Samuel Gevirtz

Samuel Gevirtz was born on October 6, 1924, and raised in San Francisco. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943, at the age of 18. In 1944, Gevirtz transferred to the Marine Detachment aboard USS Bunker Hill. He participated in multiple battles including the Mariana Islands, Palau Island, the Philippines, Okinawa, and others throughout the Western Pacific.

During his service, Gevirtz kept extensive journals of his experiences in combat zones, despite it being a court-martial offence. His diary provides an insight into the mind of a young Marine experiencing the horrors of war.