BoxRec - User contributions [en]

Indian Johnny Rivers

2010-10-19T05:07:10Z

Drbogo:

[[file:John Rivers.JPG|left]]
<boxer>073705</boxer>

John Rivers was born in Riverside, New Jersey. He had two sisters, Hilda and Elizabeth. Additionally, Bill and Joe Ford were his half brothers. John's family broke up when he was young. He along with the other children were placed in foster care by Lutheran Social Services. Jack(as he was known to his family and close friends)was raised by Dr. Elvin Horne.

"Indian Johnny Rivers" played on the stand out 1936 football team at Quakertown High, Pa. that posted seven shutouts and allowed only twenty points all year.
As a rugged well respected fighter representing Bethlehem he fought for the Diamond Belt in Philadelphia.

At Guadalcanal as a machine gunner in the First Marine Division he was was killed in the misnamed Battle of the Tenaru River. The Marine Corp map listed the Ilu River(more like a tidal lagoon) as the Tenaru. The Marines added to the confusion by calling it Alligator Creek(no alligators in the Solomon Islands only crocodiles). With bullets swarming all around him Rivers answered the Japanese fire successfully. Sweeping his machine gun back and forth across the approaching enemy, even as he died he squeezed off another 200 rounds before slumping over dead, witnessed by his ammo carrier Al Schmidt and gun commander Cpl. Lou Diamond. Their Browning machine gun accounted for over two hundred of the enemy. Rivers along with the rest of the gun crew were awarded the Navy Cross for heroism.

Rivers is portrayed in the 1945 Warner Brothers film Pride of the Marines [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038000/fullcredits]

Source (some) :The Intelligencer, Doylestown, PA USA

[[Category:World War II Veterans|Rivers, Indian Johnny]]
[[Category:Died in War|Rivers, Indian Johnny]]

Indian Johnny Rivers

2010-10-19T05:04:00Z

Drbogo:

[[file:John Rivers.JPG|left]]
<boxer>073705</boxer>

John Rivers was born in Riverside, New Jersey. He had two sisters, Hilda and Elizabeth. Additionally, Bill and Joe Ford were his half brothers. John's family broke up when he was young and the children were placed in foster care by Lutheran Social Services. Jack(as he was known to his family and close friends)was raised by Dr. Elvin Horne.

"Indian Johnny Rivers" played on the stand out 1936 football team at Quakertown High, Pa. that posted seven shutouts and allowed only twenty points all year.
As a rugged well respected fighter representing Bethlehem he fought for the Diamond Belt in Philadelphia.

At Guadalcanal as a machine gunner in the First Marine Division he was was killed in the misnamed Battle of the Tenaru River. The Marine Corp map listed the Ilu River(more like a tidal lagoon) as the Tenaru. The Marines added to the confusion by calling it Alligator Creek(no alligators in the Solomon Islands only crocodiles). With bullets swarming all around him Rivers answered the Japanese fire successfully. Sweeping his machine gun back and forth across the approaching enemy, even as he died he squeezed off another 200 rounds before slumping over dead, witnessed by his ammo carrier Al Schmidt and gun commander Cpl. Lou Diamond. Their Browning machine gun accounted for over two hundred of the enemy. Rivers along with the rest of the gun crew were awarded the Navy Cross for heroism.

Rivers is portrayed in the 1945 Warner Brothers film Pride of the Marines [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038000/fullcredits]

Source (some) :The Intelligencer, Doylestown, PA USA

[[Category:World War II Veterans|Rivers, Indian Johnny]]
[[Category:Died in War|Rivers, Indian Johnny]]

Talk:Indian Johnny Rivers

2010-10-19T03:52:03Z

Drbogo:

Was he in fact Native American/Indian? Or was that just a nickname? --[[User:Ric|Ric]] 00:34, 18 Feb 2006 (CST)

His father was Hawaiian. Just a nickname.
I think Native American pertains to the Continental US (48 states)
Native Hawaiian ?

Can we stop putting the medals on the page. We discussed this before. By doing this, we open the door to including flags, regiment emblems, etc. Those symbols are only appropriate on pages that deal with the countries, military history, etc. As a boxing encylopedia, we do not deal with that kind of stuff.--[[User:Matt Tegen|Matt Tegen]] 10:26, 15 May 2006 (CDT)

John Rivers is my Uncle. He is/was a Native American; his Marine Corps service record lists his race as Native American. His Father's name was Joesph. Jack(that was what the family/friends called him) was born in Riverside, New Jersey. Had two Sisters Hilda and Elizabeth(my Mom). Jack also had two half brothers; Bill and Joe Ford.