"NEWS of the United States Marines
A Marine Corps Combat Correspondent Dispatch:
By Sergeant Norris Anderson, a Marine Corps Combat Correspondent

HONOLULU, T.H., Aug. 00--A lifetime quota of battle action was crammed into the Marine career of Sergeant Victor A. Bennett, Aurora, N.C., between tour of duty here.

An instructor at the Pearl Harbor naval gunfire school when peace was declared, the 25-year-old sergeant was busy firing at Jap planes from his gun turret aboard the Helena on fateful December 7, 1941. He has since:

Had an active role in thirteen major sea engagements and one land battle.

Survived the sinking of the Helena by swimming three days and nights to the island of Vella La Vella.

Fought with guerrillas on Vella La Vella for 10 days before rescued by a destroyer. The island was then entirely in Jap hands.

Served with the Third Marine Division during hte invasion of Guam as a forward gunfire observer and scout.

[p. 2]

'The same sirens wer blowing here December 7,' grinned the 205-pound veteran, 'but tonight we know what they mean. We were pretty confused then. In fact, we didn't know what was going on until the first wave of Zeros started dropping bombs on us.'

Bennett was a Helena gun captain, and his twin brother Eugene, was a loader on December 7. Eugene also survived the sinking of the Helena, was later awarded a second lieutenant's commission and discharged after being wounded on Iwo Jima. A third Bennett brother, Private Landford, was wounded on Okinawa.

'I prefer sea action to land duty,' concluded Bennett. 'Three years on the Helena cinched that decision.'

The son of Mrs. Lillie Bennett of Aurora, Bennett plans to work for the Standard Oil Company in California when his Marind duty is finished."

[From original typescript, apparently August 1945, in possession of Victor T. Jones, Jr., Nov 2013. Victor A. did not have a twin brother Eugene, but did have a brother, Private Landford, who was wounded at Okinawa.]

Victor Allen Bennett

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