World War II Honoree

John Arthur 'Katy' Ptak

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

La Jolla, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Major. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps July 15, 1940 at the Navy Yards in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in February of 1941 upon his graduation from Officer Candidate School at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Served in the Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Headquarters Company as an Executive Officer, First Battalion, Third Marine Regiment, a subordinate unit of the Third Marine ‘the Fighting Third’ Division. He participated in the amphibious assault on the Island of Guam, a United States territory in the Mariana Islands (Battle Dates: July 21-August 10, 1944) Code Name: Operation Forager. Killed in Action Tuesday, August 1, 1944 by the Japanese Imperial Forces during the liberation of the island and buried in the Asan Battlefield Cemetery #1 on Guam. He had fought in a previous Combat Operation/Campaign: Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, his remains were returned to his family for burial, with interment in the Saint Leo Cemetery in Tyndall, South Dakota. In remembrance of the Brave, his name appears on the Asan Memorial Wall, Panel 9 located on Guam. Decorations/Citations: Silver Star and the Purple Heart with a Gold Star. The Silver Star awarded posthumously for Distinguished Gallantry and intrepidity against the Japanese Imperial Forces on Guam. This Marine, an American Patriot, awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, who so gallantly gave his life for his country.