- SURNAME
Stokes
- FORENAME
Lonnie Buford
- UNIT
1st Marine Parachute Battalion
- RANK
Sergeant
- NUMBER
306858
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
Bougainville, 29th November 1943
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
resided Winston-Salem, North Carolina
born 22.05.1918 Cycle, Yadkin County, North Carolina, USA
employed by Haines Hosiery Mill, Winston-Salem
resided 2230 Greenway Avenue, Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina (draft card)
16.10.1940 draft card Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina
03.1942 entered service
26.02.1947 discharged Camp Lejeune, Onslow County, North Carolina
single upon discharge
wife Lula Baugus Stokes (????-2014)
sons Dennis & Arnold, daughter Deborah
employed by Tultex, Roanoke, Virginia (retired 1980)
1982 moved to Walkertown
died 03.10.2001 (Aged 83) Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina
Gardens of Memory, Walkertown, Forsyth County, North Carolina, USA
CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lonnie B. Stokes (MCSN: 306858), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with the First Marine Parachute Battalion in action against numerically superior enemy Japanese forces near Koi-ari, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, on November 29, 1943. When his advancing squad was suddenly hit by withering enemy ground and sniper fire, Sergeant Stokes immediately maneuvered his men into positions most effective for returning the hostile fire and coolly directed their efforts. Observing that three members of his squad were severely wounded during the action, he unhesitatingly risked his life to remove them to the battalion aid station, repeatedly passing through known enemy machine-gun fire lanes. The courageous conduct and unselfish devotion to duty displayed by Sergeant Stokes in the face of grave peril were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
WEB LINKS:
• https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-38921/FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/100053896/lonnie-b-stokes
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