Satterfield, Bob
Posted on 15 September, 2021 by in Veterans By Name, S
This short bio of WW II USMC and later career Army Lt. Colonel James Saterfield is written from notes (2012) and memory by Larry Martin in June 2019. I did two interviews with Jim because he was so upset and emotional. His wife had just been put into a assisted living home away from Jim. Jim also suffered from PTSD.
Jim enlisted in the Marine Corps in March of 1944. After training he was assigned to F co, 2nd Batt 5th Reg. Of the 1st Marine Division. His major battle was as a rifleman during the battle of Okinawa 1 April to mid June 1945.
Jim tells of a marine shooting a woman who kept walking through the battlefield. The marine felt that she was getting intelligence on the Marine’s.
Jim also tells of seeing a “Cave of Virgins” school girls were told they would be raped and killed by the Americans so the “the girls jumped to their deaths.
Jim told me that he doe’s not have a day that he doe’s not think about Okinawa but that he had it “good” compared to many other men. My opinion after doing these two interviews is that Jim did not have it good at all. Jim took the surrender of a Japanese soldier and they did not surrender often. He was told to kill the soldier which he did not do. Jim said that the Japanese soldier could have killed Jim and many other Marines if he had wanted to.
Jim was only 50 ft. away from Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivier Buckner when the General was killed on Okinawa toward the end of the fighting. He said he did not know if Artillery or a Mortar got the general.