World War II Honoree

Sebastian Baca Garde

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps August 26, 1942 at Los Angeles, California, with recruit training assigned to the Ninth 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 combat training. After his infantry training, he was selected to attend the Tank Fleet Marine Force Training Center, Camp Elliott, 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 Charlie Company and First Corps 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. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Saturday, November 20, 1943 on the first day of the invasion. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.