1 00:00:00,533 --> 00:00:03,616 (light guitar music) 2 00:00:08,130 --> 00:00:10,943 - [Kevin] He was a Marine's Marine through and through. 3 00:00:13,856 --> 00:00:17,797 And he epitomes what the modern Marine Corps was, 4 00:00:18,470 --> 00:00:19,323 he lived it. 5 00:00:23,830 --> 00:00:27,223 From World War I, on up to the second World War, 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:29,990 ^that was Merwin Silverthorn, 7 00:00:29,990 --> 00:00:32,240 ^that was his career, that was his life. 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,933 ^And he exhibited as well as anybody. 9 00:00:38,220 --> 00:00:41,940 - [Kevin] There are a lot of guys who exist only 10 00:00:41,940 --> 00:00:46,170 as a name, in an honor roll, or on a monument, 11 00:00:46,170 --> 00:00:50,202 or on a headstone who they have an amazing story, 12 00:00:50,202 --> 00:00:53,683 there's an amazing account out there of what they did. 13 00:00:55,350 --> 00:00:59,663 - [Bob] He was born in 1896, in Minneapolis. 14 00:00:59,780 --> 00:01:03,230 I think my grandfather had a great sense of patriotism. 15 00:01:03,230 --> 00:01:06,060 He had matriculated at the University of Minnesota, 16 00:01:06,060 --> 00:01:08,173 ^he served in the Minnesota National Guard, 17 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,853 ^and between his freshman and his sophomore year, 18 00:01:10,910 --> 00:01:14,030 ^he was actually deployed to the Texas border 19 00:01:14,230 --> 00:01:19,230 where General Pershing had been sent to chase Pancho Villa. 20 00:01:19,370 --> 00:01:21,420 He spent two months down there, and then came back 21 00:01:21,420 --> 00:01:24,430 to the university, and that would have been 22 00:01:24,430 --> 00:01:28,010 in the fall now of 1916, and of course 23 00:01:28,010 --> 00:01:29,593 with the declaration of war, 24 00:01:29,610 --> 00:01:31,970 he and a group of other individuals 25 00:01:31,970 --> 00:01:34,723 at the University of Minnesota, of which he was close, 26 00:01:34,810 --> 00:01:36,710 ^decided to enlist in the Marine Corps. 27 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:42,160 ^I think the fact that his dad, and belated his service 28 00:01:45,650 --> 00:01:49,460 in the Union Army, there was still that story 29 00:01:49,460 --> 00:01:53,410 and indoctrination with regard to what it was 30 00:01:53,410 --> 00:01:55,663 to be a soldier and to serve. 31 00:01:56,020 --> 00:01:59,593 So I think that it was a call to the covers, 32 00:01:59,790 --> 00:02:03,060 he wanted to serve, he wanted to experience war 33 00:02:03,750 --> 00:02:04,630 for himself. 34 00:02:04,630 --> 00:02:08,880 At Belleau Wood he became absolutely wetted 35 00:02:08,927 --> 00:02:11,163 to the spirit of the Corps. 36 00:02:12,778 --> 00:02:14,190 - The sixth of June changed him, he said 37 00:02:14,190 --> 00:02:16,053 he went into the battle, 38 00:02:16,150 --> 00:02:19,260 ^and they were all excited about being engaging 39 00:02:19,260 --> 00:02:20,710 ^with the enemy, going over the top, 40 00:02:20,710 --> 00:02:21,850 ^this was gonna be an adventure. 41 00:02:21,850 --> 00:02:23,950 ^This was gonna be fun, this was gonna be something 42 00:02:23,950 --> 00:02:25,020 they had read about in books, 43 00:02:25,020 --> 00:02:27,483 and it was gonna be a great time for all. 44 00:02:28,210 --> 00:02:29,400 - [Marie] And at the end of that battle, 45 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,103 he was a changed man. 46 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,190 At the end of that month, especially, he had seen war, 47 00:02:34,190 --> 00:02:36,703 he had seen horrible, horrible things. 48 00:02:39,950 --> 00:02:42,023 - I believe on the ninth of June, 49 00:02:42,340 --> 00:02:45,145 when he was literally commissioned right there 50 00:02:45,145 --> 00:02:47,995 on the battlefield, it was a true battlefield commission. 51 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:52,260 And went from being a Sergeant of Marines, 52 00:02:52,260 --> 00:02:54,540 to now he's commanding a platoon of Marines, 53 00:02:54,540 --> 00:02:56,343 as a young Second Lieutenant. 54 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,610 - [Kevin] He was awarded the Silver Star, 55 00:02:58,770 --> 00:03:02,090 Croix de Guerre by the French, he also received 56 00:03:02,090 --> 00:03:05,863 the Distinguished Service Cross as well as the Navy Cross. 57 00:03:08,630 --> 00:03:10,480 Of course stayed in the Marine Corps, 58 00:03:11,100 --> 00:03:13,290 rose through the ranks, through the officer ranks, 59 00:03:13,290 --> 00:03:15,143 believe he spent some time in Haiti. 60 00:03:16,460 --> 00:03:18,160 I know he was in Guam for quite awhile. 61 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:23,160 - [Kevin] He had served in the notable positions 62 00:03:23,690 --> 00:03:26,173 that the Marine Corps in the inter-war period. 63 00:03:26,570 --> 00:03:30,680 And during the second war, he had become a part 64 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,180 of the Third Amphibious Corps. 65 00:03:32,890 --> 00:03:34,293 Amphibious assault planning. 66 00:03:34,906 --> 00:03:37,343 He become Assistant Commandant in the Marine Corps, 67 00:03:38,220 --> 00:03:41,823 commanded the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island. 68 00:03:43,300 --> 00:03:44,850 - [Ben] After retiring from the Marine Corps, 69 00:03:44,850 --> 00:03:46,340 he was called back by the Eisenhower Administration, 70 00:03:46,340 --> 00:03:51,340 to serve as the Deputy of the Office of Emergency Planning. 71 00:03:53,020 --> 00:03:54,930 During that period of time, he met someone 72 00:03:54,930 --> 00:03:56,890 by the name of Vereide, 73 00:03:59,396 --> 00:04:01,650 and Vereide was a Swedish, 74 00:04:01,650 --> 00:04:04,973 no Norwegian, he was a Norwegian pastor, 75 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,253 and established the International Christian Prayer Group. 76 00:04:09,510 --> 00:04:12,310 And eventually was asked to be President, 77 00:04:12,310 --> 00:04:13,830 and then served as President 78 00:04:13,830 --> 00:04:17,470 of International Christian Leadership for about 20 years. 79 00:04:17,470 --> 00:04:20,590 And during that period of time, they established 80 00:04:20,590 --> 00:04:22,340 the Presidential Prayer Breakfasts. 81 00:04:24,610 --> 00:04:26,440 - [Marie] This was obviously written many years 82 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:27,837 after the Battle of Belleau Wood, he says, 83 00:04:27,837 --> 00:04:30,977 "Today, one hears on all sides, criticism 84 00:04:30,977 --> 00:04:33,807 "of our government, it appears the race is on 85 00:04:33,807 --> 00:04:37,183 "to see who can obtain the most from federal sources. 86 00:04:37,647 --> 00:04:39,677 "In all of this turmoil, the voice 87 00:04:39,677 --> 00:04:43,853 "of one proclaiming patriotism, love of country, 88 00:04:43,893 --> 00:04:48,680 "duty to country, and the obligations of citizenship 89 00:04:49,037 --> 00:04:51,603 "is scarcely, if ever heard. 90 00:04:52,357 --> 00:04:55,260 "This article is my attempt to describe a time 91 00:04:55,297 --> 00:05:00,023 "and a place when duty and patriotism reigned supreme. 92 00:05:00,517 --> 00:05:03,380 "And when men did not hesitate to give their lives 93 00:05:03,437 --> 00:05:05,417 "for unselfish reasons." 94 00:05:06,597 --> 00:05:09,764 (somber guitar music)