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| Captain James Mayenschein was the 5th Division's 1/27 Company B executive officers on Iwo Jima. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114457499/james-fields-mayenschein https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-IwoJima/img/USMC-M-IwoJima-p128.jpg |
James Fields Mayenschein never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on March 9, 1919 in Lawrence, Ohio. His parents James and Hazel were also both born in Ohio. His father worked as an iron furnace steam engineer. The family moved to West Virginia in the early 1930s. James had an older brother and a younger sister.
He volunteered for the Marines on January 19, 1938. His four years of service ended in 1942, but he decided to reenlist and was accepted to officers training school. He married Inez Snidow in June 1942. They had a son and a daughter.
He was a trained paratrooper and rose to the rank of captain in Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, where he served as the company executive officer.
Iwo Jima was the first engagement with the enemy for the 5th Marine Division. Its men landed on D-Day, February 19, 1945. Compared to other units, the 27th IR did not encounter as much enemy resistance on the first day. By the second day they were being counterattacked by the enemy. Artillery and mortar fire were a constant threat. At night the Marines had to contend with Japanese who had infiltrated their lines. When advancing, they had to worry about booby-traps, even when the enemy was not present.
Captain Mayenschein's regiment was able to spend a few days as the division reserve, but it was back into the fight on February 27. It was able to advance with limited resistance. That changed the next day when Company B came under intense fire and took heavy casualties. A retreat was in order to keep the losses from getting much worse. Captain Mayenshein took on the task of making sure the withdrawal happened, making sure the wounded were all evacuated. He was wounded by enemy shrapnel and died that day. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.
His Silver Star citation reads as follows:
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Executive Officer of Company B, First Battalion, Twenty-Seventh Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in action against the enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 28th February 1945.
When his two forward platoons were suddenly stopped by an unprecedented barrage of hostile artillery, mortar and machine gunfire, which caused so many casualties that a gap appeared in the lines, First Lieutenant Mayenschein gallantly moved forward to the stricken platoons with expert tactility ability, proceeded to effect a reorganization and outlined to his subordinates the course of a orderly withdrawal. Directing the withdrawal and the evacuation of the wounded, he assisted wherever possible with first aid and the removal of the wounded to safety in spite of withering fire, persisting in his hazardous mission until fatally wounded by enemy shrapnel.
His inspiring leadership and courageous initiative reflect the highest credit upon First Lieutenant Mayenschein and the United States Naval Service. He gave his Life for his country."
His grave is at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Parkersburg, West Virginia. I don't know what happened to his widow or children.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History has a webpage with photos dedicated to Lt. Mayenschein here.
Last year on this date I profiled C-47 pilot Carl Poole. You can read about Carl here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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