Here is what Fred Balester said about Henderson: The only event I can recall is our five-day, one-hundred-mile-trek around the island [Goodenough Island]. I’m not sure who dreamed this up or how the Scout Company became involved.Looking back it seems to me that it was one company from the First Marines, the Scout Platoon and for sure I remember Scotty Henderson being along. Scotty was a scout from the R2 section who used to go out with our platoon frequently. Scotty was a bright spark and always welcome.
Valerie Balester
06-Feb-2023 02:57
Here is what Fred Balester said about Henderson: The only event I can recall is our five-day, one-hundred-mile-trek around the island [Goodenough Island]. I’m not sure who dreamed this up or how the Scout Company became involved.Looking back it seems to me that it was one company from the First Marines, the Scout Platoon and for sure I remember Scotty Henderson being along. Scotty was a scout from the R2 section who used to go out with our platoon frequently. Scotty was a bright spark and always welcome.
Valerie Balester
06-Feb-2023 02:56
The third Marine from the point (Balester) is Scotty Henderson. Here is what Fred writes in his memoirs: Marc, do you remember the picture of us crossing the creek on page 192 in the book The Old Breed?5 The whole day was pretty much like that. That’s me at the point. It was the only day I wore a helmet because I had nowhere to leave it, and it was easier to carry it on my head. Unfortunately, it covers my face, but I knew it was our patrol because it is easy to recognize the third man as Scotty Henderson and the fifth man as Dan Wetherell. Since I was the only man in the first platoon who had a model 1928 Tommy gun, that was me. A 1928 is the only model with the actuator on the top of the gun.
Valerie Balester
31-Jan-2022 06:44
My father Fred Balester, told the same story as Dan's father about this photo in The Old Breed. My Dad also explained he usually did not wear a helmet but since this was the day of the invasion, he was wearing it instead of carrying it. He usually had permission to leave it in camp because it interfered with his hearing, and as a scout, he needed to hear, He is holding his Tommy gun and a cigarette. Before this campaign, Fred was on Guadalcanal, landing there with the First Marines, 1st Division. After Guadalcanal, he spent time in Melbourne, where he met my mother, before going to Cape Gloucester. In later years, he and my mom were friends with Dr. O. D. Wetherell and his wife, Sally.
Daniel Wetherell
04-Nov-2013 18:53
I beg to differ, the Marine at the front of the fire team is Fred Ballaster, the marine on the far bank is O. D. Wetherell. This picture is from the book The Old Breed. My dad recollected the exact day the picture was taken because they were a scout team and the photographer did not realize he was behind enemy lines at the time and ran in the opposite direction when they told him so. Dad and Fred served in the 1st Scout Co, 1st Battalion, 1st Mar Div from Guadalcanal to Pelelieu.
Guest
08-Jan-2011 04:29
Many thanks to your father and the many that served and died in the Pacific campain, as an Australian i am thankful for there sacrafice.
Guest
16-Nov-2010 19:10
The Marine on the far bank with his eyes toward the trees on the opposite side of the creek is my father, Corporal Robert P. Foley of Boston, Massachusetts. Dad was a member of D Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. He was a veteran of Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Peleliu. The photo was originally included in George McMillan’s famous book, “The Old Breed: A history of the 1st Marine Division.”
