World War II Honoree

Rene J. Fournier

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Lewiston, Maine

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps January 12, 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with recruit training assigned to the Tenth 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 Combat Engineer and assigned to Charlie Company, Fifth Engineers Battalion a subordinate of the Fifth Marine Division Location: Western Pacific Theater of Operations. 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. On March 23, 1945 he was killed in action, during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, with burial in the Fifth Marine Division battlefield cemetery on Iwo. Succeeding cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Saint Peter’s Cemetery Lewiston, Maine, with interment May 4, 1948. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.