World War II Honoree

Gerald James Appleby

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lander, Wyoming

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Served in the Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations, with the Nineteenth Infantry Regiment, Twenty-Fourth Infantry ‘Victory’ Division, attached to the U.S. Sixth Army. His division participated in the Leyte Campaign, Philippine Islands against the Imperial Japanese forces (Battle Dates: October 17, 1944–July 1, 1945). Killed in action Saturday, October, 21, 1944 during a combat engagement in the Leyte Valley, and buried in the United States Armed Forces battlefield cemetery Leyte #1 Philippine Islands. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Soldier requested that his remains be interred at the American Cemetery in Manila, Philippine Islands. His family placed a memorial marker in his memory at the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Riverton, Wyoming. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.