World War II Honoree

Earl T. Zachariason

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Lake Park, Minnesota

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps September 16, 1942 with induction at Saint Paul, Minnesota. He completed basic training with the Eighth 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. He served as a Rifleman, assigned to Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Twenty-Fifth Marine Regiment, an element of the Fourth Marine Division. His division participated in the amphibious assault, and occupation of Saipan Island Location: Northwestern Pacific Theater of Operations. Thursday, June 15, 1944 he was killed in action, during offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese forces. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the Fourth Marine Division Saipan 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 March 21, 1949 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.