World War II Honoree

George Terry Darby

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Monte Vista, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. On January 26, 1942, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps from Colorado. His boot camp training took place with the First Recruit Battalion, Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Later he completed his Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. Served as a Rifleman with the Second Marine Division in the Southwestern Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Echo Company, Second Battalion and Second Marine Regiment. His Division participated in the amphibious assault against the Japanese Imperial Army and Naval forces on the island of Guadalcanal (Battle Dates: August 7, 1942-February 9, 1943) Solomon Islands Campaign, Code Name: Operation Watchtower. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Wednesday, November 11, 1942. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery located at Fort Bonifacio in Manila, Philippine Islands. His missing in action status was changed to read, killed in action November 11, 1943. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Monte Vista Cemetery in Monte Vista, Colorado. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.