World War II Honoree

Ralph Edward Forsyth

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

San Diego, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel. He was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Upon his graduation, he was accepted into the U.S. Marine Corps. Served as an Executive Officer, assigned to Headquarters Company, Tenth Marine Regiment; an element of the Second Marine Division in the Northwestern Pacific Theater of Operations. His division participated in the amphibious assault on the island of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands (Battle Dates: June 15-July 9, 1944). Killed in action Saturday, June 24, 1944 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, and buried in the U.S. armed forces battlefield cemetery on Saipan. His name has been etched on one of the Twenty-Sixth granite plates, located in the court of Honor, American Memorial on Saipan. 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 February 1, 1949 in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation with one Bronze Star, American Defense Service Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon, Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon, and the WWII Victory Ribbon. The Legion of Merit awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The Purple Heart was awarded for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.