World War II Honoree

Gerald Richard Casey

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Augusta, Georgia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps January 15, 1942 at Macon, Georgia, with recruit training assigned to the Fourth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base at Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Geiger, North Carolina for combat training. Served as a Rifleman with the Fourth Marine Division in the Western Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Charlie Company, First Battalion and Twenty-Third 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 Wednesday, February 21, 1945 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, with burial in the Fourth Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Iwo. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial, laid to rest at the Westover Memorial Parks Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.