World War II Honoree

Iva Lee Gray, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Albany, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps October 12, 1943 at San Francisco, California, with recruit training assigned to the Seventh 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 Rifleman with the Fifth Marine Division in the Western Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Baker Company, First Battalion and Twenty-Eighth 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 Monday, February 19, 1945 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, and buried in the Fifth Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Iwo. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest December 22, 1948 at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.