World War II Honoree

Dexter Wilson Fincher

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Prineville, Oregon

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps July 10, 1939 with induction at Portland, Oregon. He completed his basic training with the Fifth Recruit Battalion, Recruit Depot: Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. After completing his basic training and Sea Duty Indoctrination Course at San Diego, he was selected to serve with a Marine Detachment, aboard the USS Arizona Battleship, BB-30 for duty as Captain of a Five-Inch Gun Battery, and based at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. Sunday Morning, December 7, 1941 the Emperor of Japan and his Naval Aviators launched their well-planned attack on the U.S. Fleet at Pearl Harbor and other military installations on Oahu. The Arizona moored on Ford Island along with her shipmates came under attack, and she was sunk by an armor piercing bomb, which ignited the forward ammunition magazine. Reported missing in action or buried at sea, succeeding the attack. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Honolulu Memorial Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.