Memorial to Korean War Marines Dedicated at The Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor

Dedication Program
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The Journey
By: Barry Dugan, Government Relations for the Veterans of “B” Company

For the men of “B” Company, 21st Infantry Battalion the journey started right here in Bayonne at what was then the Bayonne Naval Base.

This unit was formed in 1947 by then Lt. Col. Lewis Puller better known to Marines worldwide as “Chesty” Puller.

Following World War II the military demobilized significantly and the Marine Corp planners recognized that they were significantly understaffed thus Col. Puller's orders to form Reserve units of which the 21st. Infantry Battalion was one.

Last year in fact Chesty Puller was honored by the U.S. Postal Service on one of the four stamps issued showing Distinguished Marines.

As everyone knows the Marine Corps is known as the military branch, which is the First to Fight. This can be difficult to do if there is no ready force large enough to launch a mission thus the incentive to create a Ready Reserve.

With the formation of the 21st Infantry Battalion consisting of “B” Company in Bayonne and the balance of the Battalion consisting of “A” Company, “C” Company and Headquarters Company all of whom were located in Dover, NJ, the Marine Corps began the awesome job of creating a fighting force.

In Bayonne the unit met with great success and at the time they were activated in August 1950 the Company consisted of nearly 27% of the Battalion. They numbered 253 men.

The Company trained every Wednesday night at this base for two hours and went to Summer Camp for two week each year. In 1948 they trained at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In 1949 they went to Little Creek, Virginia to be trained in amphibious operations and in 1950 they went back again to Camp Lejeune. In fact they were in summer training in June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea.

“B” Company was considered as Bayonne's Own since over 60% of the Company were Bayonne residents.

Most of the members of “B” Company were born at the time of the Stock Market crash in the late 1920's and during the Great Depression. At the time of World War II men of “B” Company were impressionable young men who were then about 13 to 16 years of age. They all knew someone who served whether a family member or neighbor.

Movies during this time glamorized the role of America's fighting forces especially one's like Sands of Iwo Jima starring John Wayne or other movies such as Battle Cry, which highlighted the role of Marines in the War effort.

Many of the men of “B” Company were still in High School or had just finished. The Company also attracted men in their early twenties like my good friend Corporal Al Czarnecki who had served in the Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific Theater of operations and joined this unit when it was formed as a Non-Commissioned officer. Other members of the unit like Pvt. Lou Giovanni had just turned 19 in 1950 when the Company was activated. Most of the other members of this unit ranged in age from 17 to 25.

Because of the movies during World War II the role of the American fighting man was glamorized and not portrayed as the ugly thing it really is. Most of the young people at the time had never traveled very far from Bayonne. As an example my Father never owned an automobile in his life so my idea of a vacation was the bus to 1st St. in Bayonne, the ferry to Staten Island and then the Rapid Transit train to South Beach for a day at the beach and then maybe a ride on the ferris wheel or the merry-go-round.

To be part of “B” Company was to embark on a new adventure. A Marine Corps uniform, a pay check although not very much, summer camp etc.

Following Summer Camp in 1950 and knowing the United States was involved in a war that President Harry Truman called a Police Action and provided U.S. Forces as part of a greater U.N. force things changed dramatically for “B” Company.

On June 25, 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea with 135,000 men and in no time at all had taken over it's Capital, Seoul and had advanced a considerable distance south. By June 27th President Truman had the U.S. involved in the conflict.

Marine Corps General Oliver P. Smith, Commander of the 1st Marine Division organized and carried out the landing of Marines at Inchon, South Korea. This was a very complicated operation and assault from the sea in a narrow harbor with extremely high tides and had the potential for a complete disaster. It was an operation which then General of the Army Douglas Mac Arthur had concocted and General Smith had serious reservations but followed orders and on September 15, 1950 launched the operation and was successful catching the North Koreans by surprise and by the end of September had recaptured Seoul and had the North Koreans heading back North.

About this time September 7, 1950 "B" Company was activated and boarded troop trains at the 34th St. Rail Station in Bayonne and proceeded west to Camp Pendleton in California. Upon arrival at Camp Pendleton the unit was disbanded and those who were deemed combat ready were separated from those such as the 17 year old kids who were sent to boot camp and others who because of their civilian skills were assigned to other needy occupations to help train and manage a huge military build-up.

In October 1950 the 1st Marine Division landed on the east coast of North Korea and began pushing the North Koreans towards their northern boundary, which was the Yalu River it's border with China.

At the same time (October 15th) the members of “B” Company numbering about 95 Marines departed by ship as the Second Replacement Draft. On November 10, 1950 which happened to be the Marine Corps birthday this group landed in Wonsan Harbor, North Korea and were immediately sent North to join the 1st Marine Division who had already advanced from Hungnam thru Koto-Ri to Hagaru-Ri to Yudam-Ni which was a distance of 80 miles, in the vicinity of the Chosin Reservoir. Some of the unit such as Corporal Richard Allen was unable to disembark in Wonsan Harbor until the next day but his group also pushed north.

In late November the Marines of the 1st Marine Division who had been proceeding North were attacked by Chinese Communist Divisions who had crossed the Yalu River in force to assist North Korea and ending General Mac Arthur's claim to President Truman that the troops would be home for Christmas. On November 27, 1950 the Chinese Communists launched a vicious assault on Marine and Army positions trying to surround and annihilate them Following these vicious attacks and the severity of the North Korean winter with snow and temperatures falling to 30 degrees below zero, General O.P. Smith ordered the withdrawal of Marines to Hungnam and they fought 8 to 10 Chinese Divisions while retreating. In addition they took their equipment, wounded and as many of their dead as was possible and at the same time inflicting 25,000 casualties on the Chinese who had attacked them along the path of retreat in human wave assaults. General Smith when asked by a reporter if he was retreating answered, "We are not retreating, we are just advancing in a different direction"

By December 11, 1950 the 1st Marine Division reached and was evacuated by sea from Hungnam Harbor. On December 27th General Smith recorded in his diary the fact that 1,132 men were killed in action or died of their wounds, 199 were MIA and 5,517 were wounded in action from the Inchon landing on September 15, 1950 and December 27, 1950. In addition 8,900 men suffered Non-Battle casualties mostly frostbite.

Other members of “B” Company who had finished boot camp arrived in Korea in March and April 1951 just in time for the next Chinese thrust South known as the Spring Offensive. Some of them participated in the Battle for Hill 749 in September 1951. This battle was one of the last major offensive movements made by the 1st Marine Division.

By Christmas 1951 most of the men who were part of the Second Replacement Draft had made it home. And by April 1952 most of the remaining members of "B" Company were released from active duty.

Unfortunately 8 men of “B” Company were killed in action and is the reason for our presence here today. Four of the eight Marines were Bayonne residents PFC Charles Brandner, PFC Robert Matusowski, PFC Daniel Stiller and PFC Phillip Wisniski. Three Marines were from Jersey City, Pvt. Nicholas Arcuri, PFC Edward Joachinson and PFC Robert Sharpe. One Marine was from Newark, PFC John Lawton.

Of the 949 men in the 21st Inf. Bn. Who left New Jersey in Sept. 1950 there were 32 men from this Battalion killed and there is a monument in Dover to that effect.

North Korea today:

Population - 23 million

Size - Slightly smaller than the State of Mississippi.

Army - 1 million

Approximately 22% of the population has been deemed to be malnourished.

Country depends on International aid to feed its population

At the same time trying to become a Nuclear Power

Freedom is not Free

November 10, 2006 was the 231st birthday of the Marine Corps since it's founding by the Continental congress in 1775.