waded in to shore and, taking cover behind a line of banyan trees, held a quick council of war. The arguing, the commotion over the boat, and now this pause gave the 2nd Platoon of the 11th CU Security Force under Lt. Soichi Shindo, plenty of time to pick their targets. As Goettge led an advance party into the treeline, two shots rang out. Frank Goettge fell, shot in the head, dead before he hit the ground. The seriously wounded Custer dropped beside him. Two Marines who crawled forward to check on the men recovered Goettge's insignia and wristwatch. Before dawn, the patrol had been wiped out aside from three survivors who managed to swim back to friendly lines. They reported seeing Japanese swords "flashing in the sun" as they fell upon the wounded and dead."
Although the bodies of the soldiers were never recovered, those who escaped confirmed the location of the site where the carnage took place and the incomplete burial of the fallen Marines. Because of the gruesome nature of the scene, the soldiers were advised not to disturb it--thinking instead of how to avenge what they witnessed as being extreme dishonor by the enemy.
Several Find A Grave memorials have been created for Blaine G. Walter, Jr. because there are several memorials with his name listed.
# 91243689
Millersburg WWII memorial for service men and women who died in overseas service in Oak Hill Cemetery. Donated by Guy L. Heckart in December 1945, the stone first lists Blaine G. Walter, Jr. as the first death.
# 99355561
Lewisburg Cemetery, stone placed by family and listed on the Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards.
PFC Blaine Gillespie Walter
# 56769259
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Tablets of the Missing
PFC Blaine G. Walter, Jr.
The following is provided courtesy of Eileen Lentz:
In June (1942), he left for the Pacific, where he joined other Marine units for the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on August 7, 1942. On August 12, 1942, he was selected to be in a 26-man detail commanded by intelligence officer, Colonel Frank Bryan Goettge to take into custody Japanese soldiers who they were informed were ripe for surrender west of the Matanikau River. After several delays and problems organizing the mission, they took a different path than was advised.
"The boat ran up on a sandbar, forcing the Marines to jump over the gunwhales and rock it free, creating quite a racket. They waded in to shore and, taking cover behind a line of banyan trees, held a quick council of war. The arguing, the commotion over the boat, and now this pause gave the 2nd Platoon of the 11th CU Security Force under Lt. Soichi Shindo, plenty of time to pick their targets. As Goettge led an advance party into the treeline, two shots rang out. Frank Goettge fell, shot in the head, dead before he hit the ground. The seriously wounded Custer dropped beside him. Two Marines who crawled forward to check on the men recovered Goettge's insignia and wristwatch. Before dawn, the patrol had been wiped out aside from three survivors who managed to swim back to friendly lines. They reported seeing Japanese swords "flashing in the sun" as they fell upon the wounded and dead."
Although the bodies of the soldiers were never recovered, those who escaped confirmed the location of the site where the carnage took place and the incomplete burial of the fallen Marines. Because of the gruesome nature of the scene, the soldiers were advised not to disturb it--thinking instead of how to avenge what they witnessed as being extreme dishonor by the enemy.
Several Find A Grave memorials have been created for Blaine G. Walter, Jr. because there are several memorials with his name listed.
# 91243689
Millersburg WWII memorial for service men and women who died in overseas service in Oak Hill Cemetery. Donated by Guy L. Heckart in December 1945, the stone first lists Blaine G. Walter, Jr. as the first death.
# 99355561
Lewisburg Cemetery, stone placed by family and listed on the Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards.
PFC Blaine Gillespie Walter
# 56769259
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Tablets of the Missing
PFC Blaine G. Walter, Jr.
Blair and his detail were killed August 12/13, 1942 along the west bank of the Matanikau River, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The US government issued a 'finding of death' on August 14, 1943.
The following is provided courtesy of Eileen Lentz:
In June (1942), he left for the Pacific, where he joined other Marine units for the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on August 7, 1942. On August 12, 1942, he was selected to be in a 26-man detail commanded by intelligence officer, Colonel Frank Bryan Goettge to take into custody Japanese soldiers who they were informed were ripe for surrender west of the Matanikau River. After several delays and problems organizing the mission, they took a different path than was advised.
"The boat ran up on a sandbar, forcing the Marines to jump over the gunwhales and rock it free, creating quite a racket. They waded in to shore and, taking cover behind a line of banyan trees, held a quick council of war. The arguing, the commotion over the boat, and now this pause gave the 2nd Platoon of the 11th CU Security Force under Lt. Soichi Shindo, plenty of time to pick their targets. As Goettge led an advance party into the treeline, two shots rang out. Frank Goettge fell, shot in the head, dead before he hit the ground. The seriously wounded Custer dropped beside him. Two Marines who crawled forward to check on the men recovered Goettge's insignia and wristwatch. Before dawn, the patrol had been wiped out aside from three survivors who managed to swim back to friendly lines. They reported seeing Japanese swords "flashing in the sun" as they fell upon the wounded and dead."
Although the bodies of the soldiers were never recovered, those who escaped confirmed the location of the site where the carnage took place and the incomplete burial of the fallen Marines. Because of the gruesome nature of the scene, the soldiers were advised not to disturb it--thinking instead of how to avenge what they witnessed as being extreme dishonor by the enemy.
Several Find A Grave memorials have been created for Blaine G. Walter, Jr. because there are several memorials with his name listed.
# 91243689
Millersburg WWII memorial for service men and women who died in overseas service in Oak Hill Cemetery. Donated by Guy L. Heckart in December 1945, the stone first lists Blaine G. Walter, Jr. as the first death.
# 99355561
Lewisburg Cemetery, stone placed by family and listed on the Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards.
PFC Blaine Gillespie Walter
# 56769259
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Tablets of the Missing
PFC Blaine G. Walter, Jr.
The following is provided courtesy of Eileen Lentz:
In June (1942), he left for the Pacific, where he joined other Marine units for the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on August 7, 1942. On August 12, 1942, he was selected to be in a 26-man detail commanded by intelligence officer, Colonel Frank Bryan Goettge to take into custody Japanese soldiers who they were informed were ripe for surrender west of the Matanikau River. After several delays and problems organizing the mission, they took a different path than was advised.
"The boat ran up on a sandbar, forcing the Marines to jump over the gunwhales and rock it free, creating quite a racket. They waded in to shore and, taking cover behind a line of banyan trees, held a quick council of war. The arguing, the commotion over the boat, and now this pause gave the 2nd Platoon of the 11th CU Security Force under Lt. Soichi Shindo, plenty of time to pick their targets. As Goettge led an advance party into the treeline, two shots rang out. Frank Goettge fell, shot in the head, dead before he hit the ground. The seriously wounded Custer dropped beside him. Two Marines who crawled forward to check on the men recovered Goettge's insignia and wristwatch. Before dawn, the patrol had been wiped out aside from three survivors who managed to swim back to friendly lines. They reported seeing Japanese swords "flashing in the sun" as they fell upon the wounded and dead."
Although the bodies of the soldiers were never recovered, those who escaped confirmed the location of the site where the carnage took place and the incomplete burial of the fallen Marines. Because of the gruesome nature of the scene, the soldiers were advised not to disturb it--thinking instead of how to avenge what they witnessed as being extreme dishonor by the enemy.
Several Find A Grave memorials have been created for Blaine G. Walter, Jr. because there are several memorials with his name listed.
# 91243689
Millersburg WWII memorial for service men and women who died in overseas service in Oak Hill Cemetery. Donated by Guy L. Heckart in December 1945, the stone first lists Blaine G. Walter, Jr. as the first death.
# 99355561
Lewisburg Cemetery, stone placed by family and listed on the Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards.
PFC Blaine Gillespie Walter
# 56769259
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Tablets of the Missing
PFC Blaine G. Walter, Jr.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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