James Ferron Gage
PhM3c James F. “Jack” Gage served as a hospital corpsman with the First Battalion, 2nd Marines.
He was killed in action at Guadalcanal on 10 November 1942.
Branch
Navy Regular
Service Number 368 65 76
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
September 21, 1923
at Dietrich, ID
Parents
Edwin Russell “ER” Gage
Florence (Ballinger) Gage
Education
Dietrich High School (ex-1941)
Occupation & Employer
Enlisted from high school
Service Life
Entered Service
May 9, 1941
Home Of Record
Dietrich, ID
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. E. R. Gage
Military Specialty
Hospital corpsman
Primary Unit
HQ/1/2nd Marines
Campaigns Served
Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
After spending several days in reserve positions supporting units of the 164th Infantry Regiment, two battalions of the 2nd Marines were ordered to recommence offensive operations against Japanese troops west of Guadalcanal’s Point Cruz. The terrain was rough and hilly – familiar to combat veterans, but physically taxing. “The day was the hottest I can remember on the ‘Canal,” wrote William Rogal of A/1/2.
The First Battalion’s task was to protect the left flank of the advance; to do this, they needed to control the high ground of a hill about 1000 yards inland from the coast. Their attack kicked off at 0630 and proceeded quietly – albeit slowly – until about 1100.
In due time the word came to move out and we advanced into a heavily wooded valley. The descent into the gorge was uneventful, as was most of the climb up the opposite slope. However, when we reached the crest of the hill and started to move into the tall grass, all hell broke loose.... The Japs then went to work with mortars, dropping round after round on us. I don' t think they wasted a single round either long or short....
Meanwhile, A Company was taking a beating. Richard Gill, William Schreiner, James Majercak, and Amos Gray lay dead. At least ten others were wounded, some very badly.... The Battalion Muster Roll reveals two Corpsmen were killed that day, Alfred Schuler and James Gage, but I have no recollection as to which, if either, was with us. My squad was decimated, with three BAR men down.... We had our asses whipped and withdrew back to the line we kicked off from.
“They sure had our number,” admitted Jim Sorensen whose squad was near the ambush point. “We yelled for a corpsman – no corpsman could get up to the ridge to us through that fire, but the men cursed and yelled for a corpsman nevertheless.” It is likely that Pharmacist’s Mates Gage and Schuler were killed attempting to answer similar calls for help.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered. In his memoir, Rogal notes “Even retreating wasn’t easy for we didn’t have enough stretchers for the wounded nor enough able-bodied men to get them and our weapons back to the safety of our lines. There was no help for it – we had to leave our dead.”
Next Of Kin Address
Address of parents, ER & Florence Gage.
Location Of Loss
Approximate location of the ambush site of 10 November 1942.
