94006ba1-fab0-45a1-8eda-f9397c44361f

Tennant, Harvey William_WAPA-246_WAPA 4170_OralHist_Video.mp4

Captain Harvey William Tennant was born on April 3, 1906 in Cleveland, Ohio. At the age of 4, he, his sister and mother returned to Ireland and he attended school there. He returned to the United States when he was 17 years old. Mr. Tennant had a friend who was on recruitment duty in Cleveland, Ohio and persuaded him to join the Marine Corps on April 4, 1927. Captain Tennant graduated from boot camp and was sent to Iona Island, New York to the main barracks Naval Ammunition Depot. He was assigned to guard duty and as a telephone operator and remained there for 9 or 10 months. He wanted to travel so he renewed his enlistment for 2 years and was sent to Shanghai, China. On board ship he served as a butcher but he relates that he really was not a good cook at all. After being relieved of cooking duties, Captain Tennant was sent to Peking, China attached to the Security Detachment and was a machine gun instructor there. He remained in China for about four years. After serving in China, Mr. Tennant was assigned to the Crew Depot, San Diego and became a Drill Instructor. He was in that position for about 3 years and then became a Corporal while training recruits. He re-enlisted and was assigned duty aboard the U.S.S. Arkansas during which time he was promoted to Sergeant. Mr. Tennant states that he stayed with the 10th Marines, Artillery for four years and was promoted to Platoon Sergeant. Captain Tennant was ordered to Pearl Harbor in the Marine barracks and trained officers and enlisted men in drill formation. He spent time in American Samoa. He served in New Caledonia for 8 months hauling ammunition boats and supplies before the Bougainville invasion. He states that just before his company was to leave Guadalcanal to come to Guam they changed his division from a Motor Transport Battalion to a DUKW Battalion. He told an interesting story about an experience involving the duck in which he transported 9 wounded Marines from the hospital on Guam to a U.S. hospital ship located 9 miles offshore. Apparently one of those 9 Marines survived due to his insistence that he be permitted to drop them off on the hospital ship and knew this because he happened to meet one of them on a tour to Guam for a dedication ceremony. Captain Tennant was in Guam at the time of this interview to attend the dedication ceremony for a monument he was instrumental in having erected. He tells about how he accomplished raising funds for the project and that he was glad he had been able to be part of the dedication ceremony. After the war, Captain Tennant settled in Los Gatos, California and sold real estate. He later moved to San Diego. Captain Tennant was 88 years old at the time of this interview on July 22, 1994. Although he could remember some details of his service, most of his recollection was somewhat jumbled and he had difficulty remembering dates and details about his service. He describes his time in the Corps as “wonderful,” that he made many wonderful friends, and that he was glad he did it.

U.S. National Park Service, War in the Pacific National Historical Park

This digital asset is in the public domain. This digital version was made possible through the National Park Service by a grant from the National Park Foundation through generous support from the Mellon Foundation. When using this asset for any purpose, including online, credit 'Courtesy U.S. National Parks'.

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Video

War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Code: WAPA

Guam , Guam
War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Guam , Guam
Latitude: 13.3905000686646, Longitude: 144.654006958008

ICMS (Interior Collection Managment System) : WAPA-00246
NPS Museum Number Catalog : WAPA 4170

War in the Pacific Oral Histories

2025/03/07

T. Stell Newman Visitor Center, Collections room, Safe and Shelf SLF D-01

Public Can View

Rose Manibusan, Jennifer Craig

Organization: American Memorial Park
Role: Chief Interpretation
Address: Micro Beach Road, Garapan, Mp 96950
Email: wapa_interpretation@nps.gov

Friday, April 4, 2025 4:55:14 PM

Friday, April 4, 2025 4:55:14 PM

Tennant, Harvey William_WAPA-246_WAPA 4170_OralHist_Video.mp4

mp4

2125.6 MB

Historic

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