World War II Honoree

Chester Elmo Graham

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Hammond, Indiana

Honored By

Susan Frohnapple

Relationship

Daughter

JOINED THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE AT CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ON 4/10/39. ON 11/8/40, HIS UNIT, COMPANY C OF THE 9TH BATTALION MARINE CORPS RESERVE BOARDED A SOUTH SHORE TRAIN. HE COMPLETING BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP PENDLETON, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AND ON 12/17/42 QUALIFIED AS A RIFLE MARKSMAN, THEN ON 12/18/42 QUALIFIED AS A PISTOL SHARPSHOOTER. THEY SAILED TO PEARL HARBOR ON 1/9/42, ON THE USS HARRIS. ON 1/18/42, THE GROUP LEFT FROM HONOLULU ON THE WILLIAM WARDEN BURROWS AND ARRIVED AT MIDWAY ISLAND ON 1/22/42 WHERE THEY STAYED UNTIL 9/16/42. HE RAISED THE FLAG OVER MIDWAY THE DAY THE BATTLE BEGAN. HE EARNED THE FOLLOWING RIBBONS: AMERICAN THEATRE, ASIATIC-PACIFIC WITH ONE STAR, AMERICAN DEFENSE, AND THE GOOD CONDUCT RIBBON. HE ARRIVED AT PEARL HARBOR ON 9/22/1942 WHERE THE UNIT STAYED UNTIL 1/9/43. HE AND THE UNIT THEN MOVED TO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION (MCAS) EWA. ON 3/1/44 THE UNIT RETURNED TO PEARL HARBOR AND ON 3/14/44, THEY BOARDED THE USS CAPE VICTORY HEADING SAN FRANCISCO. HE WAS STATIONED IN MOJAVE, CALIFORNIA UNTIL HIS DISCHARGE ON 9/11/45 AS A TECHNICAL SERGEANT. HE QUALIFIED AS AN AUTO MECHANIC ON 8/4/44 AND AS A MOTOR TRANSPORT NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER ON 2/28/45.