World War II Honoree

John Zamora

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps October 1, 1943 at Santa Fe, New Mexico, with recruit training assigned to the First Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California for combat training. Served as a Rifleman with the Fourth Marine Division in the Northwestern Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Headquarters Company, Third Battalion and Twenty-Fifth Marine Regiment. His division participated in the amphibious assault on the island of Saipan, (Battle Dates: June 15-July 9, 1944) Marianas Islands. Killed in action June 16, 1944 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, with burial in the Fourth Division battlefield cemetery Location: Saipan. His name has been etched on one of the Twenty-Sixth granite plates, located in the court of Honor, American Memorial on Saipan. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that he be buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico with interment June 7, 1948. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.