World War II Honoree

Richard Jack Watson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Fort Madison, Iowa

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps September 16, 1940 at Des Moines, Iowa, with recruit training assigned to the Third 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. Served as a Rifle Team Leader with the Second Marine Division in the Southwestern Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Kilo Company, Third Battalion and Sixth Marine Regiment. His Division participated in the amphibious assault on the island of Guadalcanal (Battle Dates: August 7, 1942-February 9, 1943) Solomon Islands Campaign, Code Name: Operation Watchtower. Killed in Action Sunday, January 24, 1943 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese Forces and buried in the Second Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Guadalcanal. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that his remains be buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific ‘Punchbowl’ Hawaii, with interment January 5, 1949. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.