Company K of the 164th Infantry Regiment

Guadalcanal Campaign

Wrecked b24 "liberator" probably at

Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.

Wrecked P38 "Lightning" probably

At Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. 

Note the field ambulance in the

background.

Local soldiers from Company K ready 

themselves for the enemy.........

One of the planes of the Australian Allies -- An English spitfire.

This tank was used on one of the islands,

possibly on guadalcanal.

HARRY DOLYNIUK, EARL CHASE

& WILLARD WILLIAMSON

After the Battle of Guadalcanal

in late 1942.

These soldiers on Guadalcanal

have yet to be identified.

Some company k soldiers in

a shelter on guadalcanal.

JACK AGNEW

Washing up and filling up his canteen.

A soldier from Company K with his

makeshift shelter on Guadalcanal.

1SGT KERMET SCHOEN

With his M1 Carbine next to

his shelter on Guadalcanal.

One of Company K's fortified positions on Guadalcanal.

Camp on Guadalcanal was well

camouflaged with only a little light

filtering in through the trees.

Another camp scene from Guadalcanal. 

Actually a better print of

the photo to the left?

Camp scene on Guadalcanal.........

note the gear hanging in the trees.

Unidentified soldier from Company K.

STEVE DUBOIS & RALPH GAUGLER

On Guadalcanal.

RALPH GAUGLER

On Guadalcanal.

RALPH GAUGLER

Catching a quick shave on Guadalcanal.

PVT THEODORE J. ZAGURSKI (ON THE LEFT)

With and unknown soldier from Minneapolis on Guadalcanal

TSGT JOHN E. GUNDERSON

Doing a little home cooking on Guadalcanal.

2LT STEVE DUBOIS, SSGT PAUL FISCHER

& CPL FELIX LAFROMBOISE

Photo taken on Guadalcanal, DuBois and LaFromboise

were Native Americans from Fort Totten who

were assigned to Company K.

JOHN GUNDERSON & BUD BOISEN

Bud takes over the frying pan duties from John

while on Guadalcanal.  Bud said that they were

using captured Japanese gas as fuel.

BUB BOISEN & RALPH GAUGLER

Bud & Ralph formed a life long friendship

while serving on Guadalacanal.

After finishing his cooking, Bud Boisen should have taken one of

his malaria pills.  When Leah met him in 2001, he still had his full

bottle.  He said that he was supposed to take them but never did. 

Bud did tell Leah that he suffered

through 5 bouts of malaria.

LT COL LAROY BAIRD JR (FAR RIGHT)

Seen here in the Jungles of the South Pacific,

Lt Col Baird was one of only 4 officers to be

with the 164th Infantry Regiment from

Camp Claiborne, Louisiana all the way to Japan.

CPT ANTON 'TONY' BEER (FAR LEFT) &

SGT LAWRENCE 'BUD' BOISEN

(2ND FROM RIGHT)

Receiving accomandations for gallantry with

3 other soldiers from Minnesota.  It was a pleasure

for LEah to meet both Tony and Bud in September 2001. 

Tony lived in Mandan at the time while Bud lived in Idaho.

ORVILLE DODGE & RALPH GAUGLER

Orville writes a letter home, while Ralph catches

up on the news while they were on Guadalcanal.

SGT HERB MACK

Thank God that Herb could still smile!!!

PVT BILL KOSTELECKY

Bill taking a smoke break.

PFC EDWARD FEININGER

Also taking a smoke break. 

"Smoke 'em if you got'em!"

PVT CARL THOMAS

Hopefully not on smoke break

as well as he appears to be

using a gas can for his chair.

PVT JOHN BERGER

JOHN HAS 'EM' SO HE IS SMOKING 'EM'.

TED KESSEL

Ted commented that this sign was  rather wishful

thinking when it was erected on Guadalcanal,

as there were still years of fighting ahead.

On October 25 & 26, 1942, less than two weeks after landing on Guadalcanal, the 164th infantry Regiment would become involved in the heaviest fighting of the Guadalcanal Campaign after the Japanese launched a surprise offensive.

The 164th Infantry Regiment held key sectors around Henderson Field and repelled the attacking Japanese forces.  Members of the 164th killed over 1,500 of the attacking Japanese forces while suffering 26 KIA's and 52 wounded.

Soldiers from the 164th Infantry Regiment display a captured Japanese flag.

Matanikau Offensive during the Guadalcanal Campaign

On November 20, 1942, U.S. forces crossed the Matanikau River to attack Japanese

positions in a battle which would last fthrough November 27th.  Company K,

along with the rest of the Americal Division , would be very involved in the battle.

The Americal Division would suffer over 100 KIA's and 200 wounded.  This was perhaps

the costliest week of the war for the 164th Infantry Regiment and the Americal Division.

Perimeter defense setup during the Matanikau Offensive on Guadalcanal.

SSGT EDMUND MAHOWALD

Taking a break at the Matanikau on Guadalcanal. 

Although Edmund survived this campaign,

he would later be killed in Action at

Leyte, in the Phillipine Isklands.

SGT JOHN CLARYS wrote this letter to his sister Anna

while still on Guadalcanal, before being evacuated

to Fiji for R&R in March 1943.  He had to be circumspect

in what he wrote , however, he does say that it was

warm there and wishes for some "cold weather that

you get there in good old N. Dak." 

"All I can do is hope and pray that one day I get back there".

From the Diary of Lt Col Samuel Baglien of the 164th Infantry Regiment:

"On November 20 the regiment took up defensive positions at Point Cruz west of the Matanikau.  Due to terrain of jungle and ridges and the terrfic heat, it is very difficult to get supplies, ammunition and water to our troops.  They are taxed to exhaustion.  Coordinated artillery, air and mortar fire does not dislodge the enemy.  They have dug-in in the coral and in draws and are quite secure.  Any exposure to our troops draws accurate enemy fire.  Casualties are fairly heavy. 

This situation continues on November 23 and 24.  Advance is stopped, and positions are consolidated.  Men must live on "C" and "D" rations and coffee, as movements draw heavy and accurate enemy fire.  Enemy light artillery appears to have been silenced by our air and artillery support.  Snipers are active.  Our planes continue to bomb and strafe enemy positions with unknown results.  Our Third Battalion has suffered heavy casualties by artillery and mortar fire."

Col Baglien then lists the 54 soldiers of the 164th Infantry Regiment killed in action thus far in this battle. 

Members of Company K who were KIA's are:

PVT ELTON L. PEDERSON, PVT MARION VAN DER WERFF, PFC RAYMOND E. MOORE, CPL HERMAN C. DIEDE,

2LT RILIE R. MORGAN JR., 1LT WILLIAM K. PFLUGRATH, 1SGT WINIFRED B. FISCHER & PVT JOHN J. BRUCKER

FATHER KELLY

Conducting church in the field, probably on Guadalcanal.

1942

Honor Guard marching to the graves

of the newly fallen on Guadalcanal.

Graveside ceremony on Guadalcanal honoring the brave young men who fell

in battle there during the campaigns of October and November of 1942.

WINFRED "RED" FISCHER, RALPH GAUGLER & GORDON HOLT

This is a very poignant picture.  Ralph told Leah that his best friend was Red and that

the worst part of the war for him was walking by his dead buddy on Guadalcanal for

days until they could give him a proper burial.    Ralph said that he would never forget Red.

The grave of 

PVT MARION VAN DER WERFF 

of Company K of the

164th Infantry Regiment. 

Marion was killed in action on Guadalcanal.

Marion was killed by a Japanese sniper. 

Marion was awarded both the

Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

 MARION VAN DER WERFF 

is buried at the National Memorial

Cemetery of the Pacific in

Honolulu, Hawaii.

Grave of 

CPL HERMANN C. DIEDE 

from Co. K of the 164th Infantry Regiment

who was also killed in action on Guadalcanal.

CPL DIEDE

is also not alone.  After the war,

all of the graves would be exhumed

and transported to either the Manila

American Cemetery, The National

Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

(Punchbowl) in Hawaii or back to the

United States for reinternment

CPL HERMAN C. DIEDE 

was the youngest man to be killed in

action with Company K during the Guadalcanal Campaign.  Today he is

interned at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in

Honolulu, Hawaii.

PVT ELTON L. PEDERSON'S 

grave on Guadalcanal.  Elton was

killed in action while serving with

Co. K of the 164th Infantry Regiment

during the Guadalcanal campaign.

So many paid the ultimate price

to defend their comrades in arms.

ELTON L. PEDERSON 

rests at  the National Memorial Cemetery

of the Pacific at Honolulu, Hawaii.

Grave of 

1SGT WINFRED B. 'RED' FISCHER 

was the highest ranked ENLISTED member

of Co. K of the 164th Infantry Regiment

to be killed in action of Guadalacanal.

The United States stands apart from

most other nations in accounting for

and honoring those who are killed

while in the service of their country.

1SGT FISCHER 

is interned at Fort Snelling,

National Cemetery

in Minneapolis, MN.

2LT RILIE R. MORGAN JR.

 was brought back home and interned near family

at Crescent Cemetery in Grafton, North Dakota. 

Morgan was not from Dickinson, but he served

with Co. K during the Guadalcanal Campaign.

Although from Mandan, North Dakota, 

PVT JOHN J. BRUCKER 

was reinterned at Holy Cross Cemetery in

Spokane, Washington, wITH HIS PARENTS.

PFC RAYMOND E. MOORE 

was also brought home and rests near family at

the Dunn Center Cemetery in Dunn Cneter, North Dakota.

1LT WILLIAM K. PFLUGRATH 

from New Leipzig, North Dakota is buried at

Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

From the Diary of  Lt Col Samuel Baglein of the 164th Infantry Regiment:

"On November 25, the enemy is still maintaining a well dug-in defense in depth.  Our artillery and ortars are dislodging some of them.  Our patrols are active and destroting some positions, but they are replaced during the night.  Our comabt strength is below 2,000.  We have several hundred ineffectuals due to malaria, dysentery, shell-shock, hysteria and minor wounds.  We feel the loss of Capt Panettiere, our brave medical officer.  The Division hospital is congested, so we are treating many cases in our rear area. I am still worn out from yesterday’s scrap. The Nips located our CP today with their mortars, wounding three men. Looks like I’ve got to hunt a new hole.  

On November 26, an enemy air raid dropped 20 bombs; some casualties to marines. Our artillery and mortars continue to bombard the enemy and our patrols are active.  

At 3:30 a.m. on November 27, an enemy air raid. No casualties. Our artillery and mortars continued to batter the enemy. They are replacing weakened positions rapidly, but they are weakening generally and there is not much likelihood of a counter-attack. Lt. Col. Hall, Third Battalion commander, was wounded and evacuated. Capt Ralph Knott was wounded and evacuated. Sent our Anti Tank Company in to relieve Company “A”.  It was our only reserve.

Another enemy air raid at 3:30 a.m. on November 28. At 6:30 a.m. an enemy sub torpedoed the U. S. S. Alcheba at Lunga Lagoon. The ship was beached to avoid capsizing. The cargo and crew were saved. Capt Hedstrom, Lt Preston and 14 enlisted men of this regiment were aboard at the time of the explosion, but were uninjured. The front line activity is limited to artillery and patrols. First Lt John A. Crawford died at the hospital at New Hebrides where he had been evacuated,

wounded several days ago.

On November 29 at 3:00 a.m. another air raid; no casualties. Our continuous bombardment of enemy positions has caused some withdrawal. They are attempting to strengthen their positions. Coordinated artillery and mortar fire at enemy positions went on all afternoon. Our patrols are active. The enemy continues to fire mortars at our positions, effectively. We got together a makeshift Battalion to relieve the Second Battalion of the Eighth Marines. Capt Crook is commanding our makeshift Battalion.

At 4:00 a.m. November 30 another enemy air raid. No casualties. Our 81 MM mortars destroyed an enemy Anti-tank gun and emplacement. Mortars on both sides continue. We are killing and destroying Jap positions daily. It is hard grubbing, but we will get them out."

Lt Col Baglein lists 16 more soldiers of the 164th Infantry Regiment who were KIA's over these days.

2 Members of Company K were KIA's:

PFC MELVIN O. FEIRING & SSGT LESTER A. ASHBACHER

New graves on Guadalcanal near Henderson Field in late 1942.

PFC MELVIN O. FEIRING 

is buried at Mountian View Cemetery in

Longmount, Colorado beside his parents.

The 164th Infantry Regiment would receive the Presidential Unit Citation
for it's participation in the Guadalacanal Campaign.

However, Guadalcanal was only the beginning of the fighting for

Company K.........

During March of 1943, after the Matanikau Campaign, 

Company K along with the rest of the 164th Infantry Regiment,

were evacuated to Fiji for some much needed replacements

and some much deserved rest and recuperation.

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