T/Sgt. Ernest S. "Ernie" Price (20270318)

"I am what I am, that's all that I am." , 1938 Oneontan

Ernest S. Price was born September 14, 1919 to George Price (1877-1963) and Florence Jones (1883-1970) in Oneonta, NY.  His parents were married on September 21, 1907 in New York City.  His dad was from New York and was a Pipe Fitter for the D&H Railroad in town. His mom from England.  Ernest was the youngest of their five children. The family lived at 4 Boylston St. in Oneonta, NY.  He graduated from Oneonta High School in 1938 where he was known as "Ernie". He was a Caddy at the Oneonta Country Club and was fond of hunting and golfing. Newspaper accounts of the day reported that he was a likeable young man.

He joined the NY National Guard on December 1, 1938 and served almost 3 years with them before they were federalized. For its service in World War II, the 106th Regiment had 12 companies, all initially recruited from the communities of upstate New York. The entire first battalion companies A, B, C, and D was recruited from Albany. Companies E and H were recruited from Binghamton. Companies F, G, I, and K were recruited from Walton, Oneonta, Mohawk, and Oneida respectively and companies L and M were formed in Utica. Additional Regimental troops were drawn from Catskill, Hudson, and Rome.

The 106th Regiment was inducted into federal service on October 15, 1940 and moved to Fort McCllelan, Alabama on the 23rd, a week later. The Regiment departed for Hawaii on March 10, 1942 and arrived there on March 15, 1942. The Regiment was designated as a floating reserve for the projected Marshall Islands operations and on December 14, 1943 it was attached to the V Amphibious Corp. for training. The Regiment’s 2nd battalion occupied Majuro Atoll on February 1, 1944, expecting to encounter strong resistance, but instead finding that the Japanese had withdrawn their troops, months earlier. The battalion remained there until March 5, 1944 when it was sent back to Hawaii.

The remainder of the Regiment was sent to assault Eniwetok Island, which was the eastern most of the Japanese bases in the Marshall Islands, and within bomber range of the Japanese stronghold at Truk. The assault commenced on February 19th 1944 as the 1st battalion of the 106th, preceded by amphibious tractors, splashed ashore with little opposition. The possession of the little island was hotly contested and the 3rd battalion of the 106th in addition to the 22nd Marine Regiment was sent in to reinforce the 1st battalion. Fighting went on until the 21st of February when the Japanese garrison succumbed and the 106th, including Company G and Ernest, returned to Hawaii on April 13, 1944 for rest and preparation for the Saipan offensive. The men were now battled tested.

The Regiment landed on Saipan on June 20, 1944, several days after the rest of the Division. The 106th was heavily involved in the fighting for Saipan’s dominant terrain feature; a 1,554-foot mountain called Mount Tapotchau. The 106th initially fought along a ridgeline near the mountain’s base and in an open valley at the base of the ridgeline, two terrain features that were grimly dubbed Purple Heart Ridge and Death Valley. Later in the fight, following the reduction of most of the Japanese defenses and the failure of their Banzai charge, the 106th was instrumental in repelling the second and final Japanese counterattack. The battle for Saipan amounted to 786 officers and 13,438 enlisted men killed, wounded or missing in action.

T/Sgt. Price was killed on Saipan July 31, 1944 and buried in the Army Cemetery #1 on Saipan Island, Grave 1024, Row 8, Plot 3. At the request of his family, his remains were returned home to Oneonta, NY in 1948 and buried in Section 7 of the Plains Cemetery. He was 25 years old.

If you notice anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact Jim Greenberg at nez13820@gmail.com. 

Sources

Ernest Price, Oneonta, Gives Life on Saipan, Press and Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY, August 19, 1944.

Find a Grave entry of Ernest S Price, accessed at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237008172/ernest-s-price, February 7, 2023.

IDPF, Invididual Deceased Personnel File of Price, Ernest, S. National Archives, St. Louis, Mi.

Moore, Edwin, Oneonta WWII Scrapbook Series, Huntington Memorial Library, Oneonta, NY.

New York National Guard enlisted men and noncommissioned officers activated for federal service during World War II. New York (State). National Guard. Infantry Division, 27th United States, Army. Infantry. New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, Saratoga Springs, New York.

Tampa Bay Times; Publication Date: 24 Apr 1963; Publication Place: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA 

The Oneontan 1938, Oneonta High School Yearbook, Oneonta High School, Oneonta, NY.

Oneonta's Gold Star Registry, City of Oneonta, Main St., Oneonta, NY.

Year: 1940; Census Place: Oneonta, Otsego, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02717; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 39-45