THE LAST MAN COMMITTEE 

John Ferguson, Chairman

Vernon Rustvold

I, John Ferguson, have known Vernon Rustvold for over fifty-five years so I believe I have the right to introduce Vern to the Last Man Committee group.  When I first saw Vern he had just finished the Scout and Sniper school course at camp Pendleton. To look at him he was a thin wiry fellow that if got wet he could weigh in at around 135 lbs. 

He had joined the Marines at Great Falls, Montana and ended up at Boot camp in San Diego.  He was small for the Raiders but he made up for it in determination and his ability to fire a rifle with extreme accuracy. That’s why he was accepted into the Raiders Training group at San Onifry canyon in the hills of Camp Pendleton.

     He shipped out of San Diego, headed as a replacement to one of the Raider Battalions, on an old Dutch cattle tramp steamer that had been rigged up to carry Marines to the South Pacific. The name of the ship was the  H.M.S. Welterhaven , and she stilled smelled of cattle urine from stem to stern.

     Vern arrived in New Caledonia after 18 days of steaming hot days and was placed in a replacement holding area just outside of Nueoma. In a few days he was welcomed to the 3^rd Platoon, Baker Company, 1^st Battalion.

Vern was placed in the third fire team, first squad in which I was already a member. Vern, myself, and another Marine from the farm area of Iowa named Royal T. Billings became the third fire team of the first squad. I mention this because we became a lucky team and we are all three still alive.

Vernon and Billings made it all the way to Japan.  Vernon was discharged after a stay long enough to get aquatinted with the Japanese homeland.

He returned to Great Falls, Montana, married a lovely red headed Italian American. They have been married now for over fifty-one years.

This is written in the third person style because my friend failed to give me his written version. Vernon proved himself as a Marine and as a friend many times, once he saved my life by not blowing my head off when some Japs and I were in some very tall elephant grass in a small ravine. He was above me and didn’t know if it was the Japs, or me so I have always thank him for holding his fire because he very seldom misses.

       Joe Bedard makes the following comments.  “ Our latest addition to the committee wrote to me Aug, 13, 1997 making our number an even twenty members. Not for long though, because four others members are knocking at our door.

       Version’s comical letter, however, would make you laugh when he says, besides his youth going for him to become the last man, he was completely rebuilt. Two heart operations; total of ten by-passes, one lung operation to remove asbestos, one pace maker to keep his heart pumping, whether it wants to or not, two hearing aids, and a portable oxygen tank set at 3 liters.

Vernon wanted to enlist at age of 16 but his Mother would not sign his papers. So on his 17^th Birthday 3-27-43 he joined the Marines.

     At boot camp he understood that to become a raider, you had to at least be single, 18 years of age, and weigh at least 145 pounds. Again, poking fun at himself, he said, “at least I was single”

    He completed Scout and Sniper school, and they reconsidered and he was able to join the 1^st Raider Battalion and company B. on New Caledonia in spite of his weight and age.

    He then went on to participate in the operations on Emirau, Guam, and Okinawa and ended up in Yokosuka , Japan three days before the Peace treaty was signed.

    Vernon went on to tell me that aside of his rebuilt parts and body mechanisms, he still has hair, teeth, can read without glasses and that he hasn’t had a drink of booze in 14 years. So, when he picks up that lastman’s bottle, you can be assured he is going to drink. We will be hearing more about Vernon.”     Signed Joe Bedard

    After Vernon had married his pretty red headed Italian American in 1946 they went on to produce a family of one girl and three sons.  Vernon became a carpenter at first and built many homes in the Great Falls Montana.   Later he became a contractor  and continued to Build many large projects, such as the Great Falls Airport, The Great falls large Hospital and many others.

     He had to quit years ago because of the dust and asbestos that had built up in his lungs over time.

74 Year Old "Young Raider"

Combat Pack                                Remembering