(Army 11) The Forty Fools of Company C.

The following is a copy of text from the "History of the 154th Engineering Combat Battalion".

"By the 21st of September the Japs had been pocketed on Angaur, but to the north the Peleliu Jap opposition to the 1st Marines had developed new fury. The Task Force Commander decided to move the 321 RCT (Regimental Combat Team) and "B" and "C" Company with a detachment from "H & S" from Angaur to Peleliu. Upon receiving the warning order the Bn. C.O. with parts of his staff sailed to Peleliu to acquaint themselves with the situation. The mission of our battalion was to be of a dual nature: (a) perform shore party duties on Purple Beach, Peleliu, and (b) to furnish demolition teams as required by the 321st RCT. The first of these teams - The forty fools of Company "C" -moved to the front lines with the 3rd Battalion, 321st Infantry, on the morning of September 24th to engage elements of the 14th Japanese Infantry reinforced."

You guessed it. I was one of the forty fools. They needed forty demolition men to leave right away.  I and 39 of my comrades in Company C of the 154th had not learned real good about volunteering. One of the things you learned early in your Army life was to never volunteer for anything. Once in basic training they had asked anyone who knew how to operate heavy equipment to step forward. They were given shovels and wheelbarrows and led off to dig something, to the derisive laughter of the rest of the group.

I have always been a slow learner. So I stepped forward with the 39 others to go to Peleliu. We were issued satchel charges and loaded into a boat. My advise  now is to always think hard before you volunteer to go help the Marines. You know things must be tough if the Marines ask for help!

Thank God, we have Marines!

Satchel charge.