Oral History Interview with Frank Borta

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Borta. Borta joined the Marines in May 1943 at the age of 16, by lying about his age. He received basic training in San Diego and joined the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Tarawa. He landed with the 1st Battalion, 29th Marine Regiment at Saipan on D-Day. His company lost 32 men that day. He recalls lying in wet rice patties and wading through Lake Susupe, chest-deep in water and under heavy fire. His platoon suffered so many casualties that the survivors were reassigned to other platoons. Each night, he shared his foxhole with a new Marine. One night, he killed a Japanese soldier who jumped into his foxhole and drew a knife. Eventually only 200 men were left of the 1,200-man battalion with whom he’d landed. His unit was relieved in Garapan, and Borta immediately passed out. He was taken to a hospital and treated for dengue fever. After a few days, he returned to his unit and led a patrol to seek out Japanese strongholds in the mountains. He was hit and woke up aboard the USS Relief (AH-1), headed to the Marshall Islands. From there he was sent to Pearl Harbor and transferred to the naval hospital in Seattle. Borta returned home and received a medical discharge in January 1945. Having previously lied about his age to enlist with the Marines, he only narrowly escaped being drafted by the Army after his actual 18th birthday