The platoon passed through the lines and the GI’s looked at them in awe. The word had spread like wildfire across the island that one platoon had met the spearhead of the Japanese attack and beaten them back, got surrounded, and fought free. The soldiers looked at them and could see that they'd been through hell. They were ragged and bloody … and they looked ready to do it all again. “Boy,” said one young marine, gazing in admiration, “they look like one bunch of butchers, don’t they?” “I wonder how they did it?” said another marine standing nearby. “I’m not sure I want to know…”