World War II Honoree

John William Furry

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Toledo, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy December 6, 1942 at Chicago, Illinois, with his recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was transferred to the Medical Field Service School, Medical Battalion at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Served as a Navy Corpsman, Combat Medic with the Fourth Marine Division in the Western Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to the First Battalion and Twenty-Third Marine Regiment. His division participated in the amphibious assault on the Volcanic Island of Iwo Jima (Battle Dates: February 19-March 26, 1945) Code Name: Operation Detachment. Killed in Action Sunday, March 4, 1945 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, and buried in the fourth Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Iwo. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Navy Corpsman received his remains for burial, with interment at the Toledo Memorial Park Cemetery in Toledo, Illinois. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.