World War II Honoree

Jimmy Wilson Corzine

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Concord, North Carolina

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps January 14, 1942 from North Carolina. His boot camp training took place with the Seventh 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 Rifleman with Charlie Company, an element of the First Marine Raider Battalion, attached to the First Marine ‘the Old Breed’ Division in the Southwestern Pacific Theater of Operations. His Battalion participated in the amphibious assault on the island of Guadalcanal (Battle Dates: August 7, 1942-February 9, 1943) Solomon Islands Campaign, Code Name: Operation Watchtower. Killed in Action Monday September 14, 1942 in the Battle of Edson’s Ridge, during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese army forces, and buried in the Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Guadalcanal. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that his remains be transferred to Honolulu for burial, with interment in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. In his Memory and Honor, a cenotaph memorial has been placed at the Coldwater Baptist Church cemetery in Concord, North Carolina. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Navy Cross and the Purple Heart. The Navy Cross awarded for distinguished intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life. The Purple Heart was awarded for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.