World War II Honoree

Jery Breckenridge Graham

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Flora, Illinois

Honored By

Howard Lewis Patton

Relationship

Friend

FOLLOWING 2 YEARS OF COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, ENLISTED AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE ON 8 OCTOBER 1941 AT CENTRALIA, ILLINOIS. COMPLETED BOOT CAMP QUALIFIED AS A PISTOL MARKSMAN AND RIFLE SHARPSHOOTER. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS AT TUTUILA, AMERICAN SAMOA FROM 7 APRIL 1942 TO 4 JANUARY 1943. ATTENDED THE OFFICER CANDIDATE COURSE, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, IN 1944. ATTENDED RADIO OPERATORS SCHOOL AND THE FIELD ARTILLERY COURSE AT QUANTICO IN 1945, ATTAINING THE SPECIAL MILITARY QUALIFICATION OF FIELD ARTILLERY OFFICER. RETURNED TO THE PACIFIC AND SERVED AT GUAM, MARIANA ISLANDS FROM 12 SEPTEMBER 1945 TO 29 NOVEMBER 1945. EARNED THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HELD TEMPORARY RANK OF SECOND LIEUTENANT FROM 27 NOVEMBER 1944 TO 28 JANUARY 1946. AT HIS OWN REQUEST, REVERTED TO PERMANENT GRADE OF SERGEANT AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM HEADQUARTERS BATTALION, HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE PACIFIC ON 29 JANUARY 1946 AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. RE-ENLISTED IN THE RESERVE THE NEXT DAY AND CONTINUED A FULL CAREER IN THE MARINE CORPS RETIRING AS A MASTER SERGEANT.