World War II Honoree

Henry Zemola

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps March 3, 1941 at Chicago, Illinois and completed his basic training, with the First Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California for his combat training. After the completion of his infantry training, he was selected to attend Sea School at San Diego. Served as the first loader on Gun #6, Anti-Aircraft Battery aboard the USS Lexington AKA: Lady Lex, Aircraft Carrier CV-2, assigned to a Marine Detachment. The Seagoing airbase and her shipmates participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea against the Imperial Japanese Naval Aviators (Battle Dates: May 4-8, 1942) in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On the Eighth, at 11:00 hours the Carrier sustained multiple torpedo strikes on her Starboard bow, with three Bomb hits from enemy dive bombers, that penetrated the main deck, hitting the ammunition storage lockers and ignited fires in the gasoline storage areas. After the attack, Lady Lex became unseaworthy and the ship’s Captain gave the order to abandon ship, and she was scuttled by the USS Phelps Destroyer, DD-360. Reported missing in action, lost at sea on the day of the attack. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley in Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.