Photo By Cpl. Karina Lopezmata | Marine Cpl. Albert I. Ireland, five times wounded in World War II, is shown holding...... read more read more
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This week we are republishing a story that appeared on our pages on this date in history. We hope it will give you an appreciation for our Corps’ illustrious heritage and a unique look at the style and tone of journalism during these years. Today’s article features a Marine who was wounded five times in World War II and received multiple purple hearts.
Cpl. Albert I. Ireland, Weapons Co., 6th Marines, is headed for the West Coast to join his shipmates that left in a draft from here Saturday. His name was originally on the draft but taken off after the first sergeant noticed that he was wearing four purple hearts. Any man wearing two or more purple hearts are not eligible for further combat duty. Ireland didn’t want to be left behind so he tried to talk his Company Commander into letting him go. He was told that the order was from Marine Corps Headquarters and that he could see the Battalion Commander if he wanted to. There he was told to see the Division Sergeant Major.
From there he went to the Commanding Officer of the Second Marine Division. He was told that a letter could be submitted to Marine Corps Headquarters requesting immediate transfer to combat duty. He realized that the letter would come too late for him to go with his mates, so he went to his CO for a 71 hour pass. That couldn’t be done but they gave him 48 hours. He went to Marine Corps Headquarters to see if it could be done there in time to meet his buddies on the West Coast. The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Clifton B. Cates, gave his permission for Ireland to join his old outfit on the West Coast.
The corporal will shortly leave Camp Lejeune by commercial airlines for his trip west. There he will join his buddies that he has so hard tried to join.
Colonel Rogers, Battalion Commander, stated that he wished he had a thousand men who wanted to get into combat as much as Ireland. He highly recommended Ireland as an NCO and machine gunner in his battalion.
Corporal Ireland has seen action in World War II in Guadalcanal and Okinawa. He as wounded twice at each island. He was wounded again on Okinawa but did not think it was serious enough to report at that time. He later began to have trouble with his side and an x-ray was taken. The x-ray found particles of metal in his lungs. He is at the present applying for his fifth purple heart.
| Date Taken: | 01.09.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2019 09:59 |
| Story ID: | 306498 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 105 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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