World War II Honoree

William Carlisle Ashley

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Honea Path, South Carolina

Honored By

Todd Tremaine

Relationship

Grandson

ENLISTED IN MARINE CORPS, AUGUST 1942 AND SENT TO PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA FOR BOOT CAMP. NOVEMBER 1942, FINISHED BOOT CAMP AND TRANSFERRED TO COMMUNICATION SCHOOL AT CAMP LE JEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA. AUGUST 1943, JOINED EAST COAST ECHELON OF 4TH MARINE DIVISION. TRANSFERRED TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA AND JOINED UP WITH WEST COAST ECHELON OF 4TH MARINE DIVISION. JANUARY 1944, DEPARTED SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA WITH CONVOY FOR INVASION OF MARSHALL ISLANDS, KWAJALEIN ATOLL, PACIFIC. INVADED ROI AND NAMUR ISLANDS, JANUARY 29, 1944. RETURNED TO MAUI ISLAND FOR REGROUPING AND TRAINING ON JUNE 15, 1944. INVASION OF FIRST ISLAND IN MARIANA ISLANDS (SAIPAN), JUNE 15, 1944. LEFT SAIPAN FOR INVASION OF TINIAN ISLAND JULY 24, 1944. OPERATIONS OVER ON AUGUST 12, 1944. TINIAN WAS TAKEN FOR AIRFIELD SO THAT JAPAN MAINLAND WAS WITHIN RANGE OF B-29 BOMBERS. RETURNED TO MAUI FOR REFITTING AND TRAINING. LEFT MAUI FOR INVASION OF IWO JIMA. ARRIVED AND INVADED ISLAND FEBRUARY 19, 1945. ISLAND SECURED MARCH 16, 1945. RETURNED TO MAUI FOR REPLACEMENT MEN AND EQUIPMENT. JULY AND AUGUST, SHIPS LOADED WITH EQUIPMENT FOR PLANNED INVASION OF SHORES OF JAPAN. B-29 THAT USED TINIAN ISLAND AS BASE DROPPED BOMBS ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI. JAPANESE SURRENDERED. OCTOBER 1945, LEFT MAUI FOR CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA. RECEIVED DISCHARGE FROM MARINE CORPS DECEMBER 5, 1945.