Members of D Company, 1st Raiders. It appeared in two
papers the first is the “The Marine Sentry, Quantico, VA, Friday,
October 1, 1943” on page 9 with the following caption:
LEATHERNECKS AROUND THE CAMPFIRE –
Among the first photographs of Marine Raiders who occupied Enogai
Inlet, New Georgia, is this scene around a jungle campfire. Note the
crude shelter with camouflaged covering, Picture, left to right are
Robert A. Deforges, Ware, Mass; Ernest Carson, St. Paul, Minn;
Edward M. Voytovich, Greensburg, PA; Wilfred A. Hunt, Brooklyn NY;
John J. Koehler, Rockville Center, NY; Fred J Borseso, Jersey City,
NJ; George F. Lemester, Syracuse, NY; and Arthur J Schmitz,
Clarksburg, W. VA (official U.S. Marine Corps Photo.)
It also appeared in the “Brooklyn
Eagle, Monday, Sept. 27, 1943” with the following caption: CHOW TIME
IN THE SOLOMONS – Any resemblance to a picnic is purely
coincidental. The Marines at this jungle campfire on New Georgia
Island were returning to there base after raiding a Jap post when
the picture was taken. Fourth from the left is Wilfred A. Hunt of
451 Court St. and next to him is John J. Koehler of Rockville
Centre. Hunt won the Navy Cross for rushing an enemy machine-gun
position on Tulagi and wiping it out with hand grenades, Aug 7.
The two Marines directly behind the
campfire are Wilfred A. Hunt and John J. Koehler. My father had
written “Larson” with an arrow pointing to the Marine second from
the left I assume that was his name instead of Carson. As you can
see there are 9 Marines in the picture but only 8 names. I believe
the Marine in the back on the left is the one without a name. The
only ones I know for sure are my father and John Koehler whom I have
met.
