World War II Honoree

Francis Colston Heath

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Arlington, Texas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps July 24, 1940 at Dallas, Texas. His boot camp training took place with the Fourth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Later he completed his Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. After the completion of his combat training, he was selected to attend Sea School at San Diego. Served aboard the USS Nevada Battleship, BB-36 assigned to a Marine Detachment and based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian Islands. On Sunday Morning, December 7, 1941 the Empire of Japan’s Naval Aviators launched a devastating, surprise attack on the U.S. Naval Base and other military installation on Oahu. The Nevada moored on Ford Island sustained a torpedo strike, three bombs hits and despite her wounds, along with her shipmates managed to get underway. While moving down the channel toward the open sea, the enemy hit his armored warship once again, and the Ship’s Captain had to beach her to keep the channel open. The Battle of Pearl Harbor took his life on the day of the attack, and interred in the Oahu Nuuanu Cemetery, Territory of Hawaii. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that his remains be buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific ‘Punchbowl’, with interment January 31, 1949. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.