World War II Honoree

James Dewey Grahnert

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Vancouver, Washington

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps October 30, 1939 at Portland, Oregon, 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. Following basic and advanced infantry training, he was deployed to the Philippine Islands and based at Fort Mills Location: Corregidor Island AKA: the Rock. Served as a Fire-Team Leader with Fox Company, Second Battalion and Fourth Marine Regiment. His unit participated in the Battle of Corregidor against the Imperial Japanese forces (Battle Dates: May 5-6, 1942). When his Commander General Wainwright capitulated to the enemy, he was captured on the second day of the invasion. As a prisoner, he was transferred to the City of Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, and detained at the Prisoner of War Camp. The Palawan Massacre took his life December 14, 1944, with burial in the Prisoner cemetery. In the post-war era personnel from a Graves Registration Company disinterred his remains from the camp cemetery, and were laid to rest in the United States Armed Forces Cemetery Location: Leyte #1 Tacloban, Philippine Islands. His family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery Lemay, Missouri, with Interment February 14, 1952. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.