World War II Honoree

John L. Pratt

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Bellefontaine, Ohio

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 1ST LIEUTENANT. HE JOINED THE MARINE CORPS MAY 6, 1941 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE 5TH MARINES DEPOT, QUANTICO MARINE CORPS BASE, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA. IN JULY 1941, HE ATTENDED OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT QUANTICO AND WAS COMMISSIONED AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN JANUARY 1942. SERVED WITH K-COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 6TH MARINES, 2ND MARINE ‘SILENT SECOND’ DIVISION IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GUADALCANAL SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1942 CODE NAME: OPERATION WATCHTOWER, ‘SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN’. KILLED IN ACTION FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1943 AND WAS BURIED IN A BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON GUADALCANAL. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE DISINTERRED AND TRANSFERRED TO OAHU, WITH INTERMENT IN THE HONOLULU NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC ‘PUNCHBOWL’, HAWAII. HE IS ALSO MEMORIALIZED AT THE GUADALCANAL AMERICAN MEMORIAL LOCATED ON GUADALCANAL AND WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.