"but when I yelled to the other two I got no answer. I thought they might have been hurt so I stayed to make sure the Japs wouldn't get them."

When McClue returned after an hour it was pretty dark and he brought his Marines out of the canefield too far down. Bill jumped up and yelled to them. At that moment a Jap rifleman put a bullet through the fleshy part of Bill's thigh. A hospital corpsman came up thru the canefield, gave Bill first aid and helped him back to an aid station. Sometime that night, probably near morning, McClue was shot through the heart while he was apparently searching for Bill.

Bill's wound was neither complicated or serious and a few days later he reported back from the field hospital to me. He limped a bit because as he said his leg was stiff but otherwise he felt fine and told me he was ready to return to duty.

We had the Tinian operation coming up in about a week and I badly needed photographers, but I told Bill to take it easy, I was sending him back to Pearl Harbor. He left by air a few days later.

I immediately wrote up a recommendation for the Navy Cross for Bill and McClue and asked the Division to which they were attached to forward it through official channels. When I returned to Pearl Harbor after the Tinian show I again submitted these recommendations. To date I have heard no results.

I won't bore you with details, but my responsibility to the photographers of my unit was rather unusual. I could order my Public Relations personnel here and there but with photo Personnel it was different and required a bit of red tape.

I had made up my mind that I would send Bill back to the States for a rest and had started the ball rolling for his transfer when I, myself, was ordered back upon completion of my second tour of overseas duty. I personally asked my relief to carry out the transfer but something unexpected must have turned up after I left, because Bill was assigned to the Iwo Jima operation.

Mrs. Genaust, I know you only from what Bill has told me. However, if you are like Bill I think you want all the facts I can give you concerning him. These things are very difficult for me to write but I will try to tell you what I know happened to Bill.

From two photographers who were at Iwo I received this information. I believe it myself and I give it to you as I heard it.

Bill is not a prisoner. He has given his most valued possession to his country-his life. He went to his God like the real man and Marine he was. If it must happen to me I would want to go the same way.

As I understand it, a group of Marines were clearing caves of die-hard Japs. Grenades were thrown in one cave and it was believed all the enemy were killed. The Marines wanted to double check and asked Bill if they could borrow his flashlight. Bill said he would go in with them. They crawled in and Bill flashed his light around. There were many Japs still alive and they immediately opened fire. Bill dropped without a sound. As the bearer of the light he had been the..."

From the William Genaust Collection (COLL/5364), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections