World War II Honoree

Aaron Leslie Gelzer

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Harrison, New Jersey

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE MARINE CORPS AUGUST 16, 1940 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE 5TH MARINES RECRUIT DEPOT, MARINE CORPS BASE, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA. SERVED AS A BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN ‘BAR’, ASSIGNED TO THE INTELLIGENCE SECTION, HEADQUARTERS AND SERVICE COMPANY, 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE ‘THE OLD BREED’ 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 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 SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1943 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.