World War II Honoree

Walter J. Miller

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps April 10, 1942 with induction at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed basic training with the First Recruit Battalion Recruit Depot; Marine Barracks Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Geiger, North Carolina for combat training. Following infantry training, he served as a Rifleman with Bravo Company, First Battalion, Second Marine Regiment, an element of the Second Marine Division Location: Central Pacific Theater of Operations. His division participated in the amphibious assault on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll Gilbert Islands Code Name: Operation Galvanic. Saturday, November 20, 1943 he was mortally wounded during combat operations against the Imperial army forces. Succeeding the Battle, his Brothers-in-Arms buried him in the Betio Lone Palm battlefield cemetery. In the post-war era, this Marines’ family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Honolulu Memorial Cemetery, with interment January 10, 1949 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.