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Lee Junior Weiss

PFC Lee J. Weiss served with Charlie Company, First Battalion, 5th Marines.
He was killed in action near Point Cruz, Guadalcanal, on 1 November 1942.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Branch

Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 344035

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered.

Pursuit Category

The DPAA has not publicized this information.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

August 9, 1922
at Louisville, KY

Parents

Lee Bernard Weiss
Dorothy “Ruth” (Kepler) Weiss

Education

High school
(details unknown)

Occupation & Employer

Drug store clerk

Service Life

Entered Service

January 8, 1942
at Louisville, KY

Home Of Record

809 South 39th Street
Louisville, KY

Next Of Kin

Father, Mr. Lee B. Weiss

Military Specialty

Primary Unit

C/1/5th Marines

Campaigns Served

Guadalcanal

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

On 1 November 1942, the 5th Marines opened the “Matanikau Offensive” by forcing their way across Guadalcanal’s Matanikau River. Their First Battalion crossed near the river’s mouth using footbridges built under cover of darkness, and began advancing west at 0630 hours. The first two hours passed without opposition – but the morning would not stay quiet for long.

The point platoon of Charlie Company, led by 2Lt. David H. Crosby, Jr., was first to run into trouble.

They came down the nose of a grassy hill and started to work their way through the deep undergrowth of the flatlands below. The jungle in the flatlands is almost impenetrable. A camouflaged man cannot be seen a half-dozen yards away. The tricky Japs, masters at concealment, organized a defensive line in the wild tangled undergrowth, expecting a solid line of men to advance against it into an ambush, without even realizing the presence of the line.

But Dave, wise to their deceits, was carefully feeling his way, with his capable scouts, to prevent such an ambush to his own men and hundreds of men behind him. As they worked their way towards the enemy, a Jap sniper, overanxious, fired his rifle. One of the scouts immediately killed the Jap. Dave at once detected the enemy lines and set to work by means of his runners to bring the platoon forward a few at a time to build up a firing line.

The Japs, realizing that they had been discovered, opened a withering barrage of fire. Dave's men and he, himself, infiltrated through this barrage a few at a time and got into position to combat the enemy. David himself began coolly to direct them, when he was killed. He died instantly, painlessly, never knowing what caused his end. This was about 9 or 10 AM November 1.

David's men, berserk with sorrow at the loss of the leader whom they idolized, managed in the face of that hell to drive past the spot where he was slain so that they could recover him. They immediately attacked the enemy position but could not get close enough to assault it. These boys were also killed, the only man who safely returned was the runner whom David had sent back.

Charlie Company lost three officers, many enlisted men, and their supporting heavy machine guns in quick succession. Baker Company was called up from reserve to assist, secured the left flank, and helped push the last 250 yards towards the first objective line. The Marines paused to reorganize from 1130 to 1230, then attempted to advance again. An entire afternoon of fighting resulted in more dead and wounded men, and no ground gained.

By nightfall, 27 Marines of C/1/5 were dead or mortally wounded – one of the highest fatality rates any Marine company suffered in a single action on Guadalcanal. Lieutenant Maurice Raphael, a platoon leader in B/1/5 recalled “moving across this hill that was covered with dead and dying men.” Raphael, who had served with Charlie Company until the first of October, knew many of those men by name.

"Saw Ausili die. Louis Kovacs was dead but still warm, Harland Swart, Carlson, Potocki, Doucette, Waterstraw... everyone was dead... shot to hell and back. It was the saddest and most awful sight I've ever seen in my life. I saw Jack Holland, leader 2nd Platoon, shot in the shoulder. Henry Loughman was shot in the groin and died... I found Crosby's body... Poor fellow, he never knew what hit him."

Private Lee Weiss was one of the Charlie Company Marines to lose his life on this bloody day. No further specifics about his death are currently known.

Burial Information or Disposition

On November 2, 1942, 1/5 began to gather its dead. Of the thirty-nine fatalities reported on the previous day, nine were interred in the 1st Marine Division Cemetery. Some of these died of wounds on their way to the hospital. The remainder – thirty enlisted men – were all buried in the field. The same location was recorded for each man: “About 400 yards west of Point Cruz, about 600 yards inland from the sea, on the island of Guadalcanal.” Thirty markers in a small area must have been an arresting sight – and, one would presume, a highly visible one. Yet to this day, only seven of these Marines have ever been located, and the exact location of the rest is still a mystery.

Read more about this burial site at Military History Now.

Next Of Kin Address

Home address of parents, Lee & Ruth Weiss.

Location Of Loss

Approximate location of the burial site near Point Cruz.

Related Profiles

Members of First Battalion, 5th Marines KIA November 1, 1942.
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