World War II Honoree

Arthur B. Ervin, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: SERGEANT. HE WAS A UNITED STATES MARINE, WHO EXPERIENCED COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. SERVED IN A MORTAR SECTION OF ALPHA COMPANY, 1ST BATTALION, 24TH MARINES, FOURTH MARINE ‘FIGHTING FOURTH’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF SAIPAN (INVASION DATES: JUNE 15-JULY 9, 1944) MARIANA ISLANDS CAMPAIGN. REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1944 AND HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING, HONOLULU NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. IN HIS HONOR, A MEMORIAL HEADSTONE HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE SHADY POINT CEMETERY, SHADY POINT, OKLAHOMA. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: NAVY CROSS, BRONZE STAR WITH THE BRONZE LETTER-V REPRESENTING VALOR, PURPLE HEART WITH TWO GOLD STARS, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, NAVY PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, MARINE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. THE NAVY CROSS WAS BESTOWED UPON THE MARINE FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM AND DEVOTION TO DUTY IN ACTION AGAINST THE JAPANESE FORCES DURING THE INVASION OF KWAJALEIN. THIS MARINE, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, WHO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.