Commentary by Justin Taylan
Melbourne, Australia
This episode begins with 1st Marine Division arriving at Melbourne, Australia. The Marines were first sent to Brisbane, Australia. However their camp turned out to be in a malarial
area, something the troops had endured for six months on Guadalcanal. General Vandergrift
moved the Division to Melbourne during January 1943.
Melbourne was the only
city the 1st Marine Division visited during the war, and the city received them with every hospitality. Many enduring friendships were made and
hearts broken. Aside from light duty, the men were given passes to explore the city.
"Sid" Phillips is portrayed going on a date with an Aussie girl. In You'll Be Sor-ree! he recalls it was a blind date to help his friend Decon. Afterwards, the two Marines are lectured by the girl's mother who read them the "articles of war" regarding behavior with her daughters! Also portrayed is a made-up love story between Robert Leckie and a Greek immigrant named "Stella". This never happened, at least he did not write about it in his memoir Helmet For My Pillow. Some Marines did end up marrying the Aussie girls they met in Melbourne.
The Marines are shown being trucked to a stadium. This is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the center of the city. It remains today, virtually unchanged. The 7th Marines
were stationed 30 kilometers to the south-east in the bayside suburbs of Balcombe, Mt Martha
and Frankston and the 11th Marines went to the town of Ballarat,
north west of Melbourne. The episode also depicts an award ceremony of the Medal of Honor to Sgt John Basilone. Part of his real citation is read. The full citation reads:
Medal of Honor Citation
 "...For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its gun crews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment..." |
During that same ceremony, but neglected from the episode were the presentation of the Medal of Honor to three others who served on Guadalcanal: General Vandegrift, Col. Edson and Mitchell Paige. Afterwards, Basilone is seen boarding a transport plane for the United States. This is airworthy DC-3 VH-ABR that served with Australian National Airways and the RAAF during the war. For the rest of the Marines, they departed Melbourne aboard ship to return to combat.
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Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 1942
MCG Today
Flinders Street Station 1942
Flinders Street Today
Marines parade past Town Hall on Swanston Street
Swanston Street today
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