| NAME John Dave Bennett |
NICKNAME JD |
MCSN 339755 |
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| HOME OF RECORD General Delivery, Springfield, IL |
NEXT OF KIN Uncle, Mr. John Day Bennett |
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| DATE OF BIRTH January 12, 1914 |
DATE OF ENLISTMENT January 7, 1942 |
DATE OF LOSS November 11, 1942 |
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| REGION Solomons |
CAMPAIGN / AREA Guadalcanal / Asamana (Carlson’s Long Patrol) |
CASUALTY TYPE Killed In Action |
UNIT C/2nd Raider Battalion |
DUTY — |
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| CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS On 11 November 1942, during the Long Patrol, companies of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion sent out aggressive patrols between the villages of Binu and Asamana, Guadalcanal. At about 1100 hours, the point squad of Company C ran into a fortified Japanese unit guarding the approaches to Asamana itself. The squad leader, Corporal John D. Bennett, spotted the trap and ordered his men to spread out. He was immediately shot in the chest and killed by the initial burst of firing. When his squad managed to extricate themselves after several hours of fighting, his body had to be left behind. The Raiders occupied the Japanese position the following day, and buried their dead in the field. The exact location of Bennett’s grave was not recorded, and his remains have never been recovered. |
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| INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS Purple Heart |
LAST KNOWN RANK Corporal |
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| STATUS OF REMAINS Buried in the field. |
MEMORIALS Manila American Cemetery |
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Biography:
Coming soon. Contact the webmaster for information on this Marine.
I was in J. D. Bennett’s squad. He was blasted across the chest by a Jap machine gun. We entered that open field of kunai grass with some misgivings and just as we finished crossing the open half mile field we approached more heavy jungle. We could hear the enemy clanking on something and jabbering. J.D. ordered us into a scrimmage line and then all hell broke loose. Larry Spillan and Joe Harrison were killed. Man, I never heard so goddamn much firing. I couldn’t get close enough to the ground. One fucking machine gun didn’t sound too fucking friendly in front of me. Lt. Maitland ordered “Okay men, let’s get up and charge them….” Sgt. “Bull Dog” Evans said “Okay, Lieutenant, you get up first and we will follow you,” but that ended any foolish charge talk.
– Pete Arias, 2nd Raider Battalion, quoted in The Raider Patch, May 1981.
Articles and Records:
JD Bennett’s draft card, completed in October 1940. At the time, he was working as a miner in California.
Photo Gallery:
Coming soon.
