World War II Honoree

John Walker Page, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Boilermaker First Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy September 14, 1937 at Richmond, Virginia, with recruit training at the U.S. Naval Training Station Newport, Rhode Island. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was transferred to the USS Juneau Cruiser, CL-52 for duty. He re-enlisted July 8, 1941 at San Pedro, California, while on board his Cruiser. On August 7, 1942 the Cruiser and her shipmates, along with an armada of U.S. Battleships, Destroyers and other warships, arrived off-shore of Guadalcanal, South Pacific Theater of Operations in support of the impending invasion. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Friday, November 13, 1942 when his Cruiser was torpedoed, and sunk by an Imperial Japanese Submarine during the Naval Battle. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley in Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.