Blair Stautzenberger Pictures

We received some great Raider pictures and information that we are happy to share with you!

 
My dad (Odell Stautzenberger) was a member of "H" Company, 2nd Marine Raider Battalion and after the Raiders were disbanded, he served in "G" Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines.
My dad fought on Bougainville, Guam & Okinawa.  I think that there is a record glitch somewhere, but he was definitely on Guam and also made the unopposed Emirau landing.  My dad was wounded on Bougainville & Okinawa and won the Bronze Star on 4/15/45 at Mt Yaetake on Okinawa.  Please note: Although my dad was a 2nd Marine Raider, most of the men that he
served with in "G" Co., 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines were former 4th Marine Raiders.

My dad's childhood friend and fellow 2nd Raider & 4th Marine was Blair Reeves (please refer to John McCormick's article on your Website titled "Marine with an Iron Will".  McCormick wrote this about Blair Reeves and that is who I am named after.  Both Reeves and my dad were both wounded
on 5/20/45 at Half Moon Hill on Okinawa.   Blair Reeves was paralyzed from the waist down.  My dad was shot in the arm, but later re-joined the Outfit and made the Japan landing as part of Task Force 31.

My dad's full name was Weldon Odell Stautzenberger.  He only went by Odell and was normally called STAUTZ by most of this friends and definitely all of his fellow Marines.  He died in 2002.  After the war my dad went to Texas A&M where he was a standout football player and later played professional
football for the 1949 Buffalo Bills in the AAFC.

3rd Platoon G Co 2nd Battalion 4th Marines

100 % WIA

A Mayer, R.O. Mack, W. O. Stautzenberger

Dewy Spiller

2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, G Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines