The Presence of Greatness
Fresh out of boot camp, Jay Rebstock was assigned to the 5th Marine Division. Although the division was new, it had many new Raider veterans and well-experienced paratroopers, including the legendary John Basilone, who received the Medal of Honor while fighting in Guadalcanal and opted to return to combat instead of remaining in the States.
Photo by Everett Collection/Shutterstock
Rebstock was in the presence of greatness, and as a recruit, these veterans gave him confidence. From February until September 1944, the 5th Division trained in the United States and Rebstock was assigned as a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) gunner to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. By the first week of January 1945, Rebstock and the rest of his division (along with the 4th and 3rd division), headed for what they thought was China or Formosa.