George R. Nelson

I Company: the First and Last to Fight on Okinawa George R. Nelson

This is the story of I Company, 305th Infantry Regiment of the 77th Division. Follow I Company and its men from its activation in March 1942 until it was disbanded four years later. Two years were spent preparing them for their combat role including seven months in the Arizona desert in the summer of '43, only to be assigned to the Pacific Theater. Once in the Pacific they helped liberate Guam and Leyte. They were the first American soldiers to land on Imperial Japanese soil and helped to take the last hill on Okinawa. They were typical American fighting men who dealt with training and combat as best they could. It describes the humor and ingenuity the men used to protect themselves against Army rules, regulations and life as a combat infantryman. These men were older than most found in other divisions; one of the men killed on Guam was 39 years old. The 18 year old Marine riflemen nicknamed them the 'Old Bastards,' but thought enough of their fighting ability to dub them the '305th Marines.'