Photos WW2 US Forces

18 Jun 1945. U.S.S. Ocelot. Leyte. Lt. (jg) Steingart (Navy dentist) wrote:
My dad kept his promise and wrote over 500 daily letters to my mom du Hello Hon, … I've got a peach of a head cold … my sinuses are sure draining. However otherwise I feel okay, so I should be over this in a couple of days…I "crapped out" in my bunk because of my running nose…
I bought two boxes of cigars ($8.00) to pass amongst the officers and some of the crew--an old Navy custom.
After yesterday I really didn't expect any mail. Zowie another jackpot. I got five lovely, sweet Father's Day cards from my three girls, two letters from my favorite wife, a letter from Dr. Ivie and a copy of the picture a navy photographer took of me on the beach where we were before we moved. You remember I wrote you about it and told you it would appear in the paper. Well a couple of days after the picture was taken we met the same photographer on the beach and he said he wanted to retake the picture and did. However the photo he sent is the original and he has me down as lieutenant commander. Should the paper contact you before running the picture, correct that … the picture … only shows our backs and is lousy…
The Merchant Marine deal is alright but it does have its drawbacks. There is no compensation for injury or death or any of the veteran's benefits after the war. Also the only medical and dental care they get is emergency treatment. The leaves are worth something but after the war, benefits accruing from service in the Armed Forces will far outweigh the good pay. They also don't get the income tax exemption of $1500 which service personnel get…
No, we don't show our letters to anyone… However I have shared some of the poetry and clippings with other officers.
The movie tonight is "It's in the Bag" with Fred Allen and Jack Benny. I hope it's funny.
Nothing more for now my Darling so I'll sign off with love and kisses from Your loving "daddy!"
My dad kept his promise and wrote over 500 daily letters to my mom during WWII. I blog them along with photos and other memorabilia. If I include the link to the blog, Facebook blocks the post as "spam not conforming to community standards." To read the letters, Google the words: WWII Navy Dentist.

The Army typically got the newest, more modern equipment before the Marine Corps.
The Marines went to war armed primarily with the .30-06 M1903 rifle.
However, when US weapons production moved up a gear the old bolt-action Springfields were gradually replaced with semi-automatic M1 rifles.
Here we see Marines practising with their M1s on the range at a base-camp on Guam in the Pacific, circa 1944.
(LIFE / Eyerman)

USMC artillerymen pay close attention to their 105 mm howitzer M2A1 at a base camp on Guam, circa 1944.
(LIFE / Eyerman)

U.S. Marine Sniper with the 3rd Marine Division on Guam - 1945
Note M1903 Sniper Rifle with Unertl scope
LIFE Magazine Archives - J R Eyerman Photographer

Landing at Anzio and Nettuno 22 January 1944.
,,There were only 2 German battalions between Anzio and Rome. The tactical German reserve was fighting the British in the Garigliano bridgehead. Trops as far as France and Yugoslavia were alerted to move to Anzio.
It wS expected that American forces under gen. Lucas's would strike inland to cut the supply route to Gustav Line.
But Lucas's had had his own instructions from gen. M. Clark :,,do not stick your neck out, Johnny ".Lucas was determined to secure bridgehead against German attacks and in the vital days after landing the men dug and established altylery positions. German recovered from initial suprise very quickly and sealed the parameter with powerful forces without weakening garrison of Gustaw line.
The result was a stalemate one lost opportunity to breach Gustaw Line.
General Lucas was realised from comand but gen. Clark remained in command of American Corps.

WWII. Bougainville Campaign. November 1943. Alright men, this is what's going to happen. US Navy Admiral William F. Halsey Jr, Commander of South Pacific Force (seated in center without a hat), at a planning session behind the front line with USMC Major Generals Allan H. Turnage and Roy S. Geiger.

United States Coast Guard in WWII:

USS Enterprise CV-6 in New York City for Navy Day - October 1945
Afterwards Enterprise would make three Operation Magic Carpet voyages to Europe, bringing more than 10,000 veterans home in her final service to her country, finally decommissioned in February 1946
After several attempts at preserving the ship as a museum failed, “Big E" was sold for scrapping in July 1958
Alfred Eisenstaedt Photographer / LIFE Magazine