World War II Honoree

John Edward Zoellner, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Mountain View, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ATTENDED THE OKLAHOMA MILITARY ACADEMY IN CLAREMORE, OKLAHOMA, AND EARNED HIS PRIVATE PILOT'S LICENSE BEFORE ENTERING ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE. SELECTED FOR NAVAL FLIGHT TRAINING AND UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION WAS AWARDED HIS GOLD NAVAL AVIATOR WINGS. SERVED AS AN F4U 'CORSAIR' FIGHTER PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH VMF113 MARINE FIGHTER SQUADRON. THE SQUADRON WAS CALLED THE 'WHITE SAVIORS' BY NATIVES IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS FOR HELPING LIBERATE THEM FROM THE JAPANESE. WHILE RETURNING FROM A PATROL ONE DAY, SECOND LIEUTENANT ZOELLNER'S ENGINE QUIT OVER THE SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN AREA AND HE WAS FORCED TO DITCH HIS AIRCRAFT. HE WAS UNINJURED FROM THE DITCHING BUT WENT INTO THE SEA AND REMAINED UNTIL HIS RESCUE SOME THREE HOURS LATER. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN. CONTINUED IN U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE AND ACTIVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR.