Technical Sergeant Hubert L Pfahler
Hubert L Pfahler was born on January 27th, 1922 in Scranton, Pennsylvania to Cora Williams and Hubert Pfahler, one of three children. He attended Technical High School, but just before going into his senior year, Hubert decided to enlist in the Marine Corps on September 11th, 1940 and was sent to Parris Island for basic training lasting two months. Almost immediately after, he boarded the USS Henderson on December 19th, disembarked at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and joined Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division the following month. His time in Cuba was relatively uneventful and he eventually transferred to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines shortly before returning to the United States on April 19th, 1941. Pfahler gained a promotion to Private First Class in May, and when his company was disbanded, joined the 1st Anti Aircraft Machine Gun Battery, 1st Marine Division on June 4th and began further amphibious training for the rest of the year. When Japan dragged the United States into WW2 with their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Pfahler’s division began preparing themselves for the first true operation in the Pacific. In the meantime, his unit was redesignated as Battery A, 1st Special Weapons Battalion and PFC Pfahler’s MOS changed to telephone lineman shortly before being promoted to Corporal. Finally, on June 22nd, 1942, they boarded the SS John Ericsson and steamed to Wellington, New Zealand, where the 1st Marine Division conducted their final training for the invasion of Guadalcanal.
Guadalcanal
During the early morning of August 7th, the invasion force approached off of Beach Red and commenced their assault landings at 9:19 AM. To everyone’s relief, no enemy resistance was encountered and the Marines surged forward towards their objectives, most importantly the lone airfield on the island. Corporal Pfahler’s 1st Special Weapons Battalion landed shortly after, and Battery A began setting up defensive positions along the beach flanks for anti aircraft defenses. Once Henderson Airfield was captured during the following days, their objective shifted to offering protection against Japanese air attacks, and they were not short of targets. Determined to recapture the crucial airfield and drive Marine forces off the island, the Japanese launched heavy attacks at defensive positions around the airfield, including almost constant aerial bombardments mixed with enormous naval shelling. “It wasn’t that bad. It could have been a lot worse…The Japs were tough, but they could have been tougher” declared Pfahler. His anti aircraft unit operated on the beach and lived in uncamouflaged holes to make sure they “[Were] there at the guns when the planes [came].” Although they were relatively out of harm's way while the Marine infantry fought across the island, the bombardments caused the most trouble due to their proximity to Henderson Field, and Corporal Pfahler employed a few natives during patrols who’d “work for us for nothing rather than be paid by the Japs.” The biggest surprise he had ironically did not come from any enemy activity on the island, but instead from his parents and friends at home, who sent him 140 letters and pictures received over the span of three days, a welcomed break from the tedious battle. As the battle of Guadalcanal was coming to a close, Pfahler became gravely sick with malaria and was evacuated to Australia for treatment on November 23rd, rejoining his unit on January 16th, 1943 when they too arrived in Australia. After a promotion to Sergeant, he began the journey back to the states on May 26th and joined the Training Center at Camp Lejeune to complete a telephone electrician course. His studies ended in mid April of 1944 and then transferred to Headquarters and Service Squadron, 1st Marine Air Warning Group, 9th MAW at Cherry Point, North Carolina, receiving two quick promotions to Technical Sergeant by year's end. For the remainder of the war, Pfahler carried out electrical duties on the homefront and was discharged shortly after the Japanese surrender on November 19th, 1945. Returning home to Pennsylvania, Hubert moved to New York briefly, married Alyce and had three children, and sadly passed away on December 1st, 2001. |