Subdeacon Joe Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Battlesight ZeroLike Page August 21, 2019 at 9:00 AM · "The bastards tried to come over me last night. I guess they didn't know I was a Marine." - Last words of Private First Class Edward H. Ahrens -------------------------- During the Battle for Guadalcanal, the 1st Marine Raider Battalion landed on the island of Tulagi, with 22 year old, 140 pound PFC Edward Ahrens among them. That night the Japanese lunched a vicious counterattack. Ahrens stood his ground, securing the right flank of the line. In the morning, Ahrens' company commander, Capt Lewis Walt (later 4 Star General Lew Walt), found Ahrens in his fighting hole. 11 enemy dead surrounded the hole. A dead Japanese officer and dead Japanese sergeant were in the hole next to him. The blood-covered Marine reclined against the dirt wall, gunshot and stab wounds across his body bearing witness to his savage fight. Ahrens still clutched the dead officer's sword in his hand. Upon seeing his commander, Ahrens uttered his last words, then died silently in Walt's arms. For his heroic one-man stand, PFC Ahrens was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. "...serving with Company A, FIRST Marine Raider Battalion, during the landing assault and seizure of enemy Japanese-held Tulagi Island, British Solomon Islands, on the night of 7–8 August 1942. While a member of a security detachment protecting the right flank of his battalion, Private First Class Ahrens, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, single-handedly engaged in hand-to-hand combat a group of the enemy attempting to infiltrate the rear of the battalion. Although mortally wounded, he succeeded in killing the officer in command of the hostile unit and two other Japanese, thereby breaking up the attack. His great personal valor and indomitable fighting spirit were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the defense of his country." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 OohRah! PFC Ahrens. Marine Raider BMFs come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bingo Montana Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Honor and Respect to PFC Ahrens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Semper fi, MaC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 SALUTE, PVT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Semper Fi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamus McGillicuddy Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Probably at that time armed with an 03 Springfield bolt action instead of a Garand. Makes his feat even more impressive. Seamus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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