World War II Honoree

John Grant Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Wichita, Kansas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps December 8, 1939 at Kansas City, Kansas, with recruit training assigned to the Fourth 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. Deployed to the Philippine Islands, and based at Fort Mills on Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock. Served in Mike Company, Third Battalion and Fourth Marine Regiment, and his unit participated in the Battle of Corregidor (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942). He was captured by the Imperial Japanese forces on the second day of the invasion, when his Commander General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy. As a prisoner, he was transferred to the Puerto Princesa Prisoner of War Camp on Palawan Island. The Palawan Massacre took his life on December 14, 1944, with burial in the Prisoner cemetery. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, personnel from an American Graves Registration Company disinterred his remains from the camp cemetery, and were laid to rest in the Manila American Cemetery at Fort William-McKinley, Philippine Islands. The family of this Marine received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest with Military Honors February 14, 1952 at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Saint Louis, Missouri. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.