Master Sergeant Robert W Geiss
Robert Wilson Geiss was born in Reading, Pennsylvania on September 8th, 1913 to Charles and Anna Geiss. The youngest of their five children, Robert attended Reading High School for only one year before leaving to work at the Berkshire Knitting Mill and marrying Jeannette Clark. With the second world war breaking out overseas in 1939, Robert signed up for the draft during the next year, not knowing that the United States would get involved much sooner than anticipated. After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declaration of war on the Axis powers, Robert decided that he wouldn’t wait for the draft and instead enlisted in the Marine Corps on May 6th, 1942.
After two months of training at Parris Island, Private Geiss was sent to the newly formed Company L, 3rd Marine Regiment at New River, North Carolina, and shipped off with his unit to Tutuila, American Samoa on August 27th. The Samoan Islands were perfect training grounds for the harsh jungle environment the Marines would be soon experiencing, and amphibious exercises were conducted to ready the troops. By the time the Marines left the island for New Zealand on May 23rd, 1943, they were well acquainted with the jungle, and Geiss had been promoted to the rank of Corporal. Once they arrived at Auckland, the 3rd Marines joined the 3rd Marine Division and shortly afterwards, left for the island of Guadalcanal to complete three more months of preparations prior to the Invasion of Bougainville. |
Bougainville
After rendezvousing a day earlier, the invasion began on November 1st with a short preliminary bombardment. Corporal Geiss and the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines clambered into landing craft and hit the beaches east of the Koromokina River at around 7:30 AM. Opposition in this area was not as formidable to what the 1st and 2nd Battalions encountered, largely due to the jungle terrain that extended to the water's edge, which was already a steep embankment. Nevertheless, they pushed inland and secured their first objective by the end of the day. Two days later, Corporal Geiss’ regiment switched places with the 9th Regiment due to the number of casualties experienced, and luckily encountered only minimal enemy contact before being relieved by Army units on the 9th and moving to the center sector of the beachhead. By the 16th, 3rd Battalion had advanced 1000 yards and covered a junction within the Numa Numa Trail, captured an unoccupied road block, and ambushed the Japanese soldiers attempting to reoccupy it on the 18th. Shortly after, Corporal Geiss and his unit crossed the Piva River, took initiative, and drove the enemy off a steep hill nearby.
On the 24th, the 3rd Marines launched their attack towards the Piva Forks, with the 3rd Battalion pushing up on the left flank. Once they had advanced 500 yards, the Japanese launched a savage counterattack that was beaten back by deadly close quarters and hand to hand combat. Once the attack resumed, Corporal Geiss’ Company L was enveloped by machine gun and rifle fire from the high ground overlooking their position, but managed to fight its way out to the foot of a small knoll until the enemy was routed a short time later. During this particularly fierce action, two members of Company L were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross; Captain Robert Turnbull and Corporal John Logan Jr, who gave their lives locating and neutralizing Japanese machine gun nests. Two days later, the 3rd Marines were finally relieved from the line, and on December 27th, Corporal Geiss and his unit boarded the USS Fuller for their return to Guadalcanal. He would be promoted to Sergeant during the journey.
While at Teatere Camp, Sgt Geiss and his unit started training once again, and after 4 months, boarded the USS Warren for the Invasion of Saipan. The 3rd Marine Regiment was designated as floating reserve for the offensive, but was ultimately never committed and retired to the island of Eniwetok by June 30th. Instead, they would be needed for the Invasion of Guam just a few weeks away.
Guam
The 3rd Marines left for Guam on July 15th, and met up with the invasion force a few days later. During the early morning hours of July 21st, 1944, the Marines boarded landing crafts and were ready to go by 6:00 AM as a hail of naval gunfire pounded the landing beaches. Shortly after, Sgt Geiss’ 3rd Battalion raced towards Red Beach 1, which was adjacent to Adelup Point. Unfortunately, many Japanese emplacements on Adelup Point survived the preliminary bombardment and directed heavy mortar and artillery fire on the Marines landing. Within 15 minutes, the assault waves reported heavy casualties, particularly with Sgt Geiss’ 3rd Battalion. Nevertheless, they regrouped and began slowly pushing inland to flush out the enemy dug in at Chonito Cliff. After hours of slow progress, Geiss’ Company L was called up from reserve to flank around the cliff, and by noon, the cliff had been cleared. Next, the 3rd Marines, minus 1st Battalion, shifted their attention to Adelup Point, and advanced at 3:00 PM. Immediately, they were met with stiff resistance, but the 3rd Battalion was the only unit able to make progress by moving along the coast to get into position for the attack and dug in for the night. The next morning, their attack was once again met with so much enemy fire that every available man was called to the line, including the reserves, but so many casualties were suffered that the attack could not continue. The rest of the 3rd Marines’ attack was successful however.
On July 25th, the assault resumed with better results, and Sgt Geiss’s 3rd Battalion was able to reach the lowest part of the Mt Tenjo Road. During the night of the 25th-26th however, a massive coordinated Japanese counterattack collided with the Marine lines in an attempt to drive them to the sea, but were pushed back with costly casualties on both sides. In the 3rd Battalion’s sector, the Banzai attack was not as heavy, and it was quickly annihilated. Although it didn’t seem like it at the time, the backbone of Japanese resistance on Guam had just been extinguished, with the loss of hundreds of Marines. The 3rd Marines however, escaped serious injury during this period, and renewed their advance past the now captured Fonte Plateau and towards the island’s capital of Agana, which was liberated the same day. With Japanese resistance rapidly crumbling in their sector, Sgt Geiss and the 3rd Marines continued northeast up the coast, encountering only minimal resistance until the island was declared secure on August 10th.
Returning Home
Although the heavy fighting ended, Sgt Geiss remained on Guam for three more months mopping up remaining enemy troops until being transferred back to the United States on November 5th, 1944. Immediately upon returning stateside, Sgt Geiss was granted a month’s leave to spend time with his wife and family after over two years overseas before reporting for duty with the Guard Battalion, Quantico, Virginia on January 11th. For the next year, Sgt Geiss worked as an intelligence man, main gate guard, and provost marshal until finally being discharged on May 8th, 1946 after being awarded a Good Conduct Medal for excellent service.
Returning to Reading, Pennsylvania, Robert and his wife Jeannette had their first child in 1948, but the Korean War broke out shortly after. Robert was recalled for active service in the Marine Corps on July 24th, 1950 and after a brief one year stint as an instructor, he finally retired for good with the rank of Master Sergeant. Eight years later, Robert’s father sadly passed away, then his wife from a brain tumor a month later. Such sudden losses cripped Robert, and it took a decade for him to recover and find love again when he married Helen Banks, originally from Canada. Living to 90 years of age, Robert Geiss passed away on August 24th, 2003 and is buried in Reading, Pennsylvania where he resided his entire life.
After rendezvousing a day earlier, the invasion began on November 1st with a short preliminary bombardment. Corporal Geiss and the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines clambered into landing craft and hit the beaches east of the Koromokina River at around 7:30 AM. Opposition in this area was not as formidable to what the 1st and 2nd Battalions encountered, largely due to the jungle terrain that extended to the water's edge, which was already a steep embankment. Nevertheless, they pushed inland and secured their first objective by the end of the day. Two days later, Corporal Geiss’ regiment switched places with the 9th Regiment due to the number of casualties experienced, and luckily encountered only minimal enemy contact before being relieved by Army units on the 9th and moving to the center sector of the beachhead. By the 16th, 3rd Battalion had advanced 1000 yards and covered a junction within the Numa Numa Trail, captured an unoccupied road block, and ambushed the Japanese soldiers attempting to reoccupy it on the 18th. Shortly after, Corporal Geiss and his unit crossed the Piva River, took initiative, and drove the enemy off a steep hill nearby.
On the 24th, the 3rd Marines launched their attack towards the Piva Forks, with the 3rd Battalion pushing up on the left flank. Once they had advanced 500 yards, the Japanese launched a savage counterattack that was beaten back by deadly close quarters and hand to hand combat. Once the attack resumed, Corporal Geiss’ Company L was enveloped by machine gun and rifle fire from the high ground overlooking their position, but managed to fight its way out to the foot of a small knoll until the enemy was routed a short time later. During this particularly fierce action, two members of Company L were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross; Captain Robert Turnbull and Corporal John Logan Jr, who gave their lives locating and neutralizing Japanese machine gun nests. Two days later, the 3rd Marines were finally relieved from the line, and on December 27th, Corporal Geiss and his unit boarded the USS Fuller for their return to Guadalcanal. He would be promoted to Sergeant during the journey.
While at Teatere Camp, Sgt Geiss and his unit started training once again, and after 4 months, boarded the USS Warren for the Invasion of Saipan. The 3rd Marine Regiment was designated as floating reserve for the offensive, but was ultimately never committed and retired to the island of Eniwetok by June 30th. Instead, they would be needed for the Invasion of Guam just a few weeks away.
Guam
The 3rd Marines left for Guam on July 15th, and met up with the invasion force a few days later. During the early morning hours of July 21st, 1944, the Marines boarded landing crafts and were ready to go by 6:00 AM as a hail of naval gunfire pounded the landing beaches. Shortly after, Sgt Geiss’ 3rd Battalion raced towards Red Beach 1, which was adjacent to Adelup Point. Unfortunately, many Japanese emplacements on Adelup Point survived the preliminary bombardment and directed heavy mortar and artillery fire on the Marines landing. Within 15 minutes, the assault waves reported heavy casualties, particularly with Sgt Geiss’ 3rd Battalion. Nevertheless, they regrouped and began slowly pushing inland to flush out the enemy dug in at Chonito Cliff. After hours of slow progress, Geiss’ Company L was called up from reserve to flank around the cliff, and by noon, the cliff had been cleared. Next, the 3rd Marines, minus 1st Battalion, shifted their attention to Adelup Point, and advanced at 3:00 PM. Immediately, they were met with stiff resistance, but the 3rd Battalion was the only unit able to make progress by moving along the coast to get into position for the attack and dug in for the night. The next morning, their attack was once again met with so much enemy fire that every available man was called to the line, including the reserves, but so many casualties were suffered that the attack could not continue. The rest of the 3rd Marines’ attack was successful however.
On July 25th, the assault resumed with better results, and Sgt Geiss’s 3rd Battalion was able to reach the lowest part of the Mt Tenjo Road. During the night of the 25th-26th however, a massive coordinated Japanese counterattack collided with the Marine lines in an attempt to drive them to the sea, but were pushed back with costly casualties on both sides. In the 3rd Battalion’s sector, the Banzai attack was not as heavy, and it was quickly annihilated. Although it didn’t seem like it at the time, the backbone of Japanese resistance on Guam had just been extinguished, with the loss of hundreds of Marines. The 3rd Marines however, escaped serious injury during this period, and renewed their advance past the now captured Fonte Plateau and towards the island’s capital of Agana, which was liberated the same day. With Japanese resistance rapidly crumbling in their sector, Sgt Geiss and the 3rd Marines continued northeast up the coast, encountering only minimal resistance until the island was declared secure on August 10th.
Returning Home
Although the heavy fighting ended, Sgt Geiss remained on Guam for three more months mopping up remaining enemy troops until being transferred back to the United States on November 5th, 1944. Immediately upon returning stateside, Sgt Geiss was granted a month’s leave to spend time with his wife and family after over two years overseas before reporting for duty with the Guard Battalion, Quantico, Virginia on January 11th. For the next year, Sgt Geiss worked as an intelligence man, main gate guard, and provost marshal until finally being discharged on May 8th, 1946 after being awarded a Good Conduct Medal for excellent service.
Returning to Reading, Pennsylvania, Robert and his wife Jeannette had their first child in 1948, but the Korean War broke out shortly after. Robert was recalled for active service in the Marine Corps on July 24th, 1950 and after a brief one year stint as an instructor, he finally retired for good with the rank of Master Sergeant. Eight years later, Robert’s father sadly passed away, then his wife from a brain tumor a month later. Such sudden losses cripped Robert, and it took a decade for him to recover and find love again when he married Helen Banks, originally from Canada. Living to 90 years of age, Robert Geiss passed away on August 24th, 2003 and is buried in Reading, Pennsylvania where he resided his entire life.