I'm currently digging into some history on my grandfather's time in the Marines during WW2, and possibly across his approximately 27 years serving, the majority of that as a recruiter.
Long ago before he passed in 1999, he gave me an Iwo Jima battle history book, and wrote down 2nd Batallion, Ninth Marines. We'd talked about the Third's involvement at Iwo Jima, and Cushman's Pocket.
As a younger kid I loved looking at a book he had - the Third Marine Division history book that was produced by the Marine Corps and given to everyone in the Third. He eventually put it away as it was getting rather tattered.
I came across that book online randomly a couple weeks ago, found that it was reprinted in 1988, in and ordered a copy. I'm still going to track down an original copy, because it's reprints have paper pages with rather faded photos. The book he had, an original, had glossy pages, and better quality photos.
I just got the book in the mail yesterday and I'm digging in, highlighting anything that refers to 2/9, their leadership, etc.
Beyond his being in the 2/9, I don't have any details, and that would help a ton. ChatGPT has been helpful in tracking down various details, but it could do so much more if I knew those specifics.
Does anyone have any advice, or willingness to help me find some of this information if you have access to specific Marine Corps records, or resources from that part of World War II? I would really like to know more about the third's involvement at Bougainville and Guam, and everything leading up to those battles, and after.
I can remember he and my grandmother talking about him being at Okinawa, and also in China, but I think he was stationed there after the war was over.
Also, he earned a purple heart at Iwo Jima, and I had always heard that he had been hit by a shell, but nothing more specific. I have been trying to find records of purple heart recipients, but I'm coming up short finding the exact situation that he received one for.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. I never served, was born in 1977, and have always had tremendous respect for his service, and reverence for the service of those who fought there, and those who gave their lives in WW2. This part of my family's history means a lot, and preserving that knowledge for my own kids is important to me.