TARAWA Series Action Figure 1/6 Scale

Promoted to Major and a Battalion Commander in 1943, Crowe lead the 2/8th Marines onto Red Beach 3 at Tarawa in November 1943.His inspiring leadership and disregard for personal safety was a key determinate in holding the beach-head during the traumatic first day of battle on Tarawa.He was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery there.

Bash Info

All items are DML

Uniform from Windtalkers set, helmet cover from Alan

All heavily washed with acrylic wash and later dry brushing with Tamiya acrylics.

HS is from the old Dragon BAR gunner Sean with Milliput mustache added on.

Shot gun from recent Barney Marine figure.

Used altered M1 carbine ammo pouch as pouch for shot gun ammo.

Rear Detail

Craig style bonocular case and map case

Regular water bottle, crossed strap type came later.

Time Magazine November 1944
Paul Bunyan Of The Marines

The Paul Bunyan of the Marine Corps has pulled through again: 45-year-old Jim Crowe has persuaded the doctors to let him go back to war. Leading his battalion of the 8th Marines into a beachhead landing, at Saipan last June, 6 ft., 200 lb. Lieut. Colonel Henry Pierson Crowe came about as close to getting killed as a man can and still live. First a Japanese bullet pierced his left lung. Then he was almost killed by one of his own men who mistook him for the enemy. Dragged back to a shell hole in the sand near the water, Crowe was treated by a Navy corpsman. There a Japanese mortar shell killed the corpsman; another fragment wounded the doctor who took the corpman's place. By that time mortar and artillery shells were dropping on the beachhead continuously. Crowe covered his chest wound with his poncho and his face with his helment. A shell fragment tore throught the phoncho and pierced his chest in two more places. Five  other fragments hit him in the arm, shoulder and leg.  A sliver tore off his thumbnail. A doctor who examined him said: Not much chance. Crowe  retruned: First thing you do, cut off that hanging thumbnail. It's damned annoying.

Kentucky-born Jim Crowe came up through the ranks. He was an enlisted man up until 1934, when he became a Marine gunner (warrant officer). After Pearl Harbor, he was commissioned a captain. During his 16 years in the ranks Jim Crowe was famed for two things: he was one of the world's topnotch rifle shots and for six years he was a crack player on the all-Marine football teams. At Guadalcanal, Crowe contributed to to Marine folklore.  While leading a charge against the dug-in Japanese he yelled: Get out of those foxholes, men, you'll never get the Purple Heart layin there!

Crowe received the Silver Star for his actions on Guadalcanal, the Navy Cross on Tarawa  and a Purple Heart on Saipan. The medal he is most proud of though is his Good Conduct medal for four enlistments. In San Diego a doctor told Crowe: Colonel, you owe your life to a strong constitution and good, clean living.
Jim just smiled.

Major Crowe is reaching for more ammo!

Used DML M41 Carbine ammo pouches as the pouch for the shotgun cartridges.

Placed some cut down german flare cartridges to represent the shotgun ammo.