Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-12-05
Jap Shippers Sneak
Into PiNbox Hospital
In Tarawa Battle

1.-THE following story iuas writ-
Ten by Sergt. Pete Zurlinden, 20,
Marine Corps combat correspond
ent. Uho formerly ,oas the As
ISOLATED Press correspondent at
Annapolis. Md. Born in Lake
rood, Ohio, he Joined the A. P.
january rs, 1912. after ,oorkino
tor the Ohio State Journal. He
Was ordered to actiDe duty NTH
the marines last January 10. His
Utfe hues ,Oith her parents at
Dayton. Ohio.)
(Reprinted From Saturdays Late
Editions.)
TARAWA. Nov. % lDelayeO -
More than 100 men were treated in
q pillbox hospital during the first
SO hours after marines struck this
Japanese Gilbert Islands bastion,
and OF the entire group only four
men died.
Despite the fact that Japanese
snipers were hidden in the pillbox
at the time, 1t. Herman R. Bruk-
ardt, 20, U. S. N. r., M. c., of
Menominee, Mich, and three in
defatigable Navy medical corpsmen
worked the entire stretch without
sleep administering to fallen ma
rines.
Pharmacists Mate (First Glass;
Robert E. Costello, IS, of Woburn,
Mass, said that shortly after marine
snipers had cleared the pillbox of
the machine gun group, 1t. Bruk-
ardt and his men moved in and be-
gan their grim task Immediately.
I'VE used up four flashlights dur
Ing the first night" reported Phar-
macist's Mate Second Class James
R. Whitehead, %, U. S. N. r., of
jackson, Miss, land about an hour
after we'd been working like fury
with the first wounded, Japs
sneaked in.
Killed SHIPPER in Pillbox.
I'VE were so busy we didn't notice
1t until one of the walking wounded
fired a shot into corner. It's a
wonder we didn't ruin the lad we
were working on, SO startled were
We at the rifle report.
Then before We started working
again, marines dragged a sniper's
body out of the pillboX and we all
made close inspection. We found
one other and marine smashed
him on the head with rifle butt"
The little pillbox hospital was
situated directly On the front lines
the first two days of the brief but
bitter Tarawa fighting. But despite
the fact that constant Jap machine
gun bullets thudded in the little
doorway, the naval crew refused to
relax its efforts to save Leatherneck
lives.
I'VE had so many casualties stand
Ing around that we had to keep
them outside, where they deployed
to keep out of enemy fire." said 1t
Brukardt. Then. when we would be
ready for one, we'd holler out, Next,
and they'd come scooting across the
clearing and barge in the door on
the double"
Tribute Paid to Surgery.
Another marine said that many.
with slight wounds, remained around
the pillboX for hours helping carry
the more serious cases in to the
doctor.
I've never seen a man with more
sheer nerve and a real ability to
bring human life from the brink
OF oblivion back to safety" the ma
rine said.
TIE man performed feats of sur
gerry that were miraculous and the
record of that scantily lighted pill
box stands to confirm my opinion, I"
he added.
1t. Brukhardt, a black-bearded.
bespectacled wisp of a man, looked
all in when I found him today still
at his work, this time at a shore aid
station where sniper victims were
being brought in.
MY only regret" he said. lis that
we didn't have enough medical sup
plies in that place to save those four
who died"
He then reported that the wound
ed marines he attended were "the
bravest youngsters I've ever seen.
They were torn and shattered by
AL type projectiles, but most of
them were calm and quiet when we
got to them. When our anesthesia
gave out, 1 had to perform some
painful operations, but very few of
them let out whimper."