World War II Honoree

Alva Jackson Cremean

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Rocky Ford, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Relationship

Friend

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps July 13, 1940, at San Francisco, California with Basic Military Training at the Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was selected to attend Sea Duty. Following Sea School training, he was transferred to the USS Oklahoma Battleship (BB-37), assigned to a Marine Detachment. He was based at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. December 7, 1941 “Battle-of-Pearl Harbor” the Commencement of WWII, when the Emperor of Japan’s Naval Aviators launched a devastating, surprise attack on Oahu U.S. Naval Base, and other Military Installations. The USS Oklahoma with her Shipmate’s, lay moored on Ford Island sustained, multiple aerial torpedo hits; which caused her to quickly capsize. He was fatally wounded during, this “Historical Battle” and interred in the Oahu Nuuanu Cemetery, Territory of Hawaii. In remembrance of the brave, his name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Honolulu Memorial Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. Personnel from the Defense Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency in Hawaii disinterred an unknown from Oahu Cemetery and transferred the remains to their Honolulu’s laboratory for analysis, where he was identified June 15, 2015. The family of this Marine requested that he be buried, with Military Honors at Arbor Vitae Cemetery, with interment December 7, 2018 and located in Madera, California. In his Memory, this American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously for his Heroism, and ultimate sacrifice. He served his Country with Pride and Honor.