Jungle Stories: the Life of Delmar Strunk: From the Fields of South Dakota to the Jungles of Burma

By Randall M Dewitt

JUNGLE STORIES: From the Fields of South Dakota to the Jungles of Burma details the remarkable journey of Scotland, South Dakota resident Delmar Strunk, who improbably became part of the famed Merrills Marauders fighting unit in Southeast Asia during World War II.
Strunk was born into the Roaring Twenties, a period of great prosperity in America, but quickly learned the plights and struggles of the Great Depression after the stock market crash of 1929.
Like most men of his generation, Delmar entered the service to fight for his country, becoming a soldier in the U.S. Army.
After serving admirably in the China-Burma-India Theater, Strunk returned home to create a life for himself.
Delmar forged a successful farming business following the war and even realized the time-honored tradition of working hand in hand with his son on the farm.
Into retirement, Strunk entrenched himself as a pillar of the community and participated in a multitude of activities, including serving as commander of the local VFW.
Strunks is a story of living the true American Dream, persevering through the tough times and enjoying the good.
JUNGLE STORIES encapsulates the life of Delmar Strunk, from the Fields of South Dakota to the Jungles of Burma and beyond.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503548077

Randall M Dewitt

Randall Melvin DeWitt studied history, with a focus on World War II, at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD. He lives there with his wife and children where he continues to pursue his passion of talking with and telling the stories of those who fought. His inspiration for such work is his grandfather, Melvin H Duin, who served in the United States Navy through the entire conflict. He has many books, specifically about history and WWII, including "A Small Town's Contribution", "Brief Introductions to U.S. History", From the Skies: Kenneth Peters during WWII, "Points of Interest" and "In Parallel". Many more are in the works.

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Copyright © 2015 by Randall M Dewitt.

Library of Congress Control Number:            2015903273

ISBN:   Hardcover            978-1-5035-4806-0

            Softcover               978-1-5035-4808-4

            eBook                  978-1-5035-4807-7

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Rev. date: 02/27/2015

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

PREFACE MERRILL’S MARUADERS

A NOTE ON FAMILY BACKGROUND AND LINEAGE

PART ONE A SOUTH DAKOTA FARM BOY

CHAPTER ONE EARLY LIFE: 1920S – 1930S

CHAPTER TWO HIGH SCHOOL YEARS/OFF TO WORK

PART TWO MILITARY LIFE AND THE JUNGLES OF BURMA

CHAPTER THREE PEARL HARBOR AND INDUCTION

CHAPTER FOUR BASIC AND EXTENDED TRAINING

CHAPTER FIVE SPECIAL MISSION HAZARDOUS DUTY

CHAPTER SIX ON THE OCEAN: INDIA BOUND

CHAPTER SEVEN JUNGLE TRAINING AND PREPARATION

CHAPTER EIGHT LONG MARCH OVER THE LEDO ROAD

CHAPTER NINE FIRST BATTLE: WALAWBUM

CHAPTER TEN JUNGLE LIFE: SKIRMISHES AND CLOSE CALLS

CHAPTER ELEVEN SHADUZUP AND NHPUM GA

CHAPTER TWELVE AT WAR’S END

CHAPTER THIRTEEN OUT OF BURMA: HOME BOUND

CHAPTER FOURTEEN FORT SNELLING AND MILITARY LEAVE

CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE LAST STOP: DISCHARGE

PART THREE CIVILIAN LIFE AND MARRIAGE

CHAPTER SIXTEEN BEGINNING A NEW LIFE

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN MAKING A GO OF IT FROM SCRATCH

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN SUCCESS: THE FARMING OPERATION

CHAPTER NINETEEN TURBULENT WATERS

CHAPTER TWENTY A FATHER’S PRIDE: FARMING WITH A SON

PART FOUR A SEASON OF CHANGE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE THE DAIRY OPERATION

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO RETIREMENT AND CHANGE

HONOR FLIGHT AND RECOGNITION

MARAUDER REUNION

CASUALTY REPORT MERRILL’S MARAUDERS’ FIELD CASUALTIES

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), better known as Merrill’s Marauders (Code-name: Galahad), and to all who served in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II.

Yours is the Forgotten Theater of Operations.

Not all have forgotten

Thank you for your service and unrelenting commitment to the ideals we should all aspire to.

The country needed somebody to fight the war and we were the generation to do it. That’s just the way it was and we understood that.

Delmar Strunk

INTRODUCTION

A friend of mine once said to me, When you find a good story to tell, a story worthy of acknowledgement by others, tell it.

As a storyteller himself, truer words were never spoken. I took that statement to heart because it pertained so thoughtfully to my current work and passion, collecting and telling the tales and stories of The Greatest Generation.

Throughout my research I interviewed hundreds of WWII veterans and began archiving their memoirs. Little did I know at the time however, that buried deep within the names was a member of Merrill’s Marauders.

The Marauders were a unique and little-understood unit that fought in the China-Burma-India Theater during WWII, deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia. I had heard of the Marauders through my research and had read about them thoroughly, but in all honesty never expected to come across one of their distinguished members for an interview. After all, there were only 2,997 of them to begin with and my research began almost 70 years after their combat experience ended.

To my amazement however, a participant of that famed group lived only 52 miles from my home, a short jaunt to say the least; I would have driven a couple of thousand miles for an interview if need be. And so it was.

I met Delmar Strunk in the fall of 2009, September to be exact, while conducting interviews and doing research for a tribute book to World War II veterans.

Delmar was humble in our initial conversations (and remains so to this day) and only reported that he had served in the CBI Theater and fought the Japanese in the jungles of Burma. His words though, struck a chord in me and I decided the following night to follow through and see if he would be willing to further open up about his experiences.

To my surprise he was willing, and following a little more persuasion (and a couple more phone calls), I learned that he was a Marauder, having served in that eminent group throughout his WWII service.

Needless to say, I was intrigued, not to mention fascinated by his story. As further discussions ensued, I realized that Delmar offered more than his heroic World War II duties. He offered a story; a tale from beginning to end - Americana at its fullest.

Delmar was born in the Roaring 20s and grew up in the Dirty 30s, the Great Depression. He witnessed as a teenager (through news stories) the rise of Hitler and Imperial Japan, and later experienced firsthand the battles against those (eastern) forces.

Following his military duties, Delmar forged a life for himself, working at various jobs until finding his passion on the farm, living off the land. He found love and marriage and began to raise a family.

Delmar (over time) prospered in his ventures and eventually realized a dream: farming with his son. As a family, they grew the business and realized a working partnership; a relationship which culminated in the son taking over the family acres upon the elder’s retirement.

I recognized then that I not only wanted to tell Delmar’s WWII story, but his life in full, from birth to the present, as it captured the true essence of life: service, hard work, kindness, and dedication to others.

Delmar’s life encapsulates the American Dream, a life of perseverance and intent. His is the story of the common man, of fulfillment and purpose. The story, as my friend said, is a good story to tell, a story worthy of acknowledgement by others.

Delmar and I became close over the years and have spent much time together. I was fortunate to accompany him on his Honor Flight to Washington D.C., a dedication honoring WWII veterans; a tribute richly deserved, and attended his long overdue medals ceremony in 2014, in which he received his WWII medals and officially became an Army Ranger.

I am forever thankful to Delmar and his wonderful wife, Velma, for allowing me to tell his story.

As a side note, this work is not intended to tell the history of the Marauders (or the MARS Task Force), but rather one soldier’s participation and experiences within it.

Theirs was a complex mission and brave individuals like Delmar Strunk helped carry it out to the fullest.

During periods of his wartime service, Delmar (like many of his military brethren) had succumb to a multitude of jungle diseases, mainly typhus, malaria, dysentery and exhaustion, and was hospitalized on more than one occasion. In fact, later in his life, he attempted to donate blood but was turned down due to the maladies he had previously been stricken with.

Due to his jungle illnesses, there are periodic gaps in his memory relating to the final months of his time in Burma. Any omissions or chronological time errors (if any) are strictly related to these issues and must be forgiven due to the circumstances.

In addition, I chose to use the first person method more actively during the wartime parts of this book, as only Delmar himself could adequately portray many of the events that transpired while in the jungle. Quotes and stories from our interviews and conversations have been added to rightfully tell his experiences.

For his service, Delmar was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and three Bronze Stars. In addition, he received official Army Ranger status for having served in the 475th Infantry, which later became the 75th Infantry and spawned the heralded 75th Ranger Regiment.

PREFACE

MERRILL’S MARUADERS

Officially designated the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), the Marauders, or Galahad as they were code-named, were an all-volunteer U.S. Army long range penetration and special forces unit assembled for the purpose of conducting jungle warfare operations in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II.

The Marauders were first envisioned during discussions between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, but became reality at the Quebec Conference of Allied Leaders in August of 1943 when it was decided that a U.S. long range penetration force was needed to attack and fight Japanese forces (from behind enemy lines) in Burma.

The Japanese Conquest of Burma had begun in early 1942 with the intent of securing a multitude of natural resources critical to their war effort, as well as for protection of their occupied territories. The objective of the American unit, among others, was to disrupt their activities (including supply lines and communication) by engaging in military assaults from deep behind the Japanese positions.

The idea of the 5307th came from (and was primarily modeled after) the famed Chindits, a British long range penetration force which had been training and fighting in Burma since 1943.

In August of 1943, on the authorization of FDR himself, the call went out that volunteers were needed for a dangerous and hazardous mission. In the request, there were no details of the mission provided; no location, no duration. Nevertheless, approximately 3,000 servicemen volunteered, and from numerous areas.

The newly formed unit consisted of 960 combat and jungle trained men from the Caribbean Defense Command and 970 from the U.S. Army Ground Forces based in the states. Another 674 battle tested troops came from the South Pacific Theater, soldiers who had fought in the Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands campaigns. Lastly, 274 veterans of the New Guinea and Bougainville battles were added, after being transferred by General Douglas MacArthur. There was also a handful of individuals who volunteered from the stockades as they were given the opportunity to earn their freedom by doing so.

Named after Brigadier General Frank Merrill, the appointed commander and trainer of the unit, the Marauders were assembled and shipped across the Pacific Ocean to India, where they began a rigorous training regimen in jungle warfare and long range penetration maneuvers.

The unit was organized into three battalions: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, with two combat teams per battalion (400 per team), distinguished by color. The Combat teams were coded: Red, White, Blue, Khaki, Green and Orange.

This method of organization essentially turned the Marauders into light infantry assault units.

The 5307th continued their preparations (from November of 1943 through January of 1944) until the directive came down to enter Burma in February. Their travels in total consisted of a 1,200 mile journey (including a 140 mile forced march) by foot, train and boat – with horses and pack mules in tow – through the Himalayan Mountains, allowing them to come in behind Japanese forces undetected.

In addition to the grueling march, the Marauders were now only able to be supplied by airdrop: all food, ammunition, feed for the animals, medicine and general supplies were now subject to the availability of difficult jungle airdrops.

After arriving in place, the 5307th began their mission and struck the Japanese forces from all angles. The Marauders techniques proved extremely effective and they always managed to suffer fewer casualties than the enemy. At points during the campaign, the Japanese became utterly disorganized and discombobulated, even losing between 400 and 500 hundred men in individual battles.

Merrill’s Marauders fought in five major battles over all: Walawbum, Shaduzup, Inkangahtawng, Nhpum Ga and Myitkyina (Mish-i-naw), and over 30 minor battles; everyday skirmishes and firefights took place as well. In just over five months of combat, Unit Galahad covered over 750 miles of rugged jungle terrain and effectively completed their mission.

As effective and brilliant as the unit had been however, by the end of the campaign the Marauders were thoroughly ravaged and had sustained huge casualties; they paid the price for their heroic efforts.

Though battle deaths and injuries contributed to the high casualty rate, it was the diseases of various nature: Typhus, Malaria and Dysentery to name a few, that incapacitated the majority of the force; not to mention pure exhaustion. At the campaign’s end, only 200 or so men were still deemed fit for combat, and even they spent long periods (sometimes months) in hospitals recuperating.

For the majority of the force, their battle days had come to an end, but for the remaining soldiers still standing, it was not over, as they were integrated into the 475th Infantry (a component of the MARS Task Force) in August of 1944, which continued the fight against Japanese occupation in Northern Burma.

The 5332nd Brigade (Provisional), or MARS Task Force, was activated in July of 1944, shortly after the Marauders had completed their mission. Their objectives paralleled Galahad and continued the long range penetration strategy. Enlisting fresh recruits (and a division of Chinese soldiers) to join the battle hardened Marauders, enabled the fight in Burma to continue.

The primary goals and objectives of the MARS Task Force were to continue to push the Japanese out of Burma and eventually re-open the Burma Road, a challenge which came to fruition in January, 1945. With the road opened and the war coming to a close, the remaining troops were withdrawn and sent into China, or designated for other departures; primarily India.

Within the next seven months, the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the war officially came to a close in August, 1945.

The legacy of Merrill’s Marauders is a lasting one and cannot be underestimated in the annals of warfare.

They have the distinction of being the first American infantry regiment to fight on the Asian Continent since the Boxer Rebellion took place between the years of 1898-1900.

For their heroic and honorable service, the Marauders were awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation, which later became the Presidential Unit Citation. The group also bears the rare distinction of having each of its members awarded the Bronze Star for their unwavering sacrifice.

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A NOTE ON FAMILY BACKGROUND AND LINEAGE

Like many children of the 1920s, Delmar Strunk was born into a family of recent immigrant descent, primarily from Germany and Denmark.

Delmar’s great grandparents hailed from Old Germany in the latter parts of the 1870s and 1880s, a time of tremendous growth within not only Prussia, but all of Europe, as the Industrial Revolution was in full bloom. It was an era that witnessed a flourishing of the arts and music, a thriving in the sciences and the full unification of Germany herself, brought to formation as the German Empire under Otto von Bismarck in 1871.

It was also, however, a time of great exodus from the motherlands. Many feared impending war with other European nations, while others took advantage of recruitment by the United States to relocate and work on the booming railroads. Some even feared the newfound freedoms could evaporate as quickly as they emerged. Still more witnessed the materialization of the socialist movement and felt the time was right to leave.

To that end, Germans – and other Europeans – jumped ship across the Atlantic and started building new lives in America. Delmar’s grandparents (and great-grandparents) were part of that group.

Peter and Anna Simonson, Delmar’s grandparents on his mother’s side, made the voyage across the rough northern waters. Peter was a native of Copenhagen, Denmark and his wife Anna, hailed from Germany. They set up stakes around Irene, South Dakota in the southeastern section of the state. Peter and Anna bore nine children, four girls and five boys, including the fifth born, Delmar’s mother, Alma.

On his father’s side, grandparents Fred and Anna Strunk, were both of full German descent and spoke the language impeccably. They, too, settled near Irene, approximately nine miles west and two miles north. Fred had been married twice; his first wife with whom he had two girls, Minnie and Dorey, died at an early age. His second wife, Anna (Faulk) bore five more children, four boys (John, Arthur, Elmer and George) and the youngest, another girl. Delmar’s father, Elmer, was the third eldest boy of the bunch.

Both families worked diligently as homesteaders and farmers on the prairie and passed on those skills (and sometimes land) to their children. They emigrated out of Europe to find new prosperity in America and their descendants still continue to farm and work the land today.

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PART ONE

A SOUTH DAKOTA FARM BOY

CHAPTER ONE

EARLY LIFE: 1920S – 1930S

Deep in the heart of Southeast South Dakota, in true Midwest farm country, Delmar F. Strunk was born on February 24, 1922 to parents Elmer and Alma. The Strunk family lived about four miles west of Irene, South Dakota on a vacant farm with only a single house on it; which was relatively small, even by the standards of the 1920s.

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Delmar, circa early 1920s

Little time was spent at that first acreage however, as Elmer and Alma decided to relocate the next spring to a new farm house four miles down the road; one which they rented. The Strunks resided at that location for about two years before picking up stakes once again and moving to a much larger farm, this time down by the river in Yankton, South Dakota.

That particular move was precipitated by family relations and generational meaning as Delmar’s great grandfather, Henry, and his family had originally homesteaded that area many years prior. The new (and larger) farm, complete with pastureland, afforded Delmar’s folks the ability to enter the dairy business. It was an operation they could work themselves, needing only a couple of hired men to assist in milking the many head of cattle they had acquired.

Growing the dairy enterprise then became front and center for the Strunks, even expanding the venture to sell milk door to door all over the town of Yankton. It was difficult and back breaking work, but being a dairy man proved prosperous for Delmar’s father.

Life was good for the Strunks at that point in time as Elmer dedicated himself to the milking operation, and over the course of four to five years, he and Alma managed to adequately pay for life’s expenses and even managed to get ahead by the mid-to-late 1920s. To be sure, they were feeling better off.

Family economics were good enough in fact, that Elmer was able to buy a quarter of land with a small set of buildings on it about seventeen miles north of Yankton. He then moved his family up there in the early spring of 1929.

Times were good and America (and its citizenry) was experiencing an unparalleled period of growth and prosperity, simply known as the Roaring Twenties. It was a time of hope in the United States and a growth of fortune for many. Few knew, however, that it was all about to change, and like many, the Strunks would not escape the coming hard times.

Black Tuesday it was called, the Stock Market Crash of October, 1929. Within a blink, any and all suddenly began to feel the pain of a country heading into depression.

The Strunks had a relatively fair crop that first year, quite decent actually, but it all went downhill from there; it tanked in fact. Prices for crops and other commodities spiraled down and down and suddenly – in no time at all – Elmer and Alma found themselves with little to no money.

Prior to the crash, Elmer had done well to save a decent amount of income and had amazingly managed to pay off half of their farm, and with cash! Even after that, he had had enough money left over to buy a big new barn. Then the bottom dropped out and it was all gone, their money just disappeared.

Then the droughts began to set in and the Strunks couldn’t produce a decent crop for a long period of time. Their position became worse and worse and the droughts continued with each passing year; by 1932-1933 almost nothing could be grown.

Downward momentum continued and subsequently, 1934 turned out to be the worst year the family had. That’s when the dust began to blow.

During those years, the depression years, Delmar’s father lost everything he had to the point of forcing him into bankruptcy, chapter seven. It meant he was essentially only allowed to retain just barely enough to farm with – barely. Just like that, Elmer had to start again from scratch.

To make matters worse, Elmer’s dad, Fred, died soon after. It was one blow after another; Delmar had lost his grandfather, and at quite a young age.

Grandpa Fred had managed to buy quite a bit of land and owned several sections of property. After the services, the family put his estate in order and divvied up his holdings. Due to the fact that Fred had a large family with many children and relatives, Elmer saw little acquisition. In fact, by the time it was all sorted out, his share was a total of 35 acres of land, which was right in the middle of another field, and in another area close to Irene, where one of Fred’s brothers lived.

After the final measurements were taken, Elmer realized he had nothing to work with and quickly turned and offered it up for sale to his brother. Mine’s for sale right now. If you want to buy it you can buy it. Delmar’s uncle immediately responded with questions of what he wanted for it, to which Elmer replied, Give me a thousand bucks and you can have it. I’m going to buy another farm. It’s the right time to buy land because it’s cheap.

And so it was. After some discussion of the uncle’s ability to acquire the funds, Delmar’s dad accepted the money for his 35 acres and left in search of another farm.

As they searched, a property came into mind about three miles from their current farm, just north of Midway, and offering 120 acres, nearly a full quarter for $5000; complete with a silo, a barn, and a fairly decent house on it.

Having little money on hand, other than his thousand, Elmer headed out for Yankton to the Federal Land Bank, hoping to get a loan to buy the property. Intending to use his land sale as a down payment, he had faith it was at least a feasible option.

To his surprise, the bank actually insisted they could do better and make something happen. Rather than the land Elmer had in mind, the bankers informed him of another spot. We’ll sell you one for six, closer than that, and proposed a spot right across the road from their current location, a farm their neighbors were renting.

That night, after Elmer arrived home, the family discussed the matter over supper; a lengthy discussion indeed, as it was a big decision for all of them. In the end, they all agreed and the very next day, Elmer went back to the bank and accepted their offer.

Next was the difficult task of telling their neighbors that they would need to vacate the property by the next year, due to it being sold and their acquiring of it. Neighbors were close in those days and that kind of statement was never pleasant for anyone, especially during the depression years. After delivering the news, his neighbor simply said, You’re shitting me, you’re just shitting me. No, his dad said, I bought it.

With a new farm purchased, work began again; an effort to rebuild and regain what the family lost. Times remained tough however, and the Strunks continued to struggle.

By that time, there were four kids in the household, with Delmar being the oldest boy. He had three sisters and shortly later, a baby brother to make five. As if things weren’t already a struggle, feeding a family of seven became a complicated task.

Indeed, there was a period during the mid-30s where life had gotten so tough, they nearly starved to death. Nary a morsel to be found at times.

The new Strunk household was a simple (and small) four room house with only a little cistern for water. And since it seldom rained during those years, it rarely, if ever, filled up, often leaving no drinking water. Their only other option for a water source was Alkaline water, which came from a bored well; not daring to drink too much of it.

As a last resort, they sometimes went to the nearest church – about three quarters of a mile away – to gather water from their cistern. Ten gallons of water at a time for drinking and cooking. A short while later, Elmer connected with a gentleman who offered up a four wheel trailer with a 600 gallon tank, to which he tied behind an old car and drove to Yankton to buy water. Elmer periodically filled up that tank and then emptied it into their own cistern.

That process at least allowed them to have water for a couple of weeks on end. It was a struggle but they did the best they could and made the most of it.

During the harsh winter months, when no trips could be made, Alma improvised and thawed out snow. When there was an abundance of snow on the ground, the kids gathered it up, brought it inside and Alma put it on the kitchen stove to boil; it was perfect cleaning and cooking water. Delmar was often given the task of filling up a large metal tub with as much snow as he could, all to be melted down. Delmar made so many trips outside and back that he quickly lost track and couldn’t count the number. It was certainly a process, as it takes a great deal of snow to make a tubful of water. It wasn’t easy, but again the Strunk family made due.

As far as food went, there simply wasn’t money to buy anything. What they did have or acquire, was certainly rationed to draw it out for as long as possible. Always thrifty, Elmer managed to stay with a few dairy cows so there was always a little milk; there wasn’t a day they didn’t milk a cow. He was certainly forced to cut back on cattle because they couldn’t be fed but consistently hung on to a few; only two or three of the original ten Holsteins were able to be kept.

In addition, Alma raised chickens during that period, the best she could in the current environment. Everything possible was done to