World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
William A. Gerstner
Branch of Service
U.S. Marine Corps
Hometown
Edwards, Colorado
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE MARINE CORPS IN APRIL OF 1944 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS ASSIGNED TO THE 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE ‘THE OLD BREED’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA, CODE NAME: OPERATION ICEBERG, THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT IN THE PACIFIC WAR OF WORLD WAR II. KILLED IN ACTION THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1945 AND WAS BURIED IN A BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON OKINAWA. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE TRANSFERRED TO HONOLULU NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY ‘PUNCHBOWL’, HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: THE PURPLE HEART WAS AWARDED TO THE MARINE FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.