World War II Honoree

Patrick J. Gresk

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Cudahy, Wisconsin

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps August 1, 1941 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with recruit training assigned to the First 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 Light Machine Gunner with the Second Marine Division in the Central Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Hotel Company, Second Battalion and Eighth Marine Regiment. 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.