1st Marine Parachute Regiment

My father-in-law, A.P. Coburn, as a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant and Marine Corps paratrooper in early 1943. The paratroopers never jumped in combat, but were merged with other USMC units. In some actions, they operated in conjunction with the Raiders. A.P. fought in the invasions and liberation of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands, Saipan and Tinian in the Marianas Islands, and Okinawa.

A.P. and four brothers served concurrently during the war. Two brothers were in the Navy, and two in the Merchant Marine. Brother John served aboard YMS-163, which performed inshore mine-sweeping in advance of Pacific island amphibious assaults, while Anthony went in with the Marines. They ran across each other several times during the war, and regaled family and friends in later years with tales of those meetings.

Tony and John Coburn meeting while deployed out in the Pacific during WWII

May they never be forgotten.

Additional References:

Paramarines (Wikipedia)

Marine Raiders (Wikipedia)

Silk Chutes and Hard Fighting - USMC Parachute Units in WWII, by LtCol Jon T. Hoffman, USMCR, History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1999.

The 1st Marine Parachute Regiment (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions) fought on Bougainville.

Bougainville and the Northern Solomons by Major John N. Rentz, USMCR. Historical Branch, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps, 1946.

History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations In World War II, Volume III, Central Pacific Drive Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Bernard C. Nalty, Edwin T. Turnbladh. Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps, 1966.

Some units of the 1st Marine Parachute Regiment were melded into the Sixth Marine Division and participated in the invasion of Okinawa.

Okinawa: Victory in the Pacific by Major Chas. S. Nichols, Jr., USMC and Henry I. Shaw, Jr. Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps, 1955.