The GMC CCKW

The following story was told 5to me by Robert Talbot, a corporal in the 2nd Marine Division. He was in the first wave of troops that were slaughtered by the Japanese as they tried to gain a hold on the shoreline at Tarawa. Bob, being 6'2" was taller than most of his counterparts during the invasion. As the slaughter increased, future movie and television star Eddy Albert began to gather wounded men into a Higgins boat and thake them to a destroyer off shore. Robert( Bob) was tall enought to hold some of the wounded heads above the water and then get them into the Higgins boats. Himself, wounded by a bullet in the leg was the last one to get transport back to the destroyer.
As he lay on the deck, the Marine general " Howling Mad" Smith yelled down to him and asked how badly he was wounded. When he replied the general looked at him and yelled back, " That ain't good enough, get back on the beach Marine."
Bob got the Purple heart that day and luckely survived that horrendous battle and is my good friend and neighbor , still today.