ore ▁and ▁immediately ▁comm enced ▁a ▁bar rage ▁of ▁gun fire . ▁During ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁day , ▁Japanese ▁art illery ▁hit ▁the ▁command ▁post ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁and ▁almost ▁w ip ed ▁out ▁the ▁unit ' s ▁command ▁structure , ▁including ▁its ▁commander , ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁Harry ▁J . ▁Z immer . ▁ ▁Dra ke ▁took ▁charge ▁and ▁super vised ▁the ▁ev acu ation ▁of ▁wounded ▁and ▁dead . ▁He ▁re est ab lished ▁the ▁batt alion ' s ▁command ▁post ▁and ▁continued ▁in ▁its ▁mission , ▁providing ▁art illery ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 5 th ▁Marine ▁Regiment . ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁batt alion ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁host ilities ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 ▁and ▁subsequently ▁returned ▁to ▁Mau i , ▁Hawai i ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁week ▁of ▁August . ▁For ▁his ▁actions ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁July , ▁when ▁the ▁batt alion ' s ▁command ▁post ▁was ▁sh elled , ▁Dra ke ▁received ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Mer it ▁with ▁Com bat ▁" V " ▁and ▁Navy ▁President ial ▁Unit ▁C itation . ▁ ▁While ▁in ▁Hawai i , ▁Dra ke ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion , ▁ 1 4 th ▁Mar ines ▁and ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁several ▁ship - to - sh ore ▁man eu vers ▁until ▁January ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁The ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion ▁subsequently ▁sa iled ▁for ▁its ▁new ▁destination , ▁I wo ▁J ima . ▁ ▁Dra ke ▁went ▁ash