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Celtic1888 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:03 pm **Posts:** 1087

Well, since he mentions getting transferred to the 2nd Division, I guess we've seen the last of him. Did the real Hugh Corrigan get transferred to the 2nd Division?
I remember an interview posted here that mentions he was sent home after Guadalcanal, but nothing else. Poked around a bit but couldn't find anything...

tlwmsu · **Posted:** Tue Mar 30, 2010 4:57 pm

There is a Capt. Hugh Corrigan listed here under the 6th Marine Division Tank Battalion:
Hyperwar: Command and Staff List of Marine Units on Okinawa

Any chance they are one-in-the-same?

Celtic1888 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:03 pm **Posts:** 1087

Hmm, I suppose it could be him. But I guess we'd need a lot more confirmation than that.

Assuming in reality he did go to the 2nd, then the 6th would it be common for a Marine to have served in 3 separate Divisions during the war? I know many Marines served with 2.

sonofsamphm1c · **Joined:** Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:29 am **Posts:** 152

Celtic1888 wrote:

Hmm, I suppose it could be him. But I guess we'd need a lot more confirmation than that.

Assuming in reality he did go to the 2nd, then the 6th would it be common for a Marine to have served in 3 separate Divisions during the war? I know many Marines served with 2.

It's very plausible. I know several Pacific War veterans who served in three Marine outfits:

1st Marine Division
Paramarines
5th Marine Division

And some of them served with the 1st MARDIV in the occupation of Japan and the Korean/Vietnam Wars.

A fair percentage of 1st DIVMAR served in at least one other division. My father's 5th Division platoon was full of former 1st and 2nd Division Marines.

That is why I have never thought a strict BoB's format could truly tell the story of a Pacific War participant.

And they were not switched because of undesirability; they were switched because of desirability. They were picked to lead raw recruits at all levels.

Celtic1888 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:03 pm **Posts:** 1087

sonofsamphm1c wrote:

Celtic1888 wrote:

Hmm, I suppose it could be him. But I guess we'd need a lot more confirmation than that.

Assuming in reality he did go to the 2nd, then the 6th would it be common for a Marine to have served in 3 separate Divisions during the war? I know many Marines served with 2.

It's very plausible. I know several Pacific War veterans who served in three Marine outfits:

1st Marine Division
Paramarines
5th Marine Division

And some of them served with the 1st MARDIV in the occupation of Japan and the Korean/Vietnam Wars.

A fair percentage of 1st DIVMAR served in at least one other division. My father's 5th Division platoon was full of former 1st and 2nd Division Marines.

That is why I have never thought a strict BoB's format could truly tell the story of a Pacific War participant.

And they were not switched because of undesirability; they were switched because of desirability. They were picked to lead raw recruits at all levels.

I know many Raiders and Paramarines were absorbed into other units in the latter stages of the war, just wasn't sure about the guys in the non specialist units. And I guess since the Marines were never that large a fighting force it wouldn't be unusual for them to shuffle men as needed...

blubell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:57 am **Posts:** 56

There has to be more of him. They can't just get rid of him after 3 episodes when he has a character profile on hbo's website! I was hoping to see them fight about the cigar but I guess that won't happen. Oh well.

Gyrene Fan · **Joined:** Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:36 pm **Posts:** 140

It was common for experienced Marines to be shifted out of existing units to provide a core of veterans for the new divisions. This process continued throughout the war, as the Marines started with just two divisions and ended up with six by 1945.

blubell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:57 am **Posts:** 56

Thanks for the info! I guess it makes sense to mix the veterans with the newly recruited marines. It's gotta be hard for them to leave their company/brothers after forming such strong bonds as result of the battles they've fought and survived together.

sonofsamphm1c · **Joined:** Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:29 am **Posts:** 152

Gyrene Fan wrote:

It was common for experienced Marines to be shifted out of existing units to provide a core of veterans for the new divisions. This process continued throughout the war, as the Marines started with just two divisions and ended up with six by 1945.

6 fully trained divisions. All basically equal - though each thought they were the best.

Kurgen22 · **Joined:** Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:56 am **Posts:** 15

sonofsamphm1c wrote:

Gyrene Fan wrote:

It was common for experienced Marines to be shifted out of existing units to provide a core of veterans for the new divisions. This process continued throughout the war, as the Marines started with just two divisions and ended up with six by 1945.

6 fully trained divisions. All basically equal - though each thought they were the best.

Good way to put it, and good way to describe the way the Marines Had to do business... The Corps went from a very small force to Six large divisions in WW2.
It would only make sense to take experienced men from The 1st and 2nd Mar Divs, promote them and have them be your Leaders in the other Divs, not to mention throwing a couple of old hands in as non-rated men to set the examples for Boots.
A Perfect example was that 3 of the six men that rasied the flag on Iwo Jima were Bouganville Vets from the Raider Battalion... Sgt Strank, Cpl Block and PFC Hayes..

sonofsamphm1c · **Joined:** Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:29 am **Posts:** 152

Kurgen22 - minor point, but Block and Hayes were former Paramarines.

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