World War II Honoree

James Tinsley Whitney

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Union, South Carolina

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

CALLED INTO ACTIVE DUTY AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT WITH THE ARMY ON MARCH 5, 1942. ACTIVATED AT FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA ON MARCH 25, 1942, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO 307TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 77TH INFANTRY (STATUE OF LIBERTY) DIVISION. AFTER TWO YEARS OF TRAINING IN THE STATES, HE DEPARTED FOR THE PACIFIC IN FEBRUARY, 1944, LANDING IN HAWAII IN MARCH FOR THREE MONTHS OF TRAINING IN AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS AND JUNGLE WARFARE. ON JULY 21, SUPPORTED THE MARINES IN THEIR ASSAULT ON THE BEACHES. HE WAS HELD IN RESERVE, NOT LANDING UNTIL JULY 24TH. WADED ASHORE FROM THE EDGE OF THE REEF AFTER BEING DROPPED BY THE LST'S. FOR SEVERAL DAYS, SUCCESSFULLY ASSISTED IN DEFENDING THE BEACHHEAD AGAINST COUNTERATTACKING JAPANESE FORCES. THEN, DROVE NORTH, CAPTURING MOUNT TENJO AND LINKING WITH THE 3RD MARINE DIVISION ON JULY 28. BY THE 30TH THEY HAD CAPTURED THE OROTE AIRFIELD AND THE APRA HARBOR. CONTINUING NORTH, HE MET AND ENGAGED THE JAPANESE FORCES AT MOUNT BARAGADA BETWEEN AUGUST 2 AND AUGUST 4. IT WAS DURING THIS ENGAGEMENT THAT HE WAS KILLED BY ENEMY FIRE. FOR HIS PARTICIPATION HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR AND A PURPLE HEART MEDAL. HE IS INTERRED AT PLOT D, ROW O, GRAVE 479 IN THE HONOLULU MEMORIAL CEMETERY IN HAWAII.