Corporal Eugene Alvin Wich

Eugene Alvin Wich was born in Larimer County, Colorado on April 6th, 1919 to Andrew and Matilda Wich. His early years were spent working on his family's farm in Wellington, CO. During the Depression, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp. On May 3rd, 1940, Eugene enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was sent to San Diego for basic training.

Private Wich, following training, was initially attached to the 2nd Marine Division where he remained through the rest of 1940 and most of 1941 until December 15th when Wich, volunteered to be sent to NAS Lakehurst in New Jersey where he would train to become a Paramarine.

Following Paramarine Training, on June 30th, 1942 PFC Wich was attached to A Company, 2nd Para Battalion, which was still attached to the 2nd Marine Division at the time. Wich remained with A Company until May 1943 when he transferred to E Company, with whom he landed at Vella LaVella in late 1943 to see his first combat actions of the war. Following Vella La Vella, Wich was transferred to Weapons Company, and landed with them at Guadalcanal in support of the 3rd Marine Division where he saw heavy combat including near the infamous Hellzapoppin Ridge.

Following Bougainville Wich returned stateside and the Paramarines were disbanded after which Wich was placed into the newly formed I Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines as a Machine Gun NCO. Wich trained his machine gun teams extensively in preparation for his next and final taste of combat, Iwo Jima.

Wich and I Company landed on Iwo Jima on February 19th, 1945 on Red Beach 1 around 3:00PM. The 26th Marines battled across the island for 13 days until on March 3rd, 1945 Corporal Wich was wounded in action.

On March 3rd a series of ridges and gorges lay in the path of the 28th Marines while the ground ahead of the 26th Marines was heavily mined and the enemy on Hill 362B ahead were able to sweep the area with fire.  And, as usual, new roads had to be built before tanks could move in to support the attack.

Once dozers had pushed these roads through, the 26th Marines, supported by tanks, attacked in the right center of the Division line in one of the most successful but most costly actions of the operation.  Company F advanced more than 600 yards to the high ground to its front, won a fierce grande duel and then held its positions in spite of heavy casualties.  

Companies D and E, using flamethrowers, bazookas, and demolitions, blasted through a series of caves and pillboxes to seize and hold Hill 362B. During this days actions, Corporal Wich was shot in the left knee. According to family members he reportedly remained wounded in a shell hole for 24 hours before he could be reached and taken to the rear where he was shipped off the island and back stateside to recover.

Of interesting note, on March 3rd, 1945 another member of I/3/26, PFC William R. Caddy, was awarded the Medal of Honor(Posthumously) after covering a grenade with his body, saving the life of his Platoon Commander. After his military service, Gene remained in California where he married Maxine Whitacre in 1947. They were married for 64 years. He worked for the San Diego Gas and Light Co. After retirement, Gene moved back to Wellington, CO, along with Maxine until she passed away in 2011. Eugene moved to Cumming, Georgia in his final years to live with family until he sadly passed away on November 19th, 2016.