Image: Guerrieri Family Silver Star Medal
Images: Danforth Museum
SGT Louis Henry (“Lou”) Guerrieri grew up at 20 Gordon Street in Framingham.He was a member of the Framingham High Class of 1935.He attended the school for 3.5 years but did not graduate with his peers.He would later receive an honorary FHS Diploma in recognition of his remarkable service to the people of Framingham.Prior to joining the Army,Lou was employed as a butcher at Moro’s Market on Waverly Street.He entered the Army in March of 1941,and was selected to train as a Construction Foreman.He was assigned to the 26th Infantry Division’s 101st Engineer Combat Battalion (ECB).The 26th was a Massachusetts National Guard Unit that in January of 1941 was activated as a US Army Division.Lou trained for nine months at Cape Edwards on Cape Cod prior to departing for the Pacific Theater of Operations (23 January 1942).While in New Caledonia (April of 1942),his command was re-designated as the 57th ECB of the 182nd Infantry Regiment (IR).The 182nd IR was further assigned to the new Americal Division (officially the 23 Infantry Division).
Guadalcanal became a priority for the Allies when Japanese construction troops were found to be building an airstrip on the island.The completion of this airstrip would have threatened vulnerable lines of communication between the US and Australia.The amphibious invasion of the island,or"Operation Watchtower," took place on 07 August 1942.It was led by the newly formed 1st Marine Division,later to be reinforced by Army units like the Americal Division.The Americal landed on 13 October 1942.Lou arrived on or about 12 November 1942. Guadalcanal was a long,brutal battle that lasted until the Japanese departure in February of 1943.As best described by the National WWII Museum..
“Despite the lack of proper diet and medical supplies,the proliferation of tropical disease,constant enemy bombardment, and the threat of being overrun by a fanatical enemy,American forces held on to The Island of Death.”
By mid-1942,the tables were starting to turn.Allied victories at the Battle of Coral Sea (tactical win for Japan;strategic victory for the US),the Battle of Midway,the Battle of Milne Bay (New Guinea),and the Battle of Guadalcanal halted Japanese expansion and were instrumental in shifting the strategic initiative to the Allies.
Pre-invasion infrastructure on the island was basically non-existent.Lou spent five months on Guadalcanal building roads and bridges under enemy fire.Lou was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry on 25 November 1942.While carrying forward ammunition,at great personal risk,he left a shelter under enemy fire to evacuate and administer first aid to 8 Marines whose position (at the dump) had been hit by an enemy mortar round.A truly heroic action.
Like many other service members on the island,Lou contracted malaria.He departed the island in March of 1943 for six months at a rest camp.While there,he was competitively selected for Engineering Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.He arrived back in the states on 05 October 1943.Lou was unable to complete OCS due to recurring hospitalizations and rehabilitation due to malaria.He was discharged from the service on 29 August 1945.
Upon his return to Framingham,Lou started the Briggs Motor Express Company with his brother-in-law Al Briggs.Al was also a veteran.He served in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) with the Army.He too was cited for gallantry in action (Silver Star).
Lou lived in Framingham for 59 years.He was very active in the town government and was equally engaged with other civic groups.He served as a Town Meeting member and chaired both the Real Property and Community Development Committees.He was also a member of the Trustee/Founders Circle of the Danforth Museum and supported the Algonquin Council of Boy Scouts for 40 years. Lou passed away on 31 August 1985 at 66 years of age.
Image: The Guerrieri Family
** Of note:
“It is estimated that by the time the division was relieved in December 1942,over 8,000 men of the 1st Marine Division had malaria.Tropical diseases,of which malaria was one of many, disabled nearly two-thirds of the division.Wounds caused by enemy fire accounted for only one-third of disabled Marines on Guadalcanal.” National WWII Museum
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