World War II Honoree

John Stanley Anilak

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Ashley, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. On January 15, 1942, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps at Detroit, Michigan. His boot camp training took place with Eleventh 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 Twenty-Second Marine Regiment in the North Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Alpha Company, Second Battalion and Fifth Amphibious Corps. His regiment participated in the Battle of Eniwetok Atoll against the Imperial Japanese armed forces, (Battle Dates: February 17-23, 1944) Code name: Operation Hailstone, Marshall Islands Campaign. Killed in Action Tuesday, February 22, 1944 on the Island of Parry, and buried in the Coral Sands battlefield cemetery on Kirinian Island. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest at the Saint Michael Cemetery in Radom, Illinois. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.