James Troy: Grandfather and Hero |
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By: Amanda DiBona |
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I always knew that my grandfather, James Troy, was a hero to me and to my family, but I never realized that he was a hero to so many. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on November 10, 1942 and was trained in boot camp at Parris Island. After the completion of his training he was sent to Wellington, New Zealand and assigned to the Second Marine Division. He was quickly involved in some of the worst battles of the Second World War. My grandfather fought in the battles of Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa, and was involved in the occupation of Nagasaki. I never realized how influential he was in the war, and the difference that he made in so many lives.
Tarawa:
The battle of Tarawa was a
pivotal accomplishment for the United States Marines in World War II.
All of the people involved in the battle would agree that it was one of the
bloodiest battles of the war. Tarawa was an extremely important acquisition
because it would enable the United States to secure the airfield so the Japanese
forces could not attack our forces. Tarawa was the main obstacle blocking
the other islands in the Central Pacific such as, Siapan and Tinian.
Once the Marines could capture Tarawa, it became much easier to gain access
to the other islands for island hopping. It was crucial that Tarawa
was taken unexpectedly in order to utilize surprise. During the battle
because of the low tide, my grandfather’s boat could not get over the reefs
and he and his troops had to fight waist deep in water, while the Japanese
fired at them from the beach, and many did not make it ashore. They were
pinned down on the beach behind a retaining wall made from coconut tree logs
for several hours. The Marines then fought under brutal conditions
for seventy- six hours, and finally came out the victors, though they suffered
well over three thousand casualties.
Saipan/ Tinian:
Okinawa:
Occupation of Nagasaki: After the battle of Okinawa, the second Marine division returned to Saipan to regroup and train replacements. In the meantime, the Japanese surrendered and the second Marine Division was activated as one of the initial forces which occupied Japan. My grandfather landed at Nagasaki where the second atom bomb was dropped. As they approached the harbor prior to the landing they observed white flags at different points on the land which indicated gun emplacements. It was speculated that had they had to fight their way to Nagasaki, the guns would have taken a large toll of American lives. When he reached the sight of the area where the atom bomb was dropped, he saw nothing but devastation. There was noting but framework where the buildings used to stand, the area was reduced to rubble. As the initial occupation force, the Marines were unknowingly subjected to radiation from the atom bomb. During the occupation my grandfather was put in charge of a military police unit until he returned to the United States.
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1. Churchill, Winston, and The Publishers of Life. The Second World War. : Golden Press, 1960. 2. Hogg, Ian. Great Land Battles of World War II. : Doubleday and Company Inc., 1987. 3. Johnston, Richard. Follow Me! The Story of the Second Marine Division in World War II. : Random House, 1948. 4. Lt. Col Eddy Baur, . Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia Vol 17. : H.S. Stuttman Inc 5. Lt. Col Eddy Baur, . Illustrated World War II Encyclopedia Vol 19. : H.S. Stuttman Inc. 6. “The Bloody Battle For Tarawa, 1943” Eye Witness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2003). 7. Troy, James. Personal Interview. December 2, 2003. 8. Second Marine Division. : Turner Publishing Company, 1999. |