World War II Honoree

Robert P. Edwards

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: SERGEANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS NOVEMBER 27, 1939. AFTER COMPLETING BASIC COMBAT TRAINING HE WAS DESIGNATED TO ATTEND THE MARINE CORPS AVIATION FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM. SERVED AS RADIO OPERATOR/GUNNER IN A DOUGLAS SBD DAUNTLESS DIVE-BOMBER ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE FIGHTER TORPEDO SQUADRON TWO THIRTY-TWO VMSB-232, MARINE AIR GROUP-TWENTY ONE, SECOND MARINE AIR WING IN THE PACIFIC THEATER. ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1941 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING THE BATTLE OF WAKE ISLAND, NICKNAMED: ALAMO OF THE PACIFIC (DECEMBER 8-23, 1941) WHEN THE JAPANESE ARMED FORCES INVADED THE ISLAND. HE DIED WHILE PREPARING FOR TAKE-OFF AND WAS BURIED IN THE UNITED STATES CEMETERY LOCATED ON PEACOCK POINT, WAKE ISLAND. HIS REMAINS WERE REPATRIATED FROM WAKE IN 1946 AND TRANSFERRED TO HONOLULU, WITH INTERMENT IN A COMMON GRAVE, SECTION-G, PLOT: WAKE ISLAND DEFENDERS LOCATED IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. HE WAS AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WHO WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART (POSTHUMOUSLY) FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.