World War II Honoree

Arthur James Atwood

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Providence, Rhode Island

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS JANUARY 3, 1942 AND COMPLETED BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS ASSIGNED TO H-COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 1ST MARINES, 1ST MARINE ‘THE OLD BREED’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GUADALCANAL (AUGUST 7, 1942-FEBRUARY 9, 1943) CODE NAME: OPERATION WATCHTOWER, ‘SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN’. IT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR OFFENSIVE BY ALLIED FORCES AGAINST THE JAPANESE. KILLED IN ACTION FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1942 DURING THE BATTLE OF ALLIGATOR CREEK. HE WAS BURIED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS CEMETERY ON GUADALCANAL. 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. HE IS ALSO MEMORIALIZED AT THE GUADALCANAL AMERICAN MEMORIAL LOCATED ON SKYLINE DRIVE OVERLOOKING THE TOWN OF HONIARA, GUADALCANAL. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: NAVY CROSS, PURPLE HEART, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE STAR AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. RECIPIENT OF THE NAVY CROSS AND PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY. THE NAVY CROSS WAS AWARDED TO THE MARINE FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN COMBAT AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.