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Bill Richardson

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Before he left for boot camp, Bill Richardson got what he thought was a short haircut. Not short enough as it turned out. He didn't have any trouble getting up in the morning, which saved him some trouble. As a Marine, he knew he would have to qualify on the rifle range. Not qualifying would have been unthinkable. (6:02)

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After basic training, it was off to Quantico for artillery school. Bill Richardson learned every job on the guns and then it was time for a train ride to California. The Marines had it better than the Army on that trip, at least at lunch time. The last training before deployment took place off the coast at San Diego. (5:35)

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It was a small, uncomfortable ship, an LST. Bill Richardson remembers how the trip to Hawaii turned into an ordeal once the convoy was hit by a huge storm. Two burials at sea focused his mind pretty well. (7:49)

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The food on the LST was meager, so when Bill Richardson got to Hawaii, a simple treat felt like a lot more. His first assault was at Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands. It wasn't what he expected and that was a good thing. (5:35)

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As Bill Richardson was preparing for the Saipan and Tinian operation, he witnessed the West Loch incident in Pearl Harbor. A number of ships exploded while at anchor. What could have caused this? (6:07)

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There was only light resistance going into Saipan for Bill Richardson and his Marine artillery battery. The island was much different than the tropical paradise he found in the Marshall Islands. There was jungle and there were Japanese batteries firing back at him. (6:04)

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From the information they had and the mock-up of the island they saw, the Marines figured Iwo Jima would be an easy operation. Bill Richardson went ashore with his artillery battery as soon as they could get on the crowded beach. It was immediately apparent that it was going to be a monumental battle. Part 1 of 3. (6:03)

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The Japanese were so well dug in on Iwo Jima in that the field artillery couldn't get to them. The flag had been raised on Mt. Suribachi but there was a long way to go to secure the island. When he wasn't wondering where that Japanese round was going to land, Bill Richardson had to deal with the cold, wet conditions. Part 2 of 3. (5:37)

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They were beat up. They were tired. They were dirty. The Marine artillery unit had spent weeks in the misery of Iwo Jima and they were now heading for some rest, but there was one problem. Their transport was a Merchant Marine vessel and their treatment was not what they deserved. Part 3 of 3. (4:36)

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Bill Richardson was training in Hawaii for the final assault, Japan. Then came the great news about the atomic bomb. He could go the other direction across the Pacific. (2:10)