- SURNAME
Gatton
- FORENAME
James William
- UNIT
formerly 1st Marine Parachute Regiment
- RANK
Private First Class
- NUMBER
514333
- DATE OF DEATH
8th March 1945
- AGE
21
- GRAVESITE
Mound View Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Ohio, USA.
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
resided Mount Vernon, Ohio
born 05.11.1923, Lancaster, Ohio, USA
father Melrose Ray Gatton (1902-1958)
mother Martha I Gatton (1904-1965)
employed by Jewell Elec Cream Co.
27.01.1942 draft card Knox, Ohio
14.12.1942 entered service
1944 married Marion Elizabeth (nee Scott) Rine (1924-2019)
KIA Iwo Jima, Japan
posthumous Silver Star
DATE OF DEATH:
08-Mar-1945CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class James W. Gatton (MCSN: 514333), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as an Automatic Rifleman, serving with Company B, Third Battalion, Twenty-sixth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 7 March 1945. When his squad came under intense enemy machine-gun and knee-mortar fire during an advance against a hostile pillbox, Private First Class Gatton unhesitatingly exposed himself to the devastating barrage in an effort to gain a more advantageous position for supporting his squad's attack. Moving his weapon to commanding ground and opening fire on the Japanese, he remained steadfast despite the enemy's concentrated efforts to drive him from his controlling position and, although grenades continued to explode throughout the area, he maintained his fire against the attackers until they were forced to withdraw. By his daring initiative, indomitable fighting spirit and aggressive determination in the face of overwhelming odds, Private First Class Gatton contributed to the success of his squad in destroying a knee-mortar and a machine-gun nest without casualty, and his valiant devotion to duty throughout the furious engagement reflects the highest credit upon himself and The United States Naval Service.
WEB LINKS:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/36475FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/83058418/james-william-gattonSERVICE HISTORY:
ELEVENTH RECRUIT BATTALION, RECRUIT DEPOT, MCB, SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA
Jan 1943 Pvt, "20, assgd act d; 24, jdfr CRD; 14Dec42, enl DHS, Cincinnati, Ohio"
COMPANY B, PARACHUTE TRAINING SCHOOL, CAMP GILLESPIE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Apr 1943 Pvt, "1-27, studpara; 28, desig para; 26-30, para"
FIRST PARACHUTE BATTALION, FIRST MARINE PARACHUTE REGIMENT, 1STMAC
Jul 1943, PFC, ""A"Co; Para"
Oct 1943, PFC, ""A"Co; Para"
HEADQUARTERS, FIRST PARACHUTE BATTALION, FIRST MARINE PARACHUTE REGIMENT, FMF, AT SEA
Jan 1944, PFC, ""A"Co; Para"
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES, FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, CAMP JOSEPH H. PENDLETON, OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Apr 1944, PFC, "745; "H"Co."
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES (REINFORCED), FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE, CAMP JOSEPH H. PENDLETON, OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Jul 1944, PFC, "746, "H""
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES (REINFORCED), FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE, C/O FLEET POST OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Oct 1944, PFC, "746,"H""
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES (REINFORCED), FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE, C/O FLEET POST OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Jan 1945, PFC, "746, H"
Jan 1943 Pvt, "20, assgd act d; 24, jdfr CRD; 14Dec42, enl DHS, Cincinnati, Ohio"
COMPANY B, PARACHUTE TRAINING SCHOOL, CAMP GILLESPIE, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Apr 1943 Pvt, "1-27, studpara; 28, desig para; 26-30, para"
FIRST PARACHUTE BATTALION, FIRST MARINE PARACHUTE REGIMENT, 1STMAC
Jul 1943, PFC, ""A"Co; Para"
Oct 1943, PFC, ""A"Co; Para"
HEADQUARTERS, FIRST PARACHUTE BATTALION, FIRST MARINE PARACHUTE REGIMENT, FMF, AT SEA
Jan 1944, PFC, ""A"Co; Para"
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES, FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, CAMP JOSEPH H. PENDLETON, OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Apr 1944, PFC, "745; "H"Co."
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES (REINFORCED), FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE, CAMP JOSEPH H. PENDLETON, OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Jul 1944, PFC, "746, "H""
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES (REINFORCED), FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE, C/O FLEET POST OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Oct 1944, PFC, "746,"H""
THIRD BATTALION, TWENTY-SIXTH MARINES (REINFORCED), FIFTH MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE, C/O FLEET POST OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Jan 1945, PFC, "746, H"
Last edited:
