Oral History Interview with John Farritor, February 18, 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Farritor. Farritor enlisted in the Marine Corps on 2 July 1941 in Des Moines, Iowa. He completed boot camp in San Diego. In July 1942 he joined the Second Marine Division. In September 1942 his unit helped open Camp Pendleton. While there he met Bob Hope, who introduced him to Frances Langford, Jerry Colona, Les Brown and Bing Crosby. They headed to Auckland, New Zealand in January 1943 on the USS Mount Vernon (AP-22). Eleanor Roosevelt visited them in New Zealand and Farritor laughed with her about taking Atabrine tablets, which she took along with the rest of the men. They moved to Guadalcanal in April 1943. He talks about living in six-man tents and anticipating Washing Machine Charlie. He was in Guadalcanal from April to late September 1943. They landed at Bougainville on 1 November 1943. At Bougainville, he encountered Japanese fire. They returned to Guadalcanal and remained there from January until May 1944. Then his group secured Guam. Then, they headed to Iwo Jima, landing there on 26 February 1945 halfway between Hot Rocks and Futatsu Rock. He was at Iwo Jima for thirty-six days of combat. He left in late April 1945