Page 46 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2018- Online Magazine
P. 46
Teddy McMillan
A Hero and a Good Man
by Larry A. Williams
Teddy recalled that “the day bombardment of the landing
training was tough. You beaches where stiff resistance was
had to do double time expected. However, the Japanese
(run) all the time, and had pulled back to defensive
they would run your positions further inland.
butt off. We were very
well-trained.” After Teddy’s assignment was as “a
basic training, he was front man in communications – we
assigned to the 2nd had a Jeep with a radio and an
Battalion, 5th Marine antenna – sometimes it worked,
Regiment - 1st Marine and sometimes it didn’t.” He also
Division. The 5th relayed information via walkie-
Marine Regiment is the talkies. Being a “front man” meant
most highly decorated you were out front and probing
for the enemy
– a very
dangerous
assignment.
Teddy noted
that “the
Japanese were
very sneaky,
especially at
night. The
scariest time
was pulling
WII veteran Teddy guard duty
McMillan (now 91 years at night.” He
Wold) was the last of 17 unit in the Marine Corps. “After lost several
children born to A.A. and Mary a train ride from North Carolina buddies on Okinawa, which turned
Alice McMillan who lived near to California, we boarded the USS out to be the deadliest battle of
Hermleigh, Texas. His father was Ernst headed for the Pacific.” the Pacific island campaign with
a farmer/rancher, and Teddy spent almost 50,000 casualties and
his early childhood helping around Since the unit was rushed into over 12,000 dead. Besides a “few
the farm. He graduated from combat, they had to “endure scrapes and bruises”, Teddy made
Hermleigh High School in May a round of nine different it through unscathed. He said,
1943 where he played football and immunizations on one of the “We didn’t take any prisoners – the
softball. He remembered that his Russell Islands, and everyone got Japanese would fight to the death.
favorite subjects were Music and sick.” The Russells were only 50 The locals (on the island) were glad
History. Music became a lifelong miles from Guadalcanal. Teddy’s to see them (the Japanese) go.” The
passion, and Teddy himself became unit “was put on a Higgins boat bloody battle for Okinawa lasted 82
a part of history during his service and seemed to go up and down
in the Pacific in WWII. the islands for a long time.
Finally, we made a practice
Patriotism was almost universal landing on Guadalcanal,
during the 1940s, and Teddy and which had already been
a buddy wanted to do their part, secured.” Then it was on to
so they enlisted in the Marines Cape Gloucester, Peleliu and
in May 1944. They were sent to finally Okinawa. The Marines
Parris Island, South Carolina for “landed on Yellow Beach on
eight weeks of basic training and Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945.”
eight weeks of field training at The invasion of Okinawa
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. began with a massive seven-
46 Lubbock Senior Link
