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Show IIoiv Devildogs Stormed a Hill in ,Battle of Bairoko Harbor "We had already fought for five days on Vangunu island, when we ware rushed north to join in the Bottle of Bairoko Harbor. We were 200 yards from the Jap ridge, when snipers forced us to take cover." The story of the .squad's last 25 yards was disclosed, at a rear base rest camp, by Corp. William J. Haines. He told Staff Sergt. Samuel Stavisky, marine combat correspondent. corre-spondent. "But we were ordered to keep driving ahead. So we kept at it, and my sqdad got within 25 yards of the top, when all hell broke loose. "Corporal Strauss was hit bad, through the chest. We picked up his tripod and ammunition and kept on. "We almost made it. Only five feet to go, when Thornburg, an ammunition am-munition carrier, and Shipp, who was bringing up the gun, were hit. Thornburg was killed outright. "Hacker grabbed up the machine gun, and stuck it behind the cover of a banyan tree. We turned to give Shipp first aid. I was'reaching into my pocket for the morphine, when a sniper's bullet pierced my helmet, j but it only scratched my head. "I still wasn't sure whether or not I I'd been hit, but there I was, still on my feet, so I pushed up to the I top of the hill with Hacker, and we j got the gun in position, and fired a I belt of ammunition before things j quieted down. Then we got word I back on our situation." |