World War II Honoree

John 'Jack' Samuel Bean

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Royal Oak, Michigan

Honored By

Denise Bean

Relationship

Daughter

JOINED THE MARINES IN JUNE OF 1942. HE WENT TO CAMP PENDLETON IN CALIFORNIA FOR BASIC TRAINING AND THEN TO SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND FOR ADVANCED TRAINING. HE WAS SHIPPED TO GUADALCANAL AND WAS ASSIGNED BURIAL DUTY. HE AND TWO BUDDIES WENT AWOL FROM GUADALCANAL TO WHERE THE 'ACTION' WAS. THEY ENDED UP IN THE INITIAL WAVE OF THE PELELIU INVASION ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1944 WITH THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION. THE BATTLE LASTED ABOUT 30 DAYS. PELELIU HAD THE HIGHEST CASUALTY RATE OF ANY BATTLE IN THE PACIFIC WAR. THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION WAS SEVERELY MAULED BY CASUALTIES ON PELELIU, AND IT REMAINED OUT OF ACTION UNTIL THE INVASION OF OKINAWA ON APRIL 1ST, 1945. OUT OF 100 MARINES IN HIS COMPANY, ONLY 7 CAME OUT ALIVE. HE CAME OUT BOTH ALIVE AND UNINJURED. HE WAS THEN SENT TO OKINAWA. AFTER JAPAN SURRENDERED, HE WAS SENT TO CHINA TO DISARM THE JAPANESE SOLDIERS. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE MARINES IN THE FALL OF 1946. HE HAD SERVED OVER FOUR YEARS WITHOUT A FUR LOW.