Local ‘Ghost Mountain Boy’ the spirit behind WWII book

A march on foot of more than 130 miles through the jungles and mountains of a South Pacific island during World War II was undertaken by American soldiers that included Herbert Smith, a long-time Neillsville resident and community leader, who died in 2004 at the age of 101.

He was the untold story of one of the cruelest marches in modern military history, according to author James Campbell, of Lodi, Wis., who first learned of the ordeal from the natives of New Guinea when he visited the island in 1989.

"I realized there was a book here," Campbell said last Friday during an Oct. 26^th book-signing at the Neillsville American Legion Hall where he introduced "the Ghost Mountain Boys," the story of the many Wisconsin soldiers of the 32^nd "Red Arrow" Division who were ordered to march in the battle for New Guinea against the Japanese army.

The march by 1,100 American soldiers across the rugged Papuan Peninsula took 42 torturous days that included the searing heat and stifling humidity of the lowland swamps and the bone-chilling cold of the mountain areas.

The book title comes from one of the 9,000-foot peaks, Ghost Mountain, which ws shrouded in clouds and said to be haunted.

As much as the war may have been against the Japanese for control of the island, the constant daily battle during the march was against nature’s cruelest elements that included daily assaults by mosquitoes, leeches and ticks, according to Campbell.  "The amazing thing is that only three men died," he said.

But the arduous journey ultimately took its toll on the Americans. "They were physically shattered," he said of their weakened and emaciated bodies when they reached their destination on the other side of the peninsula, only to have to engage the entrenched Japanese in the battle for New Guinea. 

For all the suffering and bravery on the part of the Americans, Major Smith stood out, according to Campbell.  "He was one of the heroes in my book," he said.  He came to that conclusion by interviewing about a dozen soldiers of the "Red Arrow" division still living in Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana.

"They thought the world of him," Campbell said of Smith.  "He was not a pampered officer.  He was right up on the front lines fighting along side his men, encouraging them."

Smith was a man of honor and one to be honored, according to Campbell.  "You have a lot to be proud of here in Neillsville," he told the audience at the book-signing event.

But having written the book, Campbell wasn’t finished with his commitment to chronicle the march.  He returned to New Guinea last year to make the second-ever crossing of the peninsula.  Along the way, Campbell suffered a knee injury.  But, leg brace and all, he continued to press on.  It was something he felt he had to do, said Campbell.

A trailer to an upcoming feature-length documentary of their crossing is on Campbell’s website, ghostmountainboys.com. 

His personal ordeal behind him, Campbell said he took a lot of satisfaction and pride in the effort.  "I was proud to be able to write the book and retrace the journey these men had to make," he said.

For all his efforts, including the reference to Herb Smith, Campbell would receive the city’s gratitude and appreciation.  Mayor Diane Murphy was at the book-signing to purchase a book and to present Campbell with a framed proclamation designating Oct. 26^th as "James Campbell Day in Neillsville."

"The Ghost Mountain Boys" by James Campbell, Crown Publishing Co. $25.95 was released earlier this month.  The book can be purchased at amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Borders book stores.  The Neillsville Public Library has two copies of the book.