World War II Honoree

Roy Willard Garvin

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Ruston, Louisiana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CAPTAIN. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS SEPTEMBER 18, 1940 AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT AFTER HE HAD GRADUATED FROM OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL ‘OCS’ AT THE MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS ASSIGNED TO HEADQUARTERS, B-BATTERY, 155MM HOWITZER ARTILLERY BATTALION, 11TH 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 WWII. KILLED IN ACTION SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 1945 AND WAS BURIED IN THE FIRST MARINE DIVISION BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON OKINAWA. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE TRANSFERRED TO HONOLULU, WITH INTERMENT MARCH 10, 1949 IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY ‘PUNCHBOWL’, HAWAII. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: SILVER STAR AND PURPLE HEART. THE CAPTAIN WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR FOR DISTINGUISHED GALLANTRY IN ACTION AND VALOR IN COMBAT AGAINST AN ENEMY FORCE AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.