World War II Honoree

Felix Joseph Altomare

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Springfield, Massachusetts

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS MARCH 22, 1943 AND PARTICIPATED IN BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AT THE MARINE CORPS DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT AS A RIFLEMAN WITH INDIA COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 22ND MARINE REGIMENT, A SUBORDINATE UNIT OF THE SIXTH MARINE ‘STRIKING SIXTH’ DIVISION. HE FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA, CODE NAME: OPERATION ICEBERG (INVASION DATES: EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 1-JUNE 22, 1945). ON THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1945 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION AND BURIED IN THE SIXTH MARINE DIVISION BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY ON OKINAWA. THE EIGHTY DAY BATTLE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS ‘THE TYPHOON OF STEEL’ AND BECAME THE LARGEST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT OF WWII. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES WITH JAPAN, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS COUNTRY AND FAMILY, WITH INTERMENT IN THE SAINT MICHAELS CEMETERY, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.