greasegunburgers:Lt. Col. Evans F. Carlson USMC, and Major Ralph H. Coyte, USMC at Naval Base, Espir
greasegunburgers:Lt. Col. Evans F. Carlson USMC, and Major Ralph H. Coyte, USMC at Naval Base, Espiritu Santo.Lt. Evans Charles Carlson, Jr. Carlson’s son, Lieutenant Evans C. Carlson, Jr., had volunteered four times to join the 2d Raiders; four times Major Carlson had turned down his request, although his officers tried to persuade him otherwise. Shortly before the unit’s departure for Hawaii and the raid on Makin, the young Carlson submitted his fifth request. This time Carlson’s officers won–and he accepted his son.Note: On October 20, 1999 I was honored to receive a most interesting telephone call from Evans C. Carlson Jr., Col USMC (Ret.). Col Carlson stated to me that although he had previously asked his father several times about his joining the raider battalion, and been been refused each time, he had actually joined the 2dRaiderBn “by accident,” as he put it, while serving as a cargo officer charged with unloading ships at Espiritu Santo island. Another ship with 2dRaiderBn aboard had come in. Young Evans had taken this opportunity to speak with the raider battalion XO, Major Roosevelt, who then put through TAD orders for Lt. Carlson to the 2dRaiderBn. This was unknown to the senior Carlson at the time. He said that Roosevelt had a great sense of humor and wanted to surprise the colonel with the new Raider arrival–and the colonel was indeed surprised! Col Evans C. Carlson also served with the 2dMarines and 21stMarines during WWII. He retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967. He had been a Marine Aviator since 1946 -- source link