World War II Honoree

Joseph W. Bayless

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Farmington, Missouri

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Staff Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps September 3, 1940 at Saint Louis, Missouri, with recruit training assigned to the Second Recruit Battalion Recruit Depot; 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 served with Headquarters Company, Second Amphibian Tractor Battalion a subordinate unit of the Second Marine Division Location: Central Pacific Theater of Operations. His division participated in the amphibious assault on the Island of Betio, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, Code Name: Operation Galvanic. November 20, 1943 he was mortally wounded during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces. At the conclusion of the Tarawa Battle, his Brothers-in-Arms buried him in the Lone Palm battlefield cemetery on Betio. In the post-war era, his family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Honolulu Memorial Cemetery Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, with interment January 10, 1949. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.