An Interview with World War II Veteran Marty Korman

In order to expand my knowledge of the impact that World War II had on American citizens, I elected to get a first hand account from an actual World War II veteran. Although I had heard stories about the war being told by my family about relatives, my great-grandfathers and great uncles had passed on before I had an opportunity to talk to them about their war experiences. My great-grandmothers and great aunts had also participated in the war effort by working in factories and maintaining homes, family responsibilities and communities in the absence of their husbands. However, they had also died, so I wasn't able to interview them first hand about their thoughts and memories. Luckily, my grandfather, John Carlson who is a past Commander of the Braintree American Legion was able to introduce me to a World War II veteran named Marty Korman. The following interview is his account of the war based on the questions I had about the war. Marty Korman willingly volunteered to fight for America in World War II. At the age of twenty-one, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He served from the beginning of the war in the Pacific until the end of the war. In my opinion, he is a very brave man. In order to serve his country and protect what he believed in, he courageously put his life on the line.

Where were you and what were you doing on December 7, 1941 when the U.S. joined the war in the Pacific?

I was sitting at home listening to the radio. It must have been a Sunday or something since I was at home. I was so shocked when I had heard that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. It was like a sneak attack; we weren't expecting it, but we should have been.

When you joined the armed services, how old were you and what branch of the military did you decide to join and why?

I was twenty-one years old. At first I thought of joining the Navy, but because I got very seasick, I could not imagine being on a destroyer. I tried to get into the Army Ski Patrol, but they did not enlist anyone from New England. My last chance was the U.S. MARINE CORPS. I could not have made a better choice. Right from the start it was tough, but I was gung ho and made out very well in boot camp. I spent four weeks at Parris Island (the Marine Boot Camp). Next they sent me to Quantico, Virginia, to finish boot camp.

What unit/outfit were you with in the Marines?

I was in what they called A 13. The A stood for the A company. The one stood for the 1st Battalion, and the three stood for the 3rd division. It's a little confusing, but that's how the naming worked.

What did you do to prepare to leave for the war?

I made the insurance forms out to my mother because I didn't have a girlfriend or a wife. I already could do 150 sit-ups, forty push-ups, and chin myself twenty times, so I had no trouble qualifying for the Corps.

What were some of the problems you encountered when you first entered the service?

My biggest problem was being homesick. However, they kept me so busy that I didn't have time to think about it. Another problem was the big shoes that we had to wear. I had blisters all around my ankles for four weeks. I also had blisters on my shoulders from carrying my rifle. When firing the rifle we had to hold it real tight into our shoulder and it would have such a kick that it would bump into my mouth and give me a fat lip. Most of the guys had black eyes from this, but I had a fat lip.

Where were you shipped off to and what was it like when you landed?

When I got out of Boot Camp I stayed at Quantico, Virginia. I was assigned to a guard company, which guarded the airfield. I stayed in the guard company for fourteen months. This was good for me because I got my feet on the ground and learned the ropes. I was then sent to New River, North Carolina, and joined the 21" Replacement Battalion to go overseas. We went to San Diego and stayed for two months training and staying in condition. Eventually, we boarded a troop transport and in thirty-one days we landed at Noumao, New Caledonia. We stayed there another month and then boarded ship again. This time we were going to New Hebrides. The next thing I knew, I was on Guadacanal. The fighting was over at the canal. We got on an L.S.T and headed for Bouganville. That was my first action. The Japanese were everywhere, and they bombed every night and day. It rained all the time. We landed there on Thanksgiving Day and left on Christmas Day. The whole time we were there we never saw the sun!

Did you keep in touch with your family?

All the time . . it was always nice to get a letter from home. I wrote to them all the time. I was just a young, very homesick boy who had never been away from home before. For three and a half years I never got to go home. So, yes, of course, we always kept in touch.

What did you believe you were fighting for?

For the good of the U.S.A. Remember, the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. They threatened the West Coast. Any red-blooded American boy wanted to fight for his country.

Did you have any injuries?

No, I had grenade shrapnel all over my face, mostly burns. The fragments were always hot. I never turned into the hospital, so I have no purple heart to show for it.

Do you have any interesting stories to tell about the war?

While I was at Iwo Jima, we were floating reserves. I was on a semi-hospital ship. They brought the wounded aboard all the time. At night, they would dump arms, legs, and other parts of bodies out of a big fifty-gallon steel barrel into the ocean. They had been amputated from the wounded Marines. I will never forget about this. I think about it often.
Another thing that I remember so well was how bad it was at night. Something was always biting us. It was very buggy, and it was very hot all the time. We slept in foxholes, which is just a small hole dug in the ground. It rained almost all the time, and the Japanese were around us all the time. I very seldom closed my eyes for fear that the enemy would crawl in on me. Many guys died that way. Some of them were my best friends. Did you receive any special recognition for your years of service for your country?

Yes, I did. I received the Bronze Star.

Where were you and what was it like when you heard that the war had ended?

I was on the island of Guam. We were putting all of our bags on a ship that was heading for Honshu on our way over to invade Japan. I found out because everyone started yelling and shooting. I jumped into my foxhole so I wouldn't be shot and killed! Everyone was shooting because they were so happy that the war was over and we were going home.

What was it like when you returned home from the war?

I was gone for four years. For three full years I never got home once. I was overseas for twenty-seven months and never slept in a bed the whole time I was overseas. The only time I had a good place to sleep was when I was aboard a ship, and then I was so seasick that it didn't matter. Yes, I was glad to get home to a good bed with real sheets, food that I liked, and to be working only eight hours a day, five days a week. It was wonderful to be home with my friends and family again. My family was so glad to see me. Luckily, I found a job right away as a telephone installer for the telephone company.

Do you have any friends from the war that you still keep in touch with?

Yes, I do. I have many friends that I talk to all the time from the war. The sad thing is that every week I seem to lose another friend from the war. They all are getting very old, and it's a sad thought.

Have you gone back to visit any of the places you fought at in the war?

Yes, I have. Back in 1993 it was the 50th anniversary for Guam called Liberation Day. My wife and I went back to Guam with about 300 other people who were at Guam. I had a wonderful time. They treated us like true heroes. They had parades, memorials, dinners, programs, and entertainment. It was a great time.

Do you have anything else that you would like to add?

I would never be able to go through that again. Still, I would never swap the experiences I had. I am proud of what I did for my country, and I still think that the United States Marine Corps is the greatest fighting machine in the world.

My decision to interview an actual World War II veteran dramatically changed my understanding of World War II. Many times before, I had gone to parades, veteran memorial services, and read about the war, but I never really understood what the experience meant to ordinary, everyday American citizens. This interview put a personal face on the war and explained the impact it had on all Americans, at home and abroad. Initially, I was worried that interviewing someone about their war experiences might be upsetting, especially when speaking about unpleasant memories. However, Mr. Korman was delightful and openly answered all of my questions. He welcomed the opportunity to share his thoughts and memories with someone from a younger generation interested in finding out about the war first hand. The experience really touched me in a special way. I will, from this point on, view the war in a different perspective, which now will include, the human, personal side and recognize the individual sacrifices of all Americans, male, female, young, and old. Everyone played a part in the war effort and for that reason they have a right to be proud of their accomplishments to preserve the rights of all citizens of the world.

I am very grateful that Marty Korman took the time to allow me to interview him. My knowledge about the war was greatly increased by just one simple interview. I learned that it takes courage to ask the questions and just as much courage to relive old memories and answer the questions honestly. It was a privilege and honor to interview the now eighty year old Marty Korman.

Posted: November 26, 2000 Mail

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