Evening star., 1944-11-08
Marines Dynamite
Fish 10 Supplement
Diet on Pacific Isle

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Diet on Pacific Isle
By CAPT. NED THOMAS,
Marine corDs Publie Relations omcer.
SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH
PACIFIC (Delayed).-Any state
side sportsmsn win tell you that the
first rule Of the outdoors h fair play,
but where American fighting men
need fresh food the law Of self
preservation supersedes. man-rnade
laws. s.
Out in the Southwest Pacific,
where Allied fighting men some
times 60 Tor months on nothing but
canned rations, the dynamiting OF
tropical hsh Is not . sport. It Is 4
necessity II = reasonably balanced
diet Is to be had for the United
States Marine and New Zealand
Army troops stationed on this par
ticular island.
Operate 1sniweekly.
On this island, regular fish,
dynamiting detail operates two
afternoons q week. An oficer, Z
boatman, 4 demolition man and
three divers search the crystal-clear
waters about the shallow reef until
flsh are spotted. The demolition,
man sets OF . charge Of explosive
and the stunned fish come to the
surface, floating on their backs
Divers jump overheard to retrieve
the fish, while the oficer stands
guard on the boat, = carbine poised
against the sudden appearance Of
sharks.
Many of the catch are gaudy
specimens; some are so tough. they
can't be eaten. The percentage Of
tasty fish runs high, however. Oc.
occasionally. rs much as $50 pound.
OF edible fish may be caught, in an
afternoon.
Use Old Landing Craft.
In charge Of the dynamitina
group Is Marine First 1t. Charles M
Wiesenfeld Of Jacksonville, Fla.
formerly with the United States
Army Engineers. Using an old LCF
Qanding craft. personneD rs nsh.
ing boat, 1t. Wiesenfeld and hi.
crew spend three or four hours or
each junket. Their favorite fishing
ground Is corner OF 4 lagoon, Just
Oh . point where q small marine
cemetery is being laid out. Ths
water here is always calm and a
clear as 4 spring. Fish can b<
spotted to about 20 feet.
Fish Ike to congregate about thu
coral reefs, which show up brown
against the light yellow bottom.
BY the time the crew reaches ths
fishing grounds all hands arr
stripped down to shorts or trunk,
and tennis shoes. You don't swim
barefooted around coral.
Dynamite Prepared.
The ramp ut the forward end OF
the boat has been lowered to make
q platform about . foot above the
water. There 1t. Wiesenfeld takes
q stance and picks q likely lookins
spot. The boat slows down and I
charge Of three sticks Of dynamite
wrapped around . detonator capable
Of 500 pounds percussion, is handel
to him.
The lieutenant casts the charg,
smack on top Of the brown spot O
reef. The boat backs on about S,
feet while the charge is sinking
Then the demolition man sets Il
on by touching the ends of the wir.
to the poles Of q wet cell battery
There Is = mufned explosion, thu
boat shudders . little from the con.
cussion and water geysers 30 feet
into the air.
Ssnetimss Hit Blank.
The boat edges up to the SPOT and
in a moment stunned fish begin
floating to the surface. Sometimes
there are only one or two, OCCASION
ally q school is hit and there is q
great haul. Once In q while the
fishing crew draws q complete blank
With the fish floating on the calm
water, the divers 60 to work. They
swim out to pick up the fish in theil
bare hands and throw them bach
into the boat. They have to b<
quick or the fish will recover anc
swim away. They also have to b,
careful, for some Of the fish hay,
spiney barbs which can infiict +,
mean cash. 1t. Wiesenfeld watcl1e,
the divers carefully, his carbin,
ready for instant use against sharks
Fish NieknameA ''Tsjs."
The oldest fish caught are big, fa'
things about the color and shape O
an omelet, with thick lips and bucl
teeth. Marines have nicknamed thi.
specimen ''Tojo." It's 80 tough {
man can't spear it except through
the belly. It has NO food value.
Another variety, called the PA.
cific Unicorn" is good for the table
It is yellowish and blush gray, will
. spike about 3 inches long stickinI
forward from the top of its head
The triggerhsh, q small item il
chocolate brown with red and gols
trimmings on its flns and tail, Is .
vicious number with spiney kniveI
on either side just forward Of it
tail. A few parrot1ish, bright rex
and yellow and about the shape o
= small bass, are taken. It's teetl
are fused together solidly.
Nest Are Palatable.
Most Of the fish taken are palat
able. They bear resemblance II
tuna, mackerel and bonita. Ther,
Is no ichthyologist on the island, 8,
no one is certain what the namea
Of any OF the fish are.
As long Is the fish are edible, how.
ever, no one bothers greatly about
their names. The fishing detail ant
its dynamited food provide 4 vel.
come and valuable relief from tn,
monotony Of canned rations for bott
Marines and Anzacs.
And A far NJ Srfortsnn a nsh;o anf