Bill Hand (Shorty)  My name is Pete Hand. My father, a Marine Sergeant, served on Roi and was on the island the night it was bombed. He was able to carry a lot of the wounded down all during that night. From what I understand he put them on trucks and brought them down to the beach for first aid.

After the bombing, Adjutant General Spiniski wanted to know who was driving the truck all night taking the wounded down to the safe area on the beach.  He learned it was Bill Hand.  He said that he was going to put his name in for the Navy Cross. Well that did not happen. The general lost one of his legs either later on that day or the next day from an explosion and the Navy Cross never was never given to Bill.  Bill said, "He was really scared that night helping those men.  Bombs were going off all over the place. The Japs bombed the island and when everything went off it was like the island just lifted off the ground." 

Some of the guys called BIll Hand by "Shorty". He is in front row right side with the hat flipped up.  Bill Hand is 84 now (2007).

Pete Hand's contact email is as follows: hjerrylewis@comcast.net

 

Roi-Namur
Bill Hand (Shorty), front row, 4th from the right, bottom row
 

Bill Hand
Bill Hand (Shorty)
Roi-Namu, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands

Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll

USMC Emblem


Veterans of Kwajalein
of
Shermie at the Piano