World War II Honoree

Rae Robert Nunemaker

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Dixon, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: SERGEANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS JULY 28, 1941 AND PARTICIPATED IN BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT WITH CHARLIE COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 23RD MARINES, FOURTH MARINE ‘FIGHTING FOURTH’ DIVISION. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA (INVASIONS DATES: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 26, 1945), CODE NAMED: OPERATION DETACHMENT. ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 26, 1945 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION AND BURIED IN THE UNITED STATES FOURTH 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: THIS MARINE, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.