World War II Honoree

Ralph Cory

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Morton, Washington

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 1ST LIEUTENANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE MARINE CORPS AT THE AGE OF 45 AND DUE TO HIS IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS AS A JAPANESE LINGUIST; HE RECEIVED A DIRECT COMMISSION INTO THE CORPS AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT. TRANSFERRED TO NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE HE JOINED THE INTELLIGENCE SECTION OF THE FIFTH MARINES. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS WITH THE INTELLIGENCE SECTION, HEADQUARTERS AND SERVICE COMPANY, 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE ‘THE OLD BREED’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GUADALCANAL SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1942 CODE NAME: OPERATION WATCHTOWER, ‘SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN’. KILLED IN ACTION THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1942 DURING A RECONNAISSANCE PATROL, CONSISTING OF TWENTY-FIVE MARINES ON THE MATANIKAU RIVER BEACH NEAR THE POINT CRUZ PENINSULA. THE PURPOSE OF THE MISSION WAS TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS THAT A NUMBER OF JAPANESE FORCES WERE WILLING TO SURRENDER TO THE AMERICANS. THE PATROL WAS AMBUSHED AND ANNIHILATED BY A GARRISON OF JAPANESE SOLDIERS, WITH TWO SURVIVORS, WHO MANAGED TO SWIM BACK TO FRIENDLY LINES. HE WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1942 AND MEMORIALIZED AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY, FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND THE GUADALCANAL AMERICAN MEMORIAL LOCATED ON GUADALCANAL. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: PURPLE HEART, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL AND THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL. THE PURPLE HEART WAS AWARDED TO THE MARINE FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.