World War II Honoree

William P. Hamilton

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Santa Monica, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS FEBRUARY 9, 1942 AND PARTICIPATED IN BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT WITH HEADQUARTERS AND SERVICE COMPANY, MARINE AIR GROUP-TWENTY FOUR, FOURTH MARINE BASE DEFENSE AIRCRAFT WING. HIS UNIT WAS BASED ON THE ISLAND OF TUTUILA, AMERICAN SAMOA. ON MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 1943 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION AND BURIED IN THE UNITED STATES NAVAL CEMETERY ON THE ISLAND OF TUTUILA. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY IN CALIFORNIA, WITH INTERMENT IN A PRIVATE CEMETERY.