World War II Honoree

James Richard Atkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Lonepine, Montana

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps April 23, 1939 at Seattle, Washington and completed his basic training, with the Fourth 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 Tank Training, Fleet Marine Force Training Center Camp Elliott Marine Corps Base in California. Served as a Tank Crewman in the Tracked Landing Vehicle AKA: Alligator, LVT-1, with the Second Marine Division in the Central Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Headquarters & Service Company and Second Amphibious Tractor Battalion. 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. Killed in action Saturday, November 23, 1943 on the third day of the invasion, and buried in the Lone Palm battlefield cemetery on Betio. 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 June 20, 1949 in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Silver Star and the Purple Heart. The Silver Star was awarded for his Distinguished Gallantry in Action and Valor in Combat against an enemy force, and the Purple Heart for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.