World War II Honoree

Alfred G. Morrissey

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Rush, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS IN JULY 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 WWII. KILLED IN ACTION THURSDAY, MAY 31, 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 MARCH 10, 1949 IN THE 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.