World War II Honoree

Aiden Alexander Zirkle

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. On April 13, 1942, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps from Maryland. His boot camp training took place with the Third 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 Rifle Team Leader with the First Marine Division in the Northwest Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Easy Company, Second Battalion and Seventh Marine Regiment. His division participated in the Battle of Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands against the Imperial Japanese and Naval forces (Battle Dates: Easter Sunday, April 1–June 22, 1945) Code Name: Operation Iceberg. He died of wounds encountered on the battlefield Friday, April 13, 1945 and buried in the First Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Okinawa. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that his remains be transferred to Honolulu. He was laid to rest March 10, 1949 in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Mount Jackson Cemetery in Mount Jackson, Virginia. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.