World War II Honoree

Marion Roscoe Criswell

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Ottumwa, Iowa

Honored By

Dorothy Alveda Tidball Criswell

Relationship

Wife

INDUCTED OCTOBER 28, 1941 AT FORT DES MOINES, IOWA. SERVED AS A HEAVY MORTAR CREWMAN WITH COMPANY D, 186TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 41ST INFANTRY ‘SUNSET’ DIVISION. SAILED OVERSEAS FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA APRIL 22, 1942 AND ARRIVED IN AUSTRALIA ON MAY 13, 1942. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS FOR 3 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AND 5 DAYS AND RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1945. PARTICIPATED IN THE PAPUA, NEW GUINEA, AND SOUTHERN PHILIPPINE ISLANDS CAMPAIGNS. HIS REGIMENT MOVED BY AIR TO THE BUNA-GONA AREA OF NEW GUINEA ABOUT JANUARY 25, 1943, ENGAGED MAINLY IN AIRFIELD DEFENSE MISSIONS, AND RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA IN JULY, 1943. MOVED TO FINSCHHAFEN, NEW GUINEA ON MARCH 11, 1944 AND TOOK PART IN THE ASSAULT ON HOLLANDIA ON APRIL 27, 1944 AS PART OF TASK FORCE ‘RECKLESS’ TO CAPTURE HOLLANDIA AND SENTANI AIRDROMES. LANDED AGAINST SLIGHT RESISTANCE AT BIAK ISLAND ON MAY 27, 1944, PUSHED INTO THE ISLAND PLATEAU ON JUNE 1, 1944 AND SEIZED MOKMAR AIRFIELD ON JUNE 7, 1944. DEPARTED BIAK ISLAND ON FEBRUARY 2, 1945 AND ASSAULTED PALAWAN IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON FEBRUARY 28, 1945. ENGAGED IN OPERATIONS TO TAKE PUERTO PRINCESA AND ITS AIRFIELDS, SEIZE HILL 1445 ON MARCH 8, 1945 AND ELIMINATE OTHER JAPANESE MOUNTAIN POSITIONS. ARRIVED AT ZAMBOANGA MINDANAO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ON MARCH 27, 1945 AND PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS THERE UNTIL THE END OF HOSTILITIES. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD AND 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL, AND PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT ON OCTOBER 7, 1945 AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS AT BARNHART, MISSOURI AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.