World War II Honoree

Howard D. Comin

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Windsor, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps January 2, 1940 at Denver, Colorado, with recruit training assigned to the Fourth 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. When graduating from basic training, he was designated to attend the Marine Corps Aviation Flight Training Program. Served with the Marine Bombing Squadron-232, VMSB-232 AKA: Red Devils, Marine Air Group-21, And Third Marine Second Aircraft Wing Location: Western Pacific Theater of Operations. On December 23, 1941 he was mortally wounded during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces in the Battle of Wake Island, Nicknamed: Alamo of the Pacific (December 8–23, 1941). His Brothers-in-Army buried him in the United States Cemetery located on Peacock Point, Wake Island. His remains were repatriated from Wake, with interment July 10, 1953 at Honolulu Memorial Cemetery Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Silver Star and the Purple Heart. The Silver Star was awarded to the Sergeant for Distinguished Gallantry in Action and Valor in Combat against an enemy force, and the Purple Heart for his ultimate sacrifice.