World War II Honoree

Robert H. Ballew

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Yemassee, South Carolina

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: GUNNERY SERGEANT. HE WAS A UNITED STATES MARINE, WHO EXPERIENCED COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. SERVED AS FIRST SERGEANT OF FOX COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 7TH MARINE REGIMENT, A SUBORDINATE UNIT OF THE FIRST MARINE ‘THE OLD BREED’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF GUADALCANAL (INVASION DATES: AUGUST 7, 1942 - FEBRUARY 9, 1943), AND SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPAIGN, CODE NAME: OPERATION WATCHTOWER. ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1942 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING A FIRE-FIGHT WITH JAPANESE ARMED FORCES ON HILL-83 LOCATED NEAR THE MATANIKAU RIVER AND BURIED IN AN UNMARKED FIELD GRAVE. OFFICIALLY LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION ON THE DAY OF HIS DEATH, AS HEADQUARTERS PERSONNEL WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE HIS GRAVE. HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE TABLETS OF THE MISSING AT THE MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL, LOCATED AT FORT BONIFACIO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND IN THE RED MARBLE TABLETS OF THE MISSING, INSCRIBED ON THE GUADALCANAL AMERICAN MEMORIAL. IN HIS MEMORY AND HONOR, A CENOTAPH MEMORIAL HAS BEEN PLACED IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA AS HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: PURPLE HEART, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, CHINA SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. THIS AMERICAN PATRIOT WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, WHO SO GALLANTLY GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY.