"Semper Fi"
"Always faithful"
This section is dedicated to our fellow Marine/Navy Veterans who fought in the Pacific Theater during WWII.
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We are proud to have Marine WWII Veteran Richard Hanna as an Honoray member of our group. Richard is a very active member of the Veteran community and attends many events.
Bio: in the works
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USMC Cpl. Richard Hanna
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 My Dad, Alphonse Joseph Sevigny, when he was a young Marine.
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My Dad Alphonse Joseph Sevigny was born June 4, 1926 in the small town of Cashel near Grafton North Dakota. Grafton and the surrounding area was settled mostly by French-Canadian immigrants in the 1880's. As such, my father didn't speak English until he was in the third grade. His family lived as tenants on a farm outside of town. He dropped out of high school to join the Marines on December 11, 1942, at the age of 17&1/2.
Al went to the Marine Training Depot in San Diego in December of 1942. After graduating he was sent to Camp Pendleton where he was assigned to the Regimental Weapons Company of the 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. As a marine he participated in landings and combat on Roi-Namur and Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, and finally Iwo Jima. During these operations he was part of the crew of a 37mm anti-tank gun and its supporting machine gun teams. According to notes my father made in his regimental book, his company consisted of 12 37mm guns [and the jeeps that they were limbered to], 30 Cal. machine guns, and [on at least one occasion] 4 halftracks mounting 75mm cannons ....................................... Bio contd.. |
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USMC PFC Alphonse Sevigny
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Bio by: Mark Sevigny |
The Fighting Fourth - The Men of "A" Company
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Personal History of the Fourth Marine Division in WWII
BY AL PERRY OF “A” Company, First Battalion, 24TH MARINES 4TH Division
Even when I attend my 4th Marine Division reunions I realize that the majority of men attending are not front-line combat troops. Most were behind the front lines and escaped the “incredible cruelty,” inflected on men just to survive the violent death, terror, tension fatigue and filth. This was brought to my attention by one of my best friends who fought with me through four of these campaigns and was seriously wounded on Saipan and Iwo Jima. One day I received a call from Jim Jackson, a friend of mine. He said, “ I am not going to another of these dammed reunions unless you attend with me, there are no riflemen there are only guys who were behind the lines. I have nothing in common with them, in talking to them I wonder if we were on the same island.” All of what happened on the front lines was “totally incomprehensible” to those who were a few yards away. Most of the Marines in “A” company who would normally attend this reunion were buried on some lonely island in the Pacific. ....................................... contd..
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USMC Cpl. Al Perry
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By: Al Perry - Permission for use by Mitch Perry (Al's son) Al's Page |
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