World War II Honoree

John E. Whitby

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Salt Lake City, Utah

Honored By

Paul A. Whitby

Relationship

Brother

CHIEF PHARMACIST'S MATE. ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY ON JUNE 2, 1942 AT LOGAN, UTAH. HE WAS A COLLEGE GRADUATE AND HAD BEEN TEACHING BUSINESS IN HIGH SCHOOLS IN UTAH WHEN THE WAR BEGAN. AFTER HE ENLISTED HE RECEIVED HIS BASIC RECRUIT TRAINING AND ATTENDED HOSPITAL CORPS SCHOOL IN SAN DIEGO. FOR FURTHER MEDICAL TRAINING HE WENT TO THE U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL, CORONA, CALIFORNIA. HE THEN RETURNED TO SAN DIEGO TO CAMP ELLIOT FOR TRAINING WITH THE U.S. MARINE CORPS. HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE MARINE CORPS AND LEFT FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC ON THE USS MOUNT VERNON WITH 10,000 MARINES ABOARD. 28 DAYS LATER THEY ARRIVED AT BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA THEN ON TO GOODENOUGH ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA. THERE THEY MET AND REPLACED THE MEN OF THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION AND HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE DIVISION SURGEON'S SPECIAL STAFF, DIVISION HEADQUARTERS. HE PARTICIPATED IN 2 MAJOR INVASIONS, CAPE GLOUCESTER AND PELELIU. HE RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE ON NOVEMBER 24, 1945 AT CAMP SHOEMAKER, CALIFORNIA. DURING HIS SERVICE HE ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS FROM APPRENTICE SEAMAN TO CHIEF HOSPITAL CORPSMAN OR CHIEF PHARMACIST'S MATE.