“Gunner ” Harry Kenton, USMC, a remarkable story – Page 2 – OTHER WWII UNIT STORIES AND INFO

Guest · 2005-03-31T23:12:56Z

A close friend of mine, Harry Kenton, now aged 91, has a great personal story relating to WW2. HARRY A. KENTON, USMC, BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Harry A. Kenton was born in 1914 in Chicago and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1934. After undergoing his initial training at Parris Island, he was assigned first to Haiti and then in 1935 to Tiensing, China, as a consular Guard. Pvt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- 1934 The consular personnel were withdrawn due to the advancing Japanese Imperial army and he was transferred to Coascula, Balboa, in Panama. Sgt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- 1939 Following Pearl Harbor now Sgt. Kenton was transfered to E. Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment, 1st. Marine Division and was assigned to Tutuila, Pago Pago (Pango Pango), Samoa in order to help train the Marine invasion force for Guadalcanal. Sgt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Samoa, 1942 They were shelled by Japanese submarines and had to prepare a defensive perimeter. During the Guadalcanal landing and fight in 1942 Sgt. Kenton contracted Mosquito borne elephantitis and was transferred to a field hospital. He spent much of the remainder of the war recovering in hospital. At the end of WW2 now G/Sgt Kenton was assigned to Oahu, Hawaii, as a section NCOIC of small arms battlefield recovery and salvage. G/Sgt Kenton went on to serve in the Korean War and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer (Gunner) in 1957. HARRY A. KENTON'S 1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE: Private Harry Kenton, new USMC enlistee, was issued (as were all US Marines at that time) a 1903 Springfield rifle, serial number 1207769, on 10 April 1934. Pvt. Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- original issue slip for 1903 Springfield rifle SN 1207769, 10 April 1934 After the Guadalcanal operation in 1942 the US Marine Corps switched to the US Rifle, cal 30, M1 (Garand). Sgt Kenton (now in the hospital) had previously turned in his Springfield rifle. One day during his tenure as a section NCOIC of small arms battlefield recovery and salvage in Oahu, Hawaii, following the end of the war, a list of recovered rifle serial numbers -- mostly Garands, but including some 1903 Springfields -- came across his desk. Among them was 1903 Springfield rifle number 1207769 -- the very rifle he had been issued in 1934! He immediately sent a crew out to look for it -- and they found it! There was no record of its history during the war. He applied to the USMC for permission to purchase the rifle and was eventually allowed to for $25 (in 1954). CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Receipt for purchase of 1903 Springfield rifle SN1207769 from the USMC The battered stock was reconditioned and it was eventually fitted with an inscription plate bearing his name and "Guadalcanal 1942" when he retired. CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Inscription plate on 1903 Springfield rifle SN1207769 CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Serial number on 1903 Springfield rifle SN1207769 CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC -- Retirement - 1957 It is now displayed on the wall of his house with a retrofitted bayonet and sling. I am sure there are not many veterans who own the actual rifle they were issued and carried in battle! CWO Harry A. Kenton, USMC, Retired, -- Photo of the "Gunner" , aged 91, holding his 1903 Springfield rifle, SN 1207769 -- taken in his backyard by me on 30 March 2005

Jiggersfromsphilly

(@jiggersfromsphilly)

Trusted Member Registered

Joined: 21 years ago

Posts: 97

June 18, 2005 6:19 am

Its a small world! Great story James! Give Harry our best and .......Semper FI!

ReplyQuote

texas38

(@texas38)

Trusted Member Registered

Joined: 21 years ago

Posts: 94

June 18, 2005 10:03 pm

Hey, James...how is Gunner? Haven't heard from you in awhile and having just finished reading "With the Old Breed" by E.B. Sledge, I found myself thinking of Gunner again. Sledge's outfit was K/2/5. I just got through reading your posts about Gunner. Things are beginning to make more sense. Gunner's outfit was E/2/8. Also, I found another website by a guy named Mark (Doc) Flowers and he explains a lot of things about marines with pictures, diagrams, et al. Looking at Gunner's picture taken in 1939 with him wearing his blue blouse, I can now appreciate that picture even more after having learned that it was no longer standard issue after 1942. The website said some of the guys joined the Marines in the very early days just so they could wear that blue blouse because it looked so sharp only to be caught up short when the regulations were changed. Also, there are pictures even of an M1 and a Carbine and now I can see the difference. Now, you may laugh at that but remember, I am a novice at these things with no one to turn to with my questions but forums like this and the internet. :rolleyes:

Marilyn

----------------

BTW, folks, here is the website I was speaking of: http://www.ww2gyrene.org/links-to-sites.htm

ReplyQuote

texas38

(@texas38)

Trusted Member Registered

Joined: 21 years ago

Posts: 94

June 18, 2005 10:21 pm

Marilyn; Maybe after James explains the Marine ranking, he mjght take a giant leap and tackle the Navy. Now there is mess of quicksand. I understand the confusion has a lot to do with Navy tradition down through the years.

My nephew Bruce was in the SeaBees, attached to the Seals around20 years ago, and I asked him to explain the ranking to me. He hadn't hit Chief yet and I was spinning, so I begged off. I think you have to have the insignias laid out in front of you, to make any sence of it. I'll be waiting with you on this one

CIAO

chuck

Chuck, I know what you mean about "quicksand" when you talk about the Navy. I think you have to approach the subject of Navy rank much like when you decide to study a foreign language: don't try translating the words into English before you can understand the meaning; just accept the new word/phrase for what it is and move on. Anyway, here's a link that you may find helpful. It helps me although, truth to tell, I haven't really sat down and commited it to my brain. Hopefully, I will get it learned before the new HBO series about The Pacific War comes out because besides the Marines, I think the Navy is going to figure prominently in the series and it would be helpful to know just how to place (mentally) a Navy pilot when he is referred to as Lt. Commander or Commander. :unsure:

http://www.easternct.edu/personal/faculty/...ocock/ranks.htm

Marilyn

ReplyQuote

James Pickering

(@james-pickering)

Trusted Member Registered

Joined: 21 years ago

Posts: 42

June 20, 2005 8:08 pm

Hey, James...how is Gunner?Â ..... Looking at Gunner's picture taken in 1939 with him wearing his blue blouse, I can now appreciate that picture even more after having learned that it was no longer standard issue after 1942. The website said some of the guys joined the Marines in the very early days just so they could wear that blue blouse because it looked so sharpÂ .....

Hi, Marilyn,

I had lunch with the Gunner today -- he is doing fine, thanks. He said that he personally joined the USMC because of the Great Depression -- his family had no money and he couldn't find a job.

As a point of interest he pointed out that when he joined the Corps in 1934 the total worldwide strength, including officers, was only some 17,000. He was briefly assigned to recruiting duty in 1939 and saved the following memorandum (which was issued in 1939 when war was beginning to envelop much of the world) which set the new goal for USMC enlisted strength at 25,000! Of course, in a few more years the total Corps enlisted strength would be some 250,000!