Marcel Maurice Baldinger | |
|---|---|
| File:PFC Marcel Baldinger USMC.jpg PFC Marcel Maurice Baldinger | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Unit | 3rd Battalion 5th Marines |
| Battles / wars | World War II *Battle of Cape Gloucester *Battle of Peleliu |
| Awards | Marksmanship Badge Purple Heart Honorable Service Lapel Button Presidential Unit Citation American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Victory Medal |
Private First Class Marcel (Sal) Maurice Baldinger, USMCR (April 4th, 1922 – October 25, 2009) served as a Marine during World War II. After graduating from Grosse Pointe High School Marcel went to work for Briggs Aircraft as a Pneumatic Riveter where he repaired any damage that occurred during the construction of the F4U Corsair plane such as riveting leaks in gas tanks, fixing wiring, fixing gas connections, and inspecting wings. Marcel enlisted in the USMCR in October of 1942 and was assigned to active duty on November 7, 1942. Marcel was assigned to 1053rd Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. On December 31, 1942 he received his M1 Garand Marksman. After additional training he went overseas on October 28, 1943 and saw action in the Battle of Cape Gloucester (area of western New Britain, codename Backhander). While on Cape Gloucester he witnessed his best friend being killed in a foxhole near him by friendly fire. Marcel heard a shot and got out of his foxhole and behind a tree in an attempt to get a good view of where the enemy fire was coming from. Next someone said “Sal get back in your foxhole, Stutzmen just shot Friend”. Stutzmen was asleep and thought Friend was the enemy when he suddenly awoke. After the Battle of Cape Gloucester Marcel went on to fight in the Battle of Peleliu. Marcel landed on D-Day in the first wave on either Orange (codename) beach 1 or 2. Marcel would later state after the war "The first 3 waves got in good, the remaining waves caught hell" Marcel was seriously wounded by shrapnel in the head and legs while on the high ground immediately dominating the airfield and was pulled to the staging area on the beach. While a Corpsmen was removing Marcel’s High School class ring, Marcel clinched his fist and the Corpsmen yelled “We got a live one here!” At that time Japanese fighter aircraft started strafing the beach and the Corpsmen yelled “You better not die on me you bastard” Marcel spent nearly a year in hospitals including one on Guadalcanal before being honorably discharged on October 16, 1945 and awarded a Purple Heart.