Merrill’s Marauders WWII Lt Col M.Blair, 2 DSC, RHOF, Special Operations SIGNED

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This auction is for the following Lt. Colonel Melvin Blair WWII Merrill’s Marauders Recipient of 2 Distinguished Service Cross (2nd highest military decoration in the United States military) and member of the Rangers Hall of Fame autographed 4×6 photograph: This is the first time I have ever offered autographs from the ELITE Special Forces Soldiers who served with the Merrill’s Marauders. Autographs from members of the WWII Merrill’s Marauders are extremely rare in the hobby and highly collectable. These would make a great gift or investment. If you are not familiar with this unit please read the remarkable biography below. BIO: Lt. Colonel Melvin Blair WWII Merrill’s Marauders Recipient of 2 Distinguished Service Cross (2nd highest military decoration in the United States military). He received his first Distinguished Service Cross during WWII serving with the WWII Merrill’s Marauders and then received his second Distinguished Service Cross during the Korean War. He is also a recipient of the Silver Star (3rd highest military decoration). In 2003 Lt. Colonel Melvin Blair was inducted into the prestigious U.S. Rangers Hall Of Fame. He is 1 of just 24 Merrill’s Marauders to be inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. If you are not familiar with Lt. Colonel Blair’s service please read his two Distinguished Service Cross Citations: WWII Distinguished Service Cross: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Melvin Russell Blair (ASN: 0-33150), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Task Force Galahad, 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), in action against enemy forces on 13 and 16 June 1944, in the vicinity of in North Burma. On 13 June 1944, when the combat patrol which he was leading was pinned down by enemy machine gun fire, Lieutenant Blair alone crawled across the trail under enemy machine gun fire to the rear of the enemy position and silenced the gun by killing the crew with his carbine. Again on 16 June 1944, when members of his patrol were wounded by enemy fire, Lieutenant Blair crawled out to the wounded men under enemy machine gun and rifle fire and personally brought back two wounded men. Lieutenant Blair’s complete disregard of enemy fire and his great personal courage and able leadership reflect the highest credit on the Armed Forces of the United States. Korean War Distinguished Service Cross: The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Infantry) Melvin Russell Blair, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding Officer of the 3d Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Major Blair distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Haman, Korea, on 14 and 15 September 1950. On 14 September 1950, when one of his companies lost all but one of its officers, Major Blair, realizing the need for inspiring leadership, joined the hard-hit unit. From 1400 until 0800 the following morning he inspired the men of the company to new determinations by his many heroic and courageous acts. He led one platoon in a successful counterattack upon its old position and then covered its withdrawal when the position became untenable. Organizing a perimeter of defense with forty to fifty men, Major Blain inspired them by word and deed to hold this position despite four banzai attacks by over four hundred enemy troops until almost all of their ammunition had been expended. He covered the disengagement of the company with six men during which action he was ambushed and wounded in the leg; yet he supported the covering party to fight their way out of the ambush. By staying with the covering party despite his wounds and the intense enemy fire, Major Blain assured that the main body and the wounded were able to withdraw safely. The sight of the battalion commander facing death with them constantly inspired the reluctant to stay and fight with new found determination. The extraordinary heroism of Major Blair reflects the greatest credit on himself and is in keeping with the high traditions of the military service. Korean War Silver Star Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry), [then Major] Melvin Russell Blair (ASN: 0-33150), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as Commanding Officer, 3d Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in action on 19 September 1950 near Naman, Korea. On that date, an attack by numerically superior forces necessitated withdrawal of certain friendly troops. Although wounded during the initial attack, Lieutenant Colonel Blair moved forward to establish a base of fire to cover displacement of the lead elements to establish a new effective defense line. by his selfless devotion to duty and notable valor and military skill, Lieutenant Colonel Blair made it possible for the battalion to contain the attack. His actions reflect great credit on himself and the United States Army. Ranger Hall of Fame: Lt. Colonel Melvin R. Blair is inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame for displaying exceptional valor in two wars. He enlisted in the Army in 1934 and served in the 13th Horse Cavalry Regiment at Fort Riley, Kansas, until assigned to the Cavalry ROTC unit at Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont. In 1942, he was commissioned upon his graduation and served as a platoon commander in the 10th Horse Cavalry Regiment at Camp Lockett, California. In World War II, he volunteered for Merrill’s Marauders and, upon arrival in Burma, was assigned as a reconnaissance platoon leader in the 209th Combat Engineers. When a patrol under his leadership was pinned down by machine gun fire, he crawled alone to the rear of the enemy position and killed the gun crew with his carbine. Three days later, when two members of his patrol were wounded, he crawled out under heavy enemy fire and brought them back. He earned a battlefield promotion to captain and was appointed the Executive Officer of the 3rd Squadron, 124th Cavalry Regiment. Shortly thereafter, he was wounded by enemy action but rejoined his unit in China. Following World War II, he attended the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Armor School, Fort Knox, Kentucky; and the G-2 course at Fort Leavenworth. He was then assigned to the G-2 staff in General Headquarters, Tokyo. During the Korean War, he served as a battalion commander in the 25th Infantry Division. After one of his companies lost all but one officer to enemy fire, he took over. He led one platoon in a successful counter-attack; organized a perimeter defense with 50 men; and inspired them by word and deed to hold the position, despite four Banzai attacks by more than 400 enemy soldiers. With ammunition running out, he ordered the withdrawal of his unit while personally guarding its rear with six men. Although wounded, he remained until sure that the main body and other wounded were able to withdraw safely. After his recovery, he held assignments in the Pentagon, Fort Bragg and Fort Benning and retired from military service in 1954. For extraordinary heroism in two wars, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, with Oak Leaf Cluster; the Silver Star; the Bronze Star, with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters; the Purple Heart, with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge with Star. The Merrill’s Marauders where the first United States Army elite unit was the equivalent to today’s Delta Force or Seal Team Six. The Merrill’s Marauders specialized in jungle warfare, reconnaissance, raiding, special operations and long-range penetration. Every member of this Merrill’s Marauders volunteered to serve with this unit. The veterans who made up the Merrill’s Marauders were battled harden previously seeing combat in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, New Guinea and Bougainville Campaigns. If you are not familiar with the Merrill’s Marauders there is an outstanding film titled “Merrill’s Marauders” that is based on the exploits unit in the Burma Campaign and culminating in the Siege of Myitkyina. The Special Operations Force “Merrill’s Marauders” officially named the 5307th Composite Unit was a United States Army long range penetration Special Operations Jungle Warfare Unit, which fought in the Burma Campaign in the China-Burma-India Theater (CBI). The unit became famous for its deep-penetration missions behind Japanese lines often engaging Japanese forces superior in number. While in Burma, the Marauders were usually outnumbered by Japanese troops from the 18th Division, but always inflicted many more casualties than they suffered. The men of Merrill’s Marauders enjoyed the rare distinction of having each soldier awarded the Bronze Star. In June 1944, the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional) was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation. Formation and Training: In the Quebec Conference (QUADRANT) of August 1943, Allied leaders decided to form a U.S. deep penetration unit that would attack Japanese troops in Burma. A Memorandum from the Operations Division (OPD) of the War Department dated September 18th, 1943 listed the proposed composition of the new American long-range penetration force. The Caribbean Defense Command provided 960 jungle-trained officers and men, 970 jungle-trained officers and men came from Army Ground Forces and a further 674 “battle-tested” jungle troops from the South Pacific Command (Army veterans of the Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands campaigns), with all troops to assemble at Nouméa, New Caledonia. General Douglas MacArthur was also directed to transfer 274 Army combat-experienced volunteers from the Southwest Pacific Command, veterans of the New Guinea and Bougainville campaigns. A few Pacific veteran volunteers came from stockades where volunteering earned them their freedom. They were sprinkled throughout the unit and called “The Dead End Kids” after the Hollywood film series featuring juvenile delinquents. The unit was officially designated as 5307th Composite Unit with the code name Galahad. The men were first sent to India arriving in Bombay on October 31st, 1943 to train. Here they were reinforced with Air Corps and Signal Corps personnel as well as an animal transport company with mules and experienced muleteers. Officers and men were equipped with U.S. Herringbone Twill uniform cotton OD uniforms, M-1943 fatigues, Type II field shoes (with or without canvas leggings), jungle boots, canvas load-bearing equipment, blanket (one-half tent or “shelter-half” per man), poncho, and a machete or kukri for brush clearing. Small arms included the .30-06 M1 Garand, the .30-06 M1903A4 sniper rifle, the .30 M1 carbine, the .45 Thompson submachine gun, the .45 M1911 pistol, the .30-06 BAR (M1922 machine rifle version), and the .30 M1919 Browning air-cooled belt-fed machine gun. Mules were used to haul radios, ammunition, and heavier support weapons, including the 2.36-inch M1A1 bazooka and the U.S. 60 mm M2 Mortar; the latter was often employed without its bipod in order to speed deployment. The 5307th was originally destined to train in long-range penetration tactics under the direction of Brigadier Charles Orde Wingate, Commander of the Chindits. At Deolali, 200 km (125 miles) outside Bombay, the troops endured both physical conditioning and close-order drill, before entraining for Deogarh, Madhya Pradesh. The unit was to have 700 animals that included 360 mules. There were to be as many more but the ship that was carrying them was torpedoed in the Arabian Sea. They were replaced by 360 Australian Waler horses that had originally been with the 112th Cavalry in New Caledonia who were deemed unfit for jungle warfare. They had traveled to India where they served with the Chinese Army before being assigned to the 5307th. From the end of November 1943 to the end of January 1944, the 5307th remained at Deogarh and trained intensively. All officers and men received instruction in scouting and patrolling, stream crossings, weapons, navigation, demolitions, camouflage, small-unit attacks on entrenchments, evacuation of wounded personnel, and the then-novel technique of supply by airdrop. Special emphasis was placed on “jungle lane” marksmanship at pop-up and moving targets using small arms. In December the 5307th conducted a weeklong maneuver in coordination with Chindit forces. U.S. General Joseph Stilwell was determined that the only U.S. combat troops available in the theater would not serve under British command. As the only Allied ground commander without a subordinate contingent of infantry forces from his own army, Stilwell was aware that he would have minimal influence upon Allied ground strategy in Burma unless he could gain command of the Marauders. Admiral Lord Mountbatten, the supreme Allied commander of the South East Asia Command (SEAC), was persuaded by Stilwell, deputy supreme Allied commander that they should serve under the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC). Stilwell appointed Brigadier General Frank Merrill to command them. Several American war correspondents had come to Deogarh to hear about the unit and its training; the reporters sat around trying to think of an appealing nickname for the 5307th that would capture the interest of the American public. Time correspondent James R. Shepley came up with “Merrill’s Marauders” and that name stuck. Operations: In early 1944 the Marauders were organized as a light infantry assault unit, with mule transport for their 60 mm mortars, bazookas, ammunition, communications gear, and supplies. Although the 5307th’s three battalions were equivalent to a regimental-size unit, its lack of organic heavy weapons support meant the force had a combat power less than that of a single regular American infantry battalion, a fact that General Stilwell and his NCAC staff did not always appreciate. Without heavy weapons support, the unit would have to rely on flexibility and surprise to outfight considerably larger Japanese forces. A little known secret to the Marauders’ success was the inclusion of fourteen Japanese-American Military Intelligence Service translators assigned to the unit, including future Army Rangers and Military Intelligence Hall of Fame inductee Roy Matsumoto. Weight was critical to the Marauders, and the need for a compact, lightweight field ration was essential; unfortunately, the best solution, the dry Jungle ration, at 4,000 calories per day, had been discontinued for cost reasons in 1943. On the advice of Army supply officers in Washington, General Stilwell and his G-4 staff determined that a one-per-day issuance of the U.S. Army’s 2,830 calorie K ration (one K ration = three meals) would be sufficient to maintain the Marauders in the field. While compact the K ration not only had fewer calories but less bulk and included some components so unappetizing as to be thrown away by many users. On the advice of British General Orde Wingate the force was divided into two self-contained combat teams per battalion. In February 1944, in an offensive designed to disrupt Japanese offensive operations, three battalions in six combat teams (coded Red, White, Blue, Khaki, Green, and Orange) marched into Burma. On February 24th, the force began a 1,000-mile march over the Patkai range and into the Burmese jungle behind Japanese lines. A total of 2,750 Marauders entered Burma; the remaining 247 men remained in India as headquarters and support personnel. Led by Kachin scouts, and using mobility and surprise, the Marauders harassed supply and communication lines, shot up patrols, and assaulted Japanese rear areas, in one case cutting off the Japanese rearguard at Maingkwan. Near Walawbum, a town believed by General Stilwell’s NCAC staff to be lightly held, the 3rd Battalion killed some 400–500 enemy soldiers. The Japanese were continually surprised by the heavy, accurate volume of fire they received when attacking Marauder positions. Its combat-experienced officers had carefully integrated light mortar and machine gun fires, and virtually every man was armed with a self-loading or automatic weapon in which he had trained to a high level of marksmanship. In March they severed Japanese supply lines in the Hukawng Valley. Informed by the British that the situation in Imphal was under control, Stilwell wanted to launch a final assault to capture the Japanese Airfield at Myitkyina. Always guarded against the potential for interference by the British, General Stilwell did not coordinate his plans with Admiral Mountbatten, instead transmitting separate orders to his Chinese forces and the Marauders. The men took a brief rest at Shikau Gau, a jungle village clearing where they bartered with the native inhabitants for fresh eggs and chickens with an issue of 10-in-one and C rations. The Marauders also took the opportunity to sunbathe in an attempt to control the onset of various fungal skin diseases. Now down to a little over 2,200 officers and men, the 5307th began a series of battles on the march to Myitkyina. In April, the Marauders were ordered by General Stilwell to take up a blocking position at Nhpum Ga and hold it against Japanese attacks, a conventional defensive action for which the unit had not been equipped. At times surrounded, the Marauders coordinated their own battalions in mutual support to break the siege after a series of fierce assaults by Japanese forces. At Nhpum Ga, the Marauders killed 400 Japanese soldiers, while suffering 57 killed in action, 302 wounded, and 379 incapacitated due to illness and exhaustion. Of the unit’s 200 mules, 75 were killed by artillery and mortar fire. A concurrent outbreak of amoebic dysentery (contracted after linking up with Chinese forces) further reduced their effective strength. Although the Marauders had previously avoided losses from this deadly disease (in part by use of halazone tablets and strict field sanitation procedures), their encampment with Chinese infantry, who used the rivers as latrines, proved their undoing (the Chinese troops, who always boiled their drinking water, were not seriously affected). The disadvantages of supplying Marauders with a single K ration per day now made themselves felt, as the troops became increasingly malnourished; the onset of the rainy season combined with Japanese pressure and inhospitable terrain prevented many supply drops, exacerbating the problem. Even now, one K ration (three meals) per day was deemed adequate by General Stilwell’s staff, augmented by occasional drops of dry rice, jam, bread, candy, and C rations. When encountering Chinese troops, many men began to barter their K ration cigarettes for rice and other foods. Myitkyina and the end: On May 17th, 1944, after a grueling 100-kilometre (62 mi) march over the 2,000-metre (6,600 ft) Kumon Mountain range (using mules for carrying supplies) to Myitkyina, approximately 1,300 remaining Marauders, along with elements of the 42nd and 150th Chinese Infantry Regiments of the X Force, attacked the unsuspecting Japanese at the Myitkyina Airfield. The airfield assault on May 17th, 1944 was a complete success; however, the town of Myitkyina could not immediately be taken with the forces on hand. An initial assault by elements of two Chinese regiments was repulsed with heavy losses. NCAC intelligence staff had once again badly underestimated Japanese troop strength in the town, which had steadily been reinforced and now possessed a garrison of some 4,600 well-armed and fanatical Japanese defenders. Weakened by hunger, the 5307th continued fighting through the height of the monsoon season, worsening the situation; it also transpired that the area around Myitkyina had the largest reported incidence of scrub typhus, which some Marauders contracted after sleeping on infected areas of untreated ground, earth or grass. Racked with bloody dysentery and fevers, sleeping in the mud, Marauders alternately assaulted, then defended in a seesaw series of brutal conventional infantry engagements with Japanese forces. In a 1945 interview Captain Fred O. Lyons a Marauder officer related the nature of the struggle: By now my dysentery was so violent I was draining blood. Every one of the men was sick from one cause or another. My shoulders were worn raw from the pack straps, and I left the pack behind… The boys with me weren’t in much better shape… A scout moving ahead suddenly held his rifle high in the air. That meant Enemy sighted… Then at last we saw them, coming down the railroad four abreast… The gunner crouched low over his tommy-gun and tightened down. Then the gun spoke. Down flopped a half-dozen Japs, then another half dozen. The [Japanese] column spewed from their marching formation into the bush. We grabbed up the gun and slid back into the jungle. Sometimes staggering, sometimes running, sometimes dragging, I made it back to camp. I was so sick I didn’t care whether the Japs broke through or not; so sick I didn’t worry any more about letting the colonel down. All I wanted was unconsciousness. After reinforcement by an Airlander Chinese army division, the town finally fell to the Allies on August 3rd, 1944. The Japanese commander escaped with about 600 of his men; 187 Japanese soldiers were captured, and the rest, some 3,800 men, were killed in combat. In their final mission, the Marauders suffered 272 killed, 955 wounded, and 980 evacuated for illness and disease; some men later died from cerebral malaria, amoebic dysentery, and/or scrub typhus. Somewhat ironically, Marauders evacuated from the front lines were given jungle hammocks with protective sandfly netting and rain covers in which to sleep, equipment which might have prevented various diseases and illnesses had they been issued earlier in the campaign. The casualties included General Merrill himself who had suffered a second heart attack before going down with malaria. He was replaced by his second-in-command, Colonel Charles N. Hunter, who later prepared a scathing report on General Stilwell’s medical evacuation policies (eventually prompting an Army Inspector General investigation and congressional hearings). By the time the town of Myitkyina was taken, only about 200 surviving members of the original Marauders were present. A week after Myitkyina fell, on 10 August 1944, the 5307th was disbanded with a final total of 130 combat-effective officers and men (out of the original 2,997). Of the 2,750 to enter Burma, only two were left alive who had never been hospitalized with wounds or major illness. Legacy: In slightly more than five months of combat, the Marauders had advanced 750 miles (1,210 km) through some of the harshest jungle terrain in the world, fought in five major engagements (Walawbum, Shaduzup, Inkangahtawng, Nhpum Ga, and Myitkyina) and engaged in combat with the Japanese Army on thirty-two separate occasions, including two conventional defensive battles with enemy forces for which the force had not been intended or equipped. Battling Japanese soldiers, hunger, fevers, and disease, they had traversed more jungle terrain on their long-range missions than any other U.S. Army formation during World War II. The men of Merrill’s Marauders enjoyed the rare distinction of having each soldier awarded the Bronze Star. In June 1944, the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional) was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation: The unit must display such gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps in accomplishing its mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating in the same campaign.On 10 August 1944 the Marauders were consolidated into the 475th Infantry, which continued service in northern Burma as a component of the brigade-sized MARS Task Force until February 1945. On June 21st, 1954 the 475th Infantry was re-designated the 75th Infantry from which descended the 75th Ranger Regiment. The commander of the 2nd Battalion of the Marauders, Colonel George A. McGee, was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame (1992) for extraordinary valor and exemplary service. Roy H. Matsumoto (1993), Henry Gosho (1997), and Grant Hirabayashi (2004), Japanese-American interpreters for the Marauders were also inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. On December 5th, 2019, the United States Senate passed S. 743, the Merrill’s Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act, legislation to honor the Marauders’ extraordinary service. On September 22nd, 2020, the House of Representatives also passed the bill by unanimous consent. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest expression by the Congress of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions to the country. On October 6th the Bill approving the medal award was sent to the White House for its final signature. THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC HAND AUTOGRAPHED 4×6 PHOTOGRAPH. I ONLY SELL AUTHENTIC HAND AUTOGRAPHED MEMORABILIA. I do not sell reprints or facsimile autographs. When you bid on my items you will receive the real deal authentic hand autographed items. You will receive the same signed photograph that is pictured in the scan. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me. PLEASE NOTE this 4×6 photograph was printed in the early 2000’s and then personally hand autographed. I ship items internationally and the price for international S&H varies by country. I currently have other rare autographed military and historical signed items available. Please take a look at my other auctions of rare military and historical autographed items.

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