World War II Honoree

John Nykaza

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Chicago Heights, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE 1ST CLASS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DECEMBER 14, 1942 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 KILO BATTERY, 4TH BATTALION, 15TH MARINES, SIXTH MARINE ‘THE STRIKING SIXTH’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA (INVASION DATES: EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 1-JUNE 22, 1945), CODE NAMED: OPERATION ICEBERG WAS FOUGHT ON THE RYUKYU ISLANDS OF OKINAWA, THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT IN THE PACIFIC WAR OF WWII. KILLED IN ACTION THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1945 AND WAS BURIED IN THE SIXTH MARINE DIVISION BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON OKINAWA. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS COUNTRY AND FAMILY, WITH INTERMENT IN THE CALVARY CEMETERY, STEGER, ILLINOIS. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: RECIPIENT OF THE BRONZE STAR AND PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY. HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR FOR BRAVERY, ACT OF MERIT AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN COMBAT. THIS MARINE, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS ALSO AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.