World War II Honoree

Richard 'Dick' W. Pearson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Concordia, Kansas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS FEBRUARY 10, 1944 AND ATTENDED BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT AS A MACHINE GUNNER WITH THE 2ND BATTALION, 28TH MARINES, FIFTH MARINE ‘THE SPEARHEAD/FIGHTING FIFTH’ DIVISION. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA (INVASIONS DATES: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 26, 1945), AND CODENAMED: OPERATION DETACHMENT. ON TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1945 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION AND BURIED IN THE UNITED STATES FIFTH MARINE DIVISION BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON IWO. 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: PURPLE HEART. THIS MARINE, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.