World War II Honoree

Fred Clay Wallace

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Odd, West Virginia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. On September 3, 1940, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps at Charleston, West Virginia. His boot camp training took place with the First Recruit Battalion Training Regiment, Marine Corps Base at Parris Island, South Carolina. Later he completed his Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger, North Carolina. Served as a rifle team leader with the Second Marine Division in the Central Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Echo Company, Second Battalion and Second Marine Regiment. His division participated in the amphibious assault against the Imperial Japanese forces in the Battle of Tarawa. The combat engagement took place on the Island of Betio, located on the Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands Code Name: Operation Galvanic. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Saturday, November 20, 1943 on the first day of the invasion. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.