Robert James Powers

Robert enlisted in the Marine Corps at Des Moines on 19 August 1941; after boot camp at MCB San Diego, he was assigned to the 2nd Engineer Battalion and spent the first several months of the war stationed at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. Later in 1942, Powers was transferred to the 19th Marines and sent to North Carolina for additional training as a combat engineer. He rejoined B/1/19 early in 1943 and deployed overseas with them, spending several additional months training in New Zealand before heading for the Solomon Islands.

Shortly after arriving on Guadalcanal in July 1943, Corporal Powers began showing signs of mental distress. He was diagnosed with “Operational Fatigue, Type 3” and deemed unable to serve overseas. Powers was evacuated to a hospital at New Caledonia and, on 18 September 1943, boarded the USS Wharton for transit back to the United States.

The Wharton was an uneasy ship on the morning of 25 September 1943. Earlier that morning a Marine patient, PFC Donald W. Haynes, committed suicide by jumping over the ship’s side. Haynes was the second man to do so; an Army sergeant, Roy M. Ball, jumped overboard the day before. Both men were suffering from “dementia praecox” and seemingly not in control of their own actions.

A group of three Marines conversing on the deck spotted Corporal Powers at 0900 hours. He climbed up the starboard rail, called “So long, boys,” and jumped. He surfaced in the water below, and the crew quickly threw lifejackets and buoys over the side. The Wharton prepared to come about, but Powers vanished beneath the waves at 0905, and the ship resumed her course.

“I was standing on the aft well deck next to the rail and holding a conversation with three fellow passengers and as I looked up I noticed Powers standing next to the boat on the starboard side and he looked like he was ready to jump, but I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t think – couldn’t move fast enough. He turned around just for a secon, and speaking to the group of us in general, said “So long, boys,” and dove over the side. During the time I knew him, seemingly, he was in a trance. There is no doubt in my mind that he went over of his own free will.”
– Cpl. Elmer G. McKitrick, HQ/2/3rd Marines, passenger aboard USS Wharton.

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“While I was standing talking to McKitrick, this man stepped up on the side of the ship and all I saw was that he turned around and said “So long, boys,” and fell over the side. This was on the starboard side of the ship. I didn’t know Powers previous to the incident and therefore was not able to observe any of his actions to determine as to whether or not they were odd or peculiar. There is no doubt in my mind that he went overboard of his own free will.”
– PFC James A. Bluford, K/4/12th Marines, passenger aboard USS Wharton.

A board of investigation ruled all three deaths of Ball, Haynes, and Powers as suicides.