World War II Honoree

Vernon Floyd Casey

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Eau Claire, Minnesota

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DECEMBER 15, 1942 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, 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 WWII. KILLED IN ACTION MONDAY, MAY 14, 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 IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: THE PURPLE HEART WAS AWARDED TO THE MARINE FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.