World War II Honoree

Robert Leroy Pearson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Kansas City, Kansas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DECEMBER 10, 1941 AND ATTENDED BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT WITH THE 1ST BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 3RD MARINE ‘FIGHTING THIRD’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE SECOND BATTLE OF GUAM, A UNITED STATES TERRITORY IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1944, THE FIRST DAY OF THE ASSAULT (INVASION DATES: JULY 21-AUGUST 10, 1944) HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING THE CAPTURE AND OCCUPATION OF THE ISLAND. THE FIRST BATTLE OF GUAM TOOK PLACE ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1941, WHEN THE JAPANESE INVADED AND SEIZED CONTROL OF THE ISLAND. HE WAS BURIED IN THE ARMY, NAVY, AND MARINE CEMETERY ON GUAM AND AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE TRANSFERRED TO HONOLULU, WITH INTERMENT IN THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. THIS MARINE, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.