Leslie Medford, an American, was a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps during the war. He served in the Marines’ 7th Defense Battalion, formed in San Diego, California in 1940. The Battalion was sent to Samoa to defend against Japanese attack and remained there for over two years. In August, 1943, once U.S. forces had established themselves at Funafuti, the 7th Defense Battalion boarded ships in Upolu, stopped briefly in Funafuti, and then landed at Nanumea early in September, 1943. This Marine battalion remained in Nanumea for six months, during which time the U.S. base and Nanumea’s airfield were built, bombers flew from Nanumea to bomb Japanese positions in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, and Nanumeans all lived in Lakena. Captain Medford’s Battalion left Nanumea in early March, 1944, having received orders to transfer to Hawaii for the duration of the war.

Captain Medford says in his letters that he and his Battalion arrived on Naval ship LST-203 (the “vakamutu”), perhaps on its first trip to Nanumea, on 4 September, 1943. This “Landing Ship Transport” ship made several trips back and forth to Funafuti bringing men, equipment and supplies to Nanumea until it attempted a landing in rough weather, was swept up onto the reef and was trapped there, where it remains to this day. Captain Medford told us that as Adjutant (the officer who was 2nd in command in his unit) he was responsible for administration. He had a desk job, initially based in Matagi but later the unit offices moved to the “Quanset Hut” located near Te Faga. We think this rounded-roof, metal building was moved by Nanumeans after the war and probably served as the copra shed, which was in daily use during our first stay in Nanumea in 1973-74.

Keith was able to visit Mr. Medford and his wife Marie at their home in northern California in February 2009, when he was 90 years old. He explained that although he had lived in Nanumea for six months he had had almost no contact with Nanumean people. All of them had already moved to Lakena when he arrived, and his work kept him very busy. He seems not to have visited the church (which was not in use, he said), nor much of the original Nanumea village area. He never got to Lakena [but we think almost no U.S. service personnel did, in any case]. He said he never walked out to see the LST-203 which he had arrived on, although the water was shallow and it would have been easy to do so. He recalled playing softball on the airfield, games which pitted the officers against the enlisted men. Although he recalled his six months in Nanumea as a very positive experience, and the Nanumeans as helpful and friendly, by the time Keith met him his memory was not strong and he did not have many stories to tell, nor did he appear to have any photos from his time in Nanumea. Mr. Medford had retired from the Marines with the rank of Lt. Colonel and then, along with his wife Marie, had settled in California. His letters tell a bit more about his stay in Nanumea — and are available using the link below.