World War II Honoree

James O. Whitehurst

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Ashford, Alabama

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. On July 11, 1941, he entered the United States Marine Corps as an enlistee from Alabama, receiving his Marine Combat Training at the Marine Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. His division participated in the amphibious assault against the Imperial Japanese army forces on Betio Island, Tarawa atoll in the battle of Tarawa, Gilbert Islands Code Name: Operation Galvanic. Reported missing in action Saturday, November 20, 1943 on the first day of the invasion, and in remembrance of the brave, his name is recorded in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Honolulu National Memorial cemetery of the Pacific ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. In June of 2015 the history flight, a private organization, discovered a collective burial grave on Betio Island. The remains were transferred to the defense prisoner of war/missing in action accounting agency in Hawaii where he was identified. The remains of this Marine were interred with Military Honors at the Cowarts Baptist Church Cemetery April 12, 2017 in Cowarts, Alabama. This Marine, an American Patriot awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, who so gallantly gave his life for his country.