Bayonet To The Knee – He Kept Fighting

A Marine’s first-person account from Peleliu describes surviving a bayonet strike, then fighting back with a knife at arm’s length.

Story Snapshot

Marine Frank Pomroy says a Japanese raiding party wounded him with a bayonet during close combat.
He continued fighting on Peleliu despite a bayonet wound and machine-gun hits to his leg.
Other Marine veterans recount knife and bayonet training and hand-to-hand clashes in the Pacific.
Historians say oral histories can be reliable but need careful context and cross-checking.

A Veteran’s Close-Quarters Fight on Peleliu

Witness to War records Marine Frank Pomroy describing a night attack when a Japanese raiding party entered his position on Peleliu. He says he shot one attacker at close range and “took a bayonet to the knee.” He also recounts continuing his defense with a bayonet wound and three machine-gun bullets in his leg, preparing a last stand with grenades while alone on a coral ridge. These details place the fight within the desperate, close terrain of that island battle.

Pomroy’s account fits the brutal pattern of Pacific island combat, where darkness, coral ridges, and sudden charges often broke lines into small, violent duels. Marines trained for rifle-bayonet and knife use, but most combat relied on firepower. When positions collapsed or ammunition ran low, men fell back on blades, clubs, and fists. Pomroy’s story highlights how survival sometimes came down to seconds, muscle memory, and a steady hand in the dark.

Other First-Hand Accounts of Blades in the Pacific War

Marine Braswell Deen recalled that the most dreadful fighting used a bayonet or a knife, and he cited training that taught targeting the opponent’s hands to stop the attack. He reported using that training on Peleliu, the same island where Pomroy fought. Another Marine, James J. Walker, remembered Japanese troops charging with fixed bayonets and even explosives strapped to some attackers during a night assault that punched through company lines. These accounts echo the chaos of close-quarters fighting.

While many firefights never closed to bayonet range, World War Two forces still issued bayonets and taught knife skills. Military historians describe how the long blades of World War One gave way to shorter bayonets better suited to modern combat and utility tasks. Training stressed aggression, quick thrusts, and control of the weapon arm. Veterans’ stories show that, when combat pressed to contact, these skills could decide life or death in a few violent moves.

Why Oral Histories Matter—and How to Read Them

Oral history projects capture details that unit logs often miss, such as the feel of terrain, the shock of an ambush, or the sequence of a knife fight at night. Studies of World War Two oral histories find that veterans’ memories can be broadly reliable, especially on vivid first encounters, yet some details may blur over time. Responsible reporting treats these accounts as primary voices, then adds context from training, equipment, and campaign histories.

Here's the OFFICIAL PREVIEW with my next guest, 101-year-old WWII Marine Raider Frank Wright. Honored to hear his story firsthand.

Frank Wright is a World War II Marine veteran who enlisted at just 16 following the attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to serve with the 4th Marine… pic.twitter.com/MXCUgKC2GE

— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyan762) October 13, 2026

Pomroy’s story, and those like it, cut through today’s noisy talk by focusing on what a Marine did when systems failed and help was far away. Many readers across the political spectrum worry that leaders forget the people who do the hard jobs. These veterans remind us that courage and skill at the edge are real, costly, and taught. Their words are not a movie script; they are lessons in grit, training, and the price paid in close combat.