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Major William W. Benson, USMC [1]

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Date: 2025-06-04

A Grateful Anniversary Remembrance.

In “Last Man Off Wake Island” Lt. Col. Walter L.J. Bayler, a Battle of Midway veteran, remembered my uncle.

“Major William W. Benson, USMC, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was the Commanding Officer on Eastern Island on whose shoulders fell the brunt of all this new work. He made a splendid job of it, and it was largely owing to his tireless efforts in the preparation of defensive installations that everything worked as smoothly as it did during the hectic days of the Battle of Midway, the following June.

“Shifting around the world is part of the life of every marine. New ports, new friends. But to me Midway will always stand out as the place I came to know and love 'Ben' Benson. He was the moving spirit of Eastern, a component of the Defense Forces based on that atoll.

“All our telephone lines, except one, went through Ben’s switchboard, and Ben himself loved to operate the thing. He’d be listening in sometimes when we were politely and persuasively requesting some favor from the Sand Islanders; tiring of our diplomatic approaches, and knowing everybody over there so much better than we, he would intercede in our behalf most explosively, profanely—and effectively. We’d get what we wanted.

“At one time during my stay Ben received a letter asking for his services in the Quartermaster staff of the Marine Corps, and also offering him duty back in the States. He refused, stating he preferred duty on Midway.

“War makes friendships quickly, and breaks them as fast. Midway was Ben’s last post. He was to be killed at his battle station by an enemy bomb on the first day of the great battle. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal posthumously, the accompanying citation, among many, many other fine things, mentioned his 'especially meritorious service.' There were high-ranking officers present in the Office of the Commandant, Marine Corps Headquarters, Washington, when the medal was presented to his widow, Mrs. Edna M. Benson, by Brigadier General Edward A. Ostermann. …”

…

“The most vicious Japanese thrust of the war, aimed at Hawaii and our Pacific Coast, was turned back by brilliant teamwork on the part of our Army, Navy and Marine arms. By that, and by individual acts of gallantry which have never been surpassed in any war.”

…

“There was also the pilot who led his Zero pursuer, the day the Japs bombed the island, right into the very barrels of the ground defense batteries, which chewed him up at leisure. That was the day my friend Major Benson died as a Marine would prefer to die—at his battle station.”

…

…

Multiple Academy Award winning Director John Ford was also at the Battle of Midway, and he made a short antifa propaganda film (link) about the battle and my uncle’s death.

For every one of my many decades in Democratic politics I have really enjoyed the companionship and counsel of men who served in the Marine Corps. In almost every case I learned that they were Marines only after years of friendship. The late, very great Bob Tilton (Topeka) was a Marine, as was the late and also great Bob Lawson (Topeka). Eduardo Ramirez (Topeka) and Judge George Groneman (Kansas City, Kansas) remain in my world. I value and salute these men—and every Marine. Today and every day.

—

post script

I understand that President Roosevelt’s son, Marine Major James Roosevelt, shared that bunker with my uncle, and saw up close my uncle decapitated by that Japanese bomb. After the War, Maj. Roosevelt served ten terms in Congress, and served as California Democratic State Chairman. Years later still, I stood in the room and watched as Maj. Roosevelt spoke to a DNC meeting about his battle to save Social Security. I wanted to identify myself and mention my uncle to him. I elected not to because that could only have jarred him back to that very, very awful moment.

—

I first published this diary on Memorial Day four years ago. This year I publish on the anniversary of his death. My sister, Bonnie, and me, and our Benson cousins remember him reverently. God rest his soul.

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