Veteran plans to return to scene of combat
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — After surviving the Battle of Peleliu, Phil Dunford of Spartanburg knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
Dunford, 94, flew more than 40 missions with his three man crew on a torpedo bomber, the Grummond TBF Avenger, over the Palau Islands in the South Pacific in 1944. He was a Marine hoping to survive the next day always under enemy fire as his bomber dropped depth charges on airfields and submarines.
“Our plane got shot at plenty,” Dunford said. “The biggest danger was just flying a single engine plane over the Pacific Ocean. When I got there the Marines had already been there for two months. A lot of Marines died. It was a terrible war there. Everything we did was dangerous.”
In February, he plans to return to Peleliu with his sons, Tim and Skip Dunford.
“I want them to go back with me because everything I decided to do with my life was decided there,” Dunford said. “Right at this point it’s a popular island for people who like to do diving. I want to go back there not just for the Marines. That is part of it. It turned out to be the place where I formulated my life.”
Dunford turned 20 when he was fighting in the war. He was a gunner on the Grummond Avenger, which included a radio man and pilot.
On one mission, a phosphorus munition exploded from enemy fire near his plane while flying over the island. He alerted the pilot to the explosion.
“I called him and said did you see that,” Dunford said. “He said don’t worry about what you see. It’s what you don’t see you should be worried about.”
If the plane ever crashed in the water, Dunford said the crew only had about 10 seconds to get out. Fortunately, they never had to face that situation.
Throughout his time in WWII, he kept close to his faith.
Dunford led Sunday worship services with his fellow Marines and felt a calling to become a minister after the war. Before he left to fight, he married and was expecting a son who was born while he was overseas.
Dunford said he didn’t know if his wife, Ginny, wanted to be a minister’s wife so he wrote her a letter explaining his desire to become a preacher.
“I thought if the good Lord spared me and I got out of here I wanted to serve the Lord,” Dunford said. “When I got her letter back she said ever since she was a little girl she wanted to be a pastor’s wife.”
After the war ended, Dunford completed his education to become eligible to become a Presbyterian minister.
“I have made sure to always go to church all my life even when I was in the Marines,” Dunford said.
“God is a loving God and he makes that clear through Christ. I want to share that message with people because it makes a difference now and forever.”
He’ served churches in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Colorado and Australia. For 20 years, he was the minister at First Presbyterian Church in Forest City, N.C.
Dunford remains proud of his service during WWII. He keeps a model of the blue torpedo plane he flew during combat at his home.
“I know we did the right thing over there,” he said. “There is no doubt about it.”
At his White Oak Estates home on the wall is display case with the medals he earned during WWII. They include a Distinguished Flying Cross and two Air Medals.
After the war, Dunford became interested in photography. Photographs he’s taken over the years of natural landscapes are also featured near the medals.
When WWII started, Dunford waited until he was 17 to join the Marines. Looking back, he has no regrets.
Dunford spent his youth living in Chester, Va., before moving with his family to Miami when he was 11. Despite being a high school drop out, he always had plans for his life.
Together, Phil and Ginny raised four sons and were married for 67 years. Ginny died five years ago of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Our last five years together we spent all our time together,” he said. “I didn’t put her in a hospital or nursing home. We liked to take rides. She was an excellent wife and perfect for the ministry.”