World War II Honoree

Howard Russell Wilkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Port Huron, Michigan

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES 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 1ST BATTALION, 1ST 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 TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1945 AND HE 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 IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY ‘PUNCHBOWL’, HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: THE MARINE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART WITH A GOLD STAR FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.