World War II Honoree

Rolland R. Wilder

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps November 11, 1942 at Denver, Colorado, 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 his combat training. Following 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 Third Marine Division in the Central Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Charlie Company, an element of the Third Amphibious Tractor Battalion. His division participated in the amphibious assault on the Island of Guam (Dates of Battles: July 21-August 10, 1944) Code Name: Operation Forager. Killed in Action Thursday, July 27, 1944 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, and buried in a battlefield cemetery on Guam. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest March 6, 1948 at the Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.