World War II Honoree

Henry J. O'Neil

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Newton, Massachusetts

Honored By

Michael O'Neil

Relationship

Son

PLATOON SERGEANT. VOLUNTEERED FOR SERVICE IN 1942. AFTER COMPLETING BOOT CAMP, THE NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER ACADEMY, ADVANCED INFANTRY WEAPONS, MORTAR AND SNIPER TRAINING, HE INITIALLY SERVED AS A TRAINING NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER (NCO) WITH THE 23RD MARINE REGIMENT AT CAMP LEJUENE, NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA. IN 1943, WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE NEWLY FORMED 25TH REGIMENT WHICH THEN MOVED BY SEA VIA U.S. NAVAL BASE-GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA TO CAMP PENDLETON, OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA. SERVED THERE AS A MEMBER OF THE REGIMENTAL CADRE. SUBSEQUENTLY ENGAGED IN COMBAT AS A FORWARD OBSERVER AND COUNTER-SNIPER, MORTAR NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICIER (NCO) AND MORTAR MAN/GUNNER WITH THE 81MM MORTAR PLATOON, HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 25TH MARINE REGIMENT, 4TH MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE IN THE PACIFIC THEATER. PARTICIPATED IN THE ASSAULT AND CAPTURE OF ROI-NAMUR (KWAJALEIN ATOLL), SAIPAN, TINIAN AND IWO JIMA ISLANDS. AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH VALOR 'V' FOR HEROIC ACHIEVEMENT IN COMBAT AND TWO PURPLE HEART MEDALS FOR WOUNDS SUFFERED ON IWO JIMA. ADDITIONALLY THE RECIPIENT OF 3 NAVY PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS, NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BATTLE STARS AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. RETROACTIVELY AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON.