Eye Witness Account – Bougainville

Steve Cibik

Lt. Steve Cibik, 21st Marines

“We were a veteran company with Guadalcanal behind us and we thought we knew the jungle.  But here on Bougainville we were battling a jungle such as we had never dreamed of.  For 19 days we struggled in miasmal swamps, fought vines that wrapped themselves bout our neck like whips, birds that dived at us like screaming Stukas, bats whose wings whirred like falling artillery shells, snakes, lizards and insects without name or number.  For 19 days we attacked this natural enemy with our machetes and knives, hacking our way through almost solid barricades of vegetation run riot.

Stuka

“It rained daily from noon to dusk – fierce sounding tropical rains.  If we had been lucky to hit fairly dry ground, we slept in foxholes, 6 or 8 inches deep.  During the night, water seeped through the earth.  We invariably woke drenched.”

[On the 19th day in the jungle, Cibik’s company stumbled on a ridge that rose almost invisibly concealed in the dense undergrowth.  Crawling up vines for ladders, they came upon a Japanese observation position:]

“I walked the edge of the ridge and almost gasped.  What a view of Bougainville!  We were on a thumb of earth 500 feet high, an oasis in a sea of mist-covered jungle, the only high ground for miles around.  From here we could spot Japanese positions and direct our artillery fire; from here, we could drive down into the valley, engaging the enemy while our main forces fought their way across the river.  On the other hand, were the Japanese in control of the ridge, the tables would be turned.  This ridge could be the key to success or failure in this phase of the Battle of Bougainville.”

[With determination, Cibik and his 51-man patrol held the ridge against every enemy attempt to gain it.  They lived on K rations and with only 11 belts of machine-gun ammo and 3 hand grenades apiece, they fought off the Japanese until 23 November.  The rest of the troops got safely across the river and the company was relieved.

Steve Cibik passed away in 2007, 87 years of age, a Colonel who went on to serve in the Korean War and Vietnam.

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Military Humor – 

 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Daniel Aguayo – Gilbert, AZ; US Army, WWII

William Cox – Rockford, IL; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Col. (Ret. 30 yrs.), D.F.C.

Alfred Drew – Manawatu, NZ; RNZ Air Force # 46992, WWII, 14th Squadron, Aircraftsman 1st Class

Nick Farina – Utica, NY; US Army, Korea, 187th Regiment

Harold King – Low Head, AUS; RA Navy # 22975, WWII

F. David Labshere – Rutland, VT; US Army, Korea

Ross Mowry – Ft. Lauderdale, FL; US Army, WWII, ETO, Bronze Star

Wallace Spitt – Eau Claire, WI; US Navy, WWII, Korea, pilot, Lt.Commander

Dorothy Taylor – brn: Surrey, ENG/Red Deer, CAN; Royal Air Force, WWII, Barrage Balloon Operator

Wallace Wydra – PeEll, WA; US Navy, WWII, Korea

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