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Guy Gabaldon, 80, Hero of Battle of Saipan, Dies (captured more than 1,000 Japanese prisoners)
nytimes.com ^ | September 4, 2006 | RICHARD GOLDSTEIN

Posted on 09/04/2006 3:50:12 AM PDT by lunarbicep

Guy Gabaldon, a Marine private in World War II who used extraordinary grit and a smattering of Japanese phrases to capture more than 1,000 Japanese soldiers single-handedly in the battle for Saipan, died Thursday in Old Town, Fla. He was 80.

The cause was heart disease, his son Guy Jr. said.

In mid-June 1944, Private Gabaldon took part in the invasion of Saipan, a part of the Mariana Islands, as a member of the Second Marine Division. Thousands of Japanese soldiers staged suicide charges against American lines over the next several weeks while entire native families leaped to their deaths from cliffs to avoid falling into American hands. But Private Gabaldon, going out on what he called “lone wolf” missions, brought the enemy back alive.

He earned the Navy Cross, the Marines’ highest award for valor after the Medal of Honor. It was presented to him as an upgrade from his wartime Silver Star after his exploits became widely known through the television program “This Is Your Life” and the Hollywood movie “Hell to Eternity” (1960).

“Working alone in front of the lines,” the citation read, “he daringly entered enemy caves, pillboxes, buildings and jungle brush, frequently in the face of hostile fire, and succeeded in not only obtaining vital military information, but in capturing well over 1,000 enemy civilians and troops.”

In “Saipan: Suicide Island,” his 1990 memoir, Mr. Gabaldon wrote: “Immediately after landing on Saipan I decided that I would go off into enemy territory to fight the war as I saw fit. I always worked alone, usually at night in the bush. I must have seen too many John Wayne movies, because what I was doing was suicidal.”

Private Gabaldon hardly looked the part of a recruiting-poster marine. He was a shade under 5 feet 4 inches.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Japan; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: obituary; veteran
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1 posted on 09/04/2006 3:50:13 AM PDT by lunarbicep
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To: lunarbicep

Man, what gonads! This guy probably took more Japanese than any other troop or unit in the war - alone. Definitely MOH material in my opinion.


2 posted on 09/04/2006 4:03:49 AM PDT by WorkingClassFilth (Yeah, I've got an axe to grind...what else would you use on Leftists?)
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To: lunarbicep
Damn, all that at 18 years old.

My dad used to always give me the "When I was your age..." speech, I can imagine what versions of that that Guy Jr heard. LOL
3 posted on 09/04/2006 4:04:33 AM PDT by HEY4QDEMS (Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
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To: lunarbicep
Here's his own take on his actions:

“The heroes are still over there,” he told The Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate. “Those who gave their all are the heroes.”

Typical of the real McCoy.
4 posted on 09/04/2006 4:09:00 AM PDT by WorkingClassFilth (Yeah, I've got an axe to grind...what else would you use on Leftists?)
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To: HEY4QDEMS

God bless him and may he live in eternal glory with Our Lord ...


5 posted on 09/04/2006 4:10:06 AM PDT by sushiman
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To: HEY4QDEMS
Yeah, my dad's going to be 80 next week, and he came pretty close to having to go to Germany to kill Nazis, perhaps second or third cousins (his mother is German). VE day came while he was in New York City, on the way over there.

The reason I tell this story is that my girlfriend (who lives in NY) was told this story by him when she came over to visit on 4th of July weekend. He asked her if the "Pepsi Cola Canteen" was still around, he remembers celebrating with fellow servicepeople in that place on that day. Damned if she doesn't track down the Pepsi Cola historian on her return visit, they GAVE her a professionally framed color photograph of what the place looked like in the mid 40's, to give to him for his birthday. She's visiting here now, and we're going to give it to him tomorrow!

6 posted on 09/04/2006 4:17:00 AM PDT by hunter112 (Total victory at home and in the Middle East!)
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To: lunarbicep

May he rest in peace. Prayers for his family.


7 posted on 09/04/2006 4:22:44 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)
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To: IncPen; BartMan1; Forecaster

ping


8 posted on 09/04/2006 4:24:44 AM PDT by Nailbiter
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To: lunarbicep
When “Hell to Eternity” was about to open, Mr. Gabaldon reflected on his exploits but also on his comrades in arms. “The heroes are still over there,” he told The Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate. “Those who gave their all are the heroes.”

Humble man.

Rest in peace, Marine.

Semper Fi
9 posted on 09/04/2006 4:49:57 AM PDT by Captain Rhino ( Dollars spent in India help a friend; dollars spent in China arm an enemy.)
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To: lunarbicep
I saw Hell to Eternity several years ago. It was one of the last movies to feature Sessue Hayakawa, an actor and producer who was one of the pioneers of the movie industry.
10 posted on 09/04/2006 5:13:33 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: lunarbicep
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
11 posted on 09/04/2006 5:13:45 AM PDT by barker (Some days are diamonds, some days are stones.)
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To: SAMWolf; snippy_about_it; Samwise; Peanut Gallery; bentfeather; alfa6

titanium cajones ping


12 posted on 09/04/2006 5:16:57 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (DNR In case of tagline failure.)
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To: lunarbicep

My parents knew this guy. I remember them talking about him. Rest In Peace Marine.

Semper Fi.


13 posted on 09/04/2006 5:36:21 AM PDT by skimask (People who care what you do don't matter.......People who matter don't care what you do.)
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To: Professional Engineer

How hard is it to capture prisoners?


14 posted on 09/04/2006 6:34:33 AM PDT by Corey Ohlis (Visualize Swirled Peas)
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To: Corey Ohlis
It's a good thing you've asked an important question about history. If you do a little reading on the subject of the war against the japanese you'll get your answer...

I'm not a veteran myself so I'll let others give you a more direct answer.

15 posted on 09/04/2006 6:41:45 AM PDT by OKSooner
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To: Corey Ohlis

It's easier to kill them.


16 posted on 09/04/2006 7:43:20 AM PDT by proudpapa (of three.)
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To: lunarbicep
Interesting. I wonder where these 1,000 Japanese prisoners were kept?

From what I have read, there were very few prisoner of war camps for Japanese prisoners, and those were mostly in Australia and New Zealand.

If anyone knows the details of where these particular prisoners were sent, I would be interested in the details --- my guess is that they must have been divided since I don't think any of the camps that I have read about could have accommodated 1,000 additional Japanese prisoners in a single go.

17 posted on 09/04/2006 10:06:37 AM PDT by snowsislander
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To: snowsislander

It wasn't 1,000 prisoners in a "single go." He went out many nights on solo missions. The total was over 1,000.


18 posted on 09/04/2006 11:08:15 AM PDT by El Gran Salseron (The FR Canteen's World Famous Resident Equal Opportunity Male Chauvinist Pig! Got it? :-))
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To: lunarbicep

He didn't get the attention -- or the medal -- he deserved.


19 posted on 09/04/2006 3:33:18 PM PDT by aculeus
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To: aculeus

Hahah

He was upgraded to the Navy Cross only in 1960. He originally got a silver star for all this!

Guy Gabaldon was a mexican american, BTW.


20 posted on 09/04/2006 4:23:28 PM PDT by ketelone
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