World War II Honoree

William Edward Quirk

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Dubuque, Iowa

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: First Lieutenant. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps May 20, 1942 from Iowa and completed his basic training, with the Eighth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base at Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Geiger, North Carolina for his combat training. Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in October of 1943 upon his graduation from the Officer Candidate School ‘OCS’ at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. Served as an Infantry Officer with the Sixth Marine Division in the Northwest Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Baker Company, First Battalion and Fourth Marine Regiment. His division participated in the Battle of Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands (Battle Dates: Easter Sunday, April 1–June 22, 1945) Code Name: Operation Iceberg. Killed in action Sunday, April 15, 1945 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, and buried in the Sixth Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Okinawa. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial, with interment at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Key West, Iowa. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.