Which unit was Don Adams/Maxwell Smart in?

It's well known that Adams served on Guadalcanal and apparently was the only survivor of his platoon. Is there enough to go on to work out which unit he was in?

The following has a bit more information than most sites - 'Adams enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1941 together with his twin-brother cousins, William and Robert Karvelas. The three were assigned to the Third Marines in Samoa until Adams was sent as a replacement to the Battle of Guadalcanal, where he was the only survivor of his platoon. His survival, despite his company’s near 90% fatality rate, was due to his contracting blackwater fever early in the campaign. He was evacuated and spent over a year in a Navy hospital in Wellington, New Zealand. After his recovery, he served as a Marine drill instructor in the United States.'

Surely old Marine buddies would've boasted about knowing him in the service??

 

The sole survivor portion of Don Adams service is questionable and appears to be rumor. Adams himself never made this claim. He was wounded at Guadalcanal, did suffer from malaria and Blckwater Fever which has a 90% mortality rate and did serve as a Drill Instructor after his return to the US. His Guadalcanal experience did apparently convert his from an athiest into a life long Catholic.

 

Would you beleive a protestant?

 

Actually if he's known to have stated 'athiest' on his enrolment form, other details are probably available too.

As for 'sole survivor', it doesn't mean everyone else got killed of course. He could just have been the last left after casualties and evacuations for illness. One guy I read about from the 32nd Division was the only one left of his original 160+ company by the time of VJ day. So he was a 'sole survivor' too. The fact Adams/Yarmy never said it himself is a good clue to there not being much to it. But then he doesn't seem to have talked much at all about his war?

 

could it have been "Chaos?"

 

No, the Japs were Chaos.

 

I think you mean KAOS.

 

Yes, come to think of it, it's that kind of KAOS. Been awhile since I saw Get Smart actually.

 

Sorry about that, Chief.

 

Found it. The brief details (and a picture) of Don's service are here -

http://marines.togetherweserved.com/usmc/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApps?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=184572

It says he was in the 3rd & 8th Marines (regiments) but only the 8th was on Guadalcanal, so that must've been it. India Company.

 

I had to look up "Blackwater Fever":

Blackwater fever is a complication of malaria in which red blood cells burst in the bloodstream (hemolysis), releasing hemoglobin directly into the blood vessels and into the urine, frequently leading to kidney failure.


Sounds particularly nasty.