World War II Honoree

Ernest N. Gilley, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Salt Lake City, Utah

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps June 25, 1940 with induction at Salt Lake City, Utah. He completed basic training with the Fifth 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 infantry training, he was deployed to Wake Island AKA: Alamo of the Pacific, assigned to a Marine Detachment, First Defense Battalion Location: Western Pacific Theater of Operations. Tuesday, December 23, 1941 he was mortally wounded, during a combat engagement against the Imperial Japanese forces. Succeeding the Battle-of-Wake, his Brothers-in-Arms buried him in the United States Cemetery on Peacock Point. His remains were repatriated from Wake, with interment July 10, 1953 at the Honolulu Memorial Cemetery Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.