World War II Honoree

Murray Bruce Arnold Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Anderson, California

Honored By

Sharon Hayward, Leah Martini, Linda Hill

Relationship

Daughters

MURRAY ARNOLD ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS WITHIN ONE MONTH OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION IN JUNE, 1943. HE COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING ON AUGUST 14, 1943 AND THEN VOLUNTEERED FOR MARINE RAIDER TRAINING. UPON COMPLETION OF RAIDER TRAINING, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 32ND REPLACEMENT BATTALION IN NOVEMBER, 1943. IN DECEMBER HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE FIRST MARINE RAIDER BATTALION. HE WAS CLASSIFIED AS A LIGHT MACHINE GUN CREWMAN AND PROMOTED TO PRIVATE FIRST CLASS IN FEBRUARY, 1944. IN APRIL, 1944 HIS BATTALION PARTICIPATED IN THE SEIZURE OF EMIRAU ISLAND, ST. MATHIS GROUP. ON JULY 21, 1944 THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GUAM. THE BATTLE LASTED FROM JULY 21 UNTIL AUGUST 10. IN APRIL, 1945, HIS BATTALION LANDED ON THE BEACH OF OKINAWA, RYUKYUS GROUP. ON JUNE 5, 1945, WHILE SETTING UP HIS MACHINE GUN AND DESIGNATING THE FIELD OF FIRE FOR HIS CREW, MURRAY WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST BY A JAPANESE SNIPER. HE SURVIVED BUT LOST PART OF A LUNG. ON JANUARY 2, 1946 HE WAS PROMOTED TO CORPORAL AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED. HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART.