World War II Honoree

John Peter Zimmer, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Santa Monica, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps from New York, with recruit training assigned to the Thirteenth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base 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 Second Marine Division Location: Northwestern Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Alpha Company, First Battalion and Eighth 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 15, 1944 during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, with burial in the Second Marine Division battlefield cemetery, Saipan. His name has been etched on one of the Twenty-Sixth granite plates, located in the court of Honor, American Memorial, Saipan. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that he be buried at Honolulu Memorial Cemetery Location: Honolulu, Hawaii with interment February 11, 1949. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.