Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (Full Version)

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JohnDillworth -> Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/21/2018 12:31:05 AM)

I am part of a group called "Find a Grave". Generally you get requests from decedents or genealogists from other parts of the country that would like a photo of a grave. Sometimes its sad...sometimes rewarding...sometimes both. This was a tough one. The cemetery has been abandoned for a while and sad to say what is left of it has been heavily vandalized. Eventually, I found my guy. Had to do a bit of digging, cleaned up the grave, said a prayer and left a stone. Captain Irving Schechter, 4th Marine Division, had quite a war record, making 4 amphibious landings; Roi-Namur, Siapan (wounded) , Tinian and Iwo Jima. He was awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart. His Navy Cross citation is as follows:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Irving Schechter (MCSN: 0-7727), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of Company A, First Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the initial assault on Tinian, Marianas Islands, on 24 and 25 July 1944. Assigned the hazardous task of seizing a beachhead and protecting the left flank of the entire landing force, Captain Schechter landed his company on an extremely narrow beach among pitted cliffs and coral boulders and, capably directing the movements of his men, boldly seized the initial objective and organized a defensive position for the night. Furiously attacked by the Japanese just before dawn, he constantly exposed himself to hostile fire to direct his unit and, despite the tremendous odds, inspired his men to hold on until they annihilated the enemy. Although his company could man less than sixty rifles by daylight, he resumed the advance to expand the beachhead and, during four hours of intensive fighting under his leadership, accounted for four hundred Japanese dead and the capture of large quantities of automatic weapons and mortars. Carrying out his dangerous mission with consistent skill and courage, Captain Schechter contributed essentially to the success of our forces during an important campaign, and his bold tactics and brilliant leadership were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

[image]local://upfiles/31520/A6E7F37AF3D340B488536ECC9432A333.jpg[/image]



Will_L -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/21/2018 12:54:22 AM)

Well done & thank you for sharing this.



Canoerebel -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/21/2018 12:57:17 AM)

That's good work John, thanks for sharing.

I wondered for a moment if there would be a strange coincidence. Harris Steele, my mother's cousin who died at Iwo Jima, served in Company A, 1st Battalion....25th Marines (not 24th, like Capt. Chechter, but I had to look it up).




BBfanboy -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/21/2018 4:02:47 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

I am part of a group called "Find a Grave". Generally you get requests from decedents or genealogists from other parts of the country that would like a photo of a grave. Sometimes its sad...sometimes rewarding...sometimes both. This was a tough one. The cemetery has been abandoned for a while and sad to say what is left of it has been heavily vandalized. Eventually, I found my guy. Had to do a bit of digging, cleaned up the grave, said a prayer and left a stone. Captain Irving Schechter, 4th Marine Division, had quite a war record, making 4 amphibious landings; Roi-Namur, Siapan (wounded) , Tinian and Iwo Jima. He was awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart. His Navy Cross citation is as follows:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Irving Schechter (MCSN: 0-7727), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of Company A, First Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the initial assault on Tinian, Marianas Islands, on 24 and 25 July 1944. Assigned the hazardous task of seizing a beachhead and protecting the left flank of the entire landing force, Captain Schechter landed his company on an extremely narrow beach among pitted cliffs and coral boulders and, capably directing the movements of his men, boldly seized the initial objective and organized a defensive position for the night. Furiously attacked by the Japanese just before dawn, he constantly exposed himself to hostile fire to direct his unit and, despite the tremendous odds, inspired his men to hold on until they annihilated the enemy. Although his company could man less than sixty rifles by daylight, he resumed the advance to expand the beachhead and, during four hours of intensive fighting under his leadership, accounted for four hundred Japanese dead and the capture of large quantities of automatic weapons and mortars. Carrying out his dangerous mission with consistent skill and courage, Captain Schechter contributed essentially to the success of our forces during an important campaign, and his bold tactics and brilliant leadership were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

[image]local://upfiles/31520/A6E7F37AF3D340B488536ECC9432A333.jpg[/image]

Where was the grave located?



Korvar -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/21/2018 5:04:10 PM)

Just came in here to say, "Well done!" [:)]



JohnDillworth -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/22/2018 12:06:44 AM)

Kings Park (Long Island) Jewish cemetery. The cemetery is abandoned and vandalized (because it was a Jewish cemetery, strong evidence I saw). Think we missed some of the lessons of WWII



JohnDillworth -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/22/2018 12:12:58 AM)

Got a note back from gentlemen that requested the photo. He is trying to document many of the Navy Cross winners. I told him I was available for any inquiries in the NYC / Long Island area. He also mentioned that it's not the first vandalized grave/cemetery that has been found. The National veterans cemeteries and almost always well kept and well maintained



rustysi -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/25/2018 7:39:07 PM)

Thanks for posting.

quote:

Think we missed some of the lessons of WWII


Understatement.




m10bob -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/26/2018 3:35:37 PM)

First thing I did after DEROS was to look up my family tree..Army taught me to be a researcher, etc and I wanted to use those skills while they were fresh in my mind..
I was helped by a lot of local historians and found my state (Indiana) has the best genealogical records in the U.S., (Indianapolis at the state capital, and Allen County Library in Fort Wayne.

Back in the thirties, the Daughters of the American Revolution went all over the country and located and documented every ancient cemetery they could find.

Reading headstones is easier when you rub the stones with a white hand soap, like Ivory, (it will not damage the stone, and washes away with the first rain.)

Some of my ancestors are Native American, so yes, even they have a chance of being researched, depending on where and when.
Black records are also kept, and some of my friends were surprised to learn their ancestors were never "slaves".

A couple of years ago I was even able to locate my Uncle George, who had been a MIA from 1943, just by going thru the online records of the U.S. Overseas Military Cemeteries....
(In his case, the Government knew exactly how and when he died, but they could not divulge that info to the families for fear military secrets might be revealed.
Once the war ended, the families of those who were killed on the RMS Rhona by a German Guided missile were never notified.

Since then, we of the Rhona "Survivors" have been locating those families as we find them...in an attempt to bring closure.



Anachro -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/26/2018 3:41:15 PM)

Great story and appreciate the work you do. Keep it up!



Alpha77 -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/26/2018 5:09:39 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: m10bob

(In his case, the Government knew exactly how and when he died, but they could not divulge that info to the families for fear military secrets might be revealed.
Once the war ended, the families of those who were killed on the RMS Rhona by a German Guided missile were never notified.

Since then, we of the Rhona "Survivors" have been locating those families as we find them...in an attempt to bring closure.


Interesting, I was curious about this ship but google did not find it....is this still a secret? Only RMS Rhone was found:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Rhone

Edit, it is this ship:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMT_Rohna
(HMT meaning "his majesties transport")

This ship is in the game, it should withdraw however in 1943.



m10bob -> RE: Completed a "Find a Grave" request for this hero. (4/27/2018 2:08:30 PM)

It is the second of the sites you mentioned...Try this.....

https://rohnasurvivors.org/


My uncle was George Sortwell...he was a RADAR man with the 322nd Fighter Control Squadron bound for Kowloon, to serve in the 14th A.F.
He was with his unit in the mess hall(galley) of this Indian registry ship during the attack and according to both books written on the subject, that part of the ship took a direct hit from a wire guided missile.

The bodies lost were never found, but they knew the names of those lost so those names were put on a wall at the cemetery in Carthage.



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