Guy Gabaldon

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Guy Louis Gabaldon
March 22, 1926 - August 31, 2006

PFC Guy Gabaldon, Navy Cross recipient
Nickname "Gabby", "The Pied Piper of Saipan"
Place of birth Los Angeles, California
Place of death Old Town, Florida
Allegiance USMC
Years of service 1943 - 1945
Rank Private First Class
Unit 2nd Marine Regiment
Battles/wars Battle of Saipan
Awards Navy Cross
Silver Star
Purple Heart
Guy Gabaldon speaking at Pentagon ceremony honoring Hispanic World War II veterans, September 2004.
Guy Gabaldon speaking at Pentagon ceremony honoring Hispanic World War II veterans, September 2004.

Guy Louis Gabaldon ( March 22, 1926 - August 31, 2006) was a United States Marine in World War II. He was credited with capturing (or persuading to surrender) about 1,000 Japanese soldiers and numerous civilians during the Battle of Saipan (1944). Only a Private First Class at the time, he was nominated for the Medal of Honor but was first awarded the Silver Star. This was later upgraded to the Navy Cross, for these actions. After the war, he lived on Saipan for several years.

Guy Gabaldon was a Mexican-American who was adopted at the age of 12 by parents of Japanese-American heritage. At the outbreak of World War II, his adoptive family was placed in a relocation camp. He went to Alaska to work in a cannery. Gabaldon had joined the Marines on his 17th birthday and was discharged after 2 1/2 years because of wounds caused by machine gun fire.

His actions on Saipan were later memorialized in the film Hell to Eternity, in which he was portrayed by Jeffrey Hunter. After the war, Gabaldon authored two books — Saipan: Suicide Island and America Betrayed.[1] He spent later years in various businesses such as a furniture store, fishing, and import-export. He ran unsuccessfully for United States Congress in California in 1964.[1]

[edit] Navy Cross citation

GABALDON, GUY L.
Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve)
Headquarters & Service Company, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division
Date of Action: June 15 - August 1, 1944
Citation:

The Navy Cross is presented to Guy L. Gabaldon, Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism while serving with Headquarters and Service Company, Second Marines, Second Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan and Tinian, Marianas Islands, South Pacific Area, from 15 June to 1 August 1944. Acting as a Japanese Interpreter for the Second Marines, Private First Class Gabaldon displayed extreme courage and initiative in single-handedly capturing enemy civilian and military personnel during the Saipan and Tinian operations. Working alone in front of the lines, he daringly entered enemy caves, pillboxes, buildings, and jungle brush, frequently in the face of hostile fire, and succeeded in not only obtaining vital military information, but in capturing well over one thousand enemy civilians and troops. Through his valiant and distinguished exploits, Private First Class Gabaldon made an important contribution to the successful prosecution of the campaign and, through his efforts, a definite humane treatment of civilian prisoners was assured. His courageous and inspiring devotion to duty throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.

[2]

Approved by the Secretary of the Navy on November 23, 1960 (Upgraded from Silver Star)

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Sendensky, Matt. "Pied Piper of Saipan coaxed Japanese soldiers to give up", The Virginian Pilot (obituaries), The Associated Press, 2006-09-05, p. B9. Retrieved on September 5, 2006.
  2. ^ Gabaldon, Guy L.. Full Text Citations For Award of The Navy Cross To U.S. Marines World War II. HomeofHeroes.com. Retrieved on July 25, 2006.

[edit] External links

Portal:United States Marine Corps
 United States Marine Corps Portal
Persondata
NAME Gabaldon, Guy Louis
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION navy cross winner, author
DATE OF BIRTH March 22, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Los Angeles, California
DATE OF DEATH August 31, 2006
PLACE OF DEATH Old Town, Florida
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../g/u/y/Guy_Gabaldon_abba.html"
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