World War II Honoree

Alonzo N. Hathway, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Silver Springs, Maryland

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CAPTAIN. HE WAS A UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS PILOT, WHO FLEW THE GRUMMAN AVENGER TBF-1 TORPEDO BOMBER ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE TORPEDO BOMBING SQUADRON TWO THIRTY-THREE ‘VMTB-233’. HIS UNIT WAS BASED AT MUNDA POINT AIRFIELD LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL SOLOMON ISLANDS, PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ON VALENTINE’S DAY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1944 HE DISAPPEARED ON A MISSION OVER RABAUL, NEW BRITAIN WHILE DROPPING U.S. NAVAL PARACHUTE MINES IN SIMPSON HARBOR. REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1945 AND HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE COURTS OF THE MISSING, MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS WAS AWARDED TO THE CAPTAIN FOR HEROISM AND EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT AGAINST JAPANESE FORCES AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.