World War II Honoree

Warren Musch

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Virginia, Illinois

Honored By

John & Winifred Lawrence

Relationship

Friends

ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE IN APRIL 1942 AND REPORTED FOR ACTIVE DUTY MAY 1943. AFTER COMPLETING BOOT CAMP AT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, MAY 1943, HE REPORTED TO MARINE BARRACKS, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA FOR OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED 2ND LIEUTENANT U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVES IN SEPTEMBER 1943. HE COMPLETED FURTHER TRAINING AT THE ARMY COMBAT INTELLIGENCE TRAINING CENTER, CAMP RITCHIE, MARYLAND AND WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 28TH MARINES, 5TH MARINE DIVISION, CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA AS INTELLIGENCE OFFICER. IN SEPTEMBER 1944 THE 5TH DIVISION MOVED TO CAMP TARAWA IN HAWAII FOR FURTHER COMBAT TRAINING LEADING TO THE LEGENDARY BATTLE OF IWO JIMA. LANDED ON IWO JIMA ON FEBRUARY 19, 1945, WAS PROMOTED TO 1ST LIEUTENANT THERE AND LEFT THE ISLAND 36 DAYS LATER WITH THE SURVIVORS OF THE 5TH DIVISION. THE DIVISION THEN TRAINED FOR WHAT WAS TO BE THE INVASION OF JAPAN AND HE WAS ASSIGNED TO REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS, 28TH MARINES IN CHARGE OF THE PLANNING ROOM FOR THE INVASION. AFTER THE JAPANESE SURRENDER IN AUGUST 1945, THE 5TH DIVISION SERVED WITH OCCUPATION FORCES IN JAPAN UNTIL DECEMBER 1945. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 6TH MARINES, 2ND DIVISION SERVING AS ASSISTANT INTELLIGENCE OFFICER. HE RETURNED TO GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING STATION, CHICAGO IN MARCH 1946 AND WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN JUNE 1946. HE WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN, U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE IN AUGUST OF 1949 AND WAS DISCHARGED IN 1954. CAPTAIN. HE WAS AWARDED THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH BRONZE STAR FOR SERVING IN THE IWO JIMA INVASION, THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND THE SHARPSHOOTER MEDAL.