Tag: Birmingham Alabama

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Reynolds, Marvin Thomas
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

Marvin Thomas Reynolds, age 19, from Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson county.

Parents: Johnnie Reynolds

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, November 21, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Marvin T. Reynolds, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Birmingham, Alabama, was a member of the 1st Marine Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 21, and buried in Cemetery #11, Grave #6, Row #3, Plot #3. After the war his remains could not be located. Today, Private First Class Reynolds is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Stark, Albert Kenneth
Marines Private

Albert Kenneth Stark, age 19, from Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson county.

Parents: Alberta Stark

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, November 21, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Albert Kenneth Stark joined the U.S. Marine Corps from Alabama and was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, which took part in the Battle of Tarawa. On November 21, 1943, he was killed in action on Tarawa and was buried in Cemetery #11, but after the war his remains were not located. He is still unaccounted-for. Today, Private First Class Stark is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, grave marker, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Sanders, Robert Lee
Marines Reserves Private

Robert Lee Sanders, age 18, from Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson county.

Parents: Mary Weidman

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class Robert Lee Sanders entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Alabama and served in Company L, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa on November 20. He was buried in the Cemetery #26, Grave #9, Row #1, Plot #3, but after the war his remains were not identified among those disinterred from the cemetery. Private First Class Sanders is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Sams, William Robert
Marines Reserves Private 1st class

William Robert Sams, age 19, from Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson county.

Parents: Thomas J. Sams

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Saturday, November 20, 1943
Death details: From November 20 through 23, 1943, the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy conducted a large-scale amphibious assault on the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa as part of Operation Galvanic, the Allied capture of the Gilbert Islands. Located 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii, Tarawa was a crucial stepping stone in the planned U.S. offensive across the central Pacific toward Japan. The Japanese garrison on Tarawa’s main island of Betio was well-entrenched with hundreds of bunkers and gun positions behind formidable beach obstacles. The first wave of Marines approaching the shore encountered lower-than-expected tides, forcing them to leave their landing craft on the reef and wade the hundreds of yards to the beach under intense enemy fire. The heaviest number of U.S. casualties were suffered during this phase of the landing. Eventually, rising tides allowed U.S. warships to maneuver closer to shore and support the troops with effective naval gunfire. More Marines landed on the second day, launching attacks inland from the beaches and seizing the Japanese airfield on the island. However, the enemy launched vicious counterattacks and two more days of intense fighting were needed to secure Betio. The last enemy strongpoints were taken on the morning of November 23. The fighting on Betio cost the Marines nearly 3,000 casualties but enabled U.S. forces to press further across the Pacific and yielded valuable tactical lessons that reduced U.S. losses in future amphibious landings. Private First Class William Robert Sams entered the U.S. Marine Corps from Alabama and served in Company C of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. He was killed in action on November 20, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa. Private First Class was buried in Main Marine Cemetery, Cemetery #33, but he was not identified among remains disinterred from any burial sites on Tarawa after the war. Today, Private First Class Sams is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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Rogers, Thomas Spurgeon
Navy Reserves Chief watertender

Thomas Spurgeon Rogers, age 49, from Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson county.

Spouse: Thomas Spurgeon Rogers

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Montgomery Advertiser

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McCary, William Moore
Navy Musician 2nd class

William Moore McCary, age 17, from Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson county.

Parents: William Nabers McCary

Service era: World War II
Schools: South Highland High

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona. Remains not recovered.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Birmingham News (1942)

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Ellsberry, Julius
Navy Mess attendant 1st class

Julius Ellsberry, age 20, from Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson county.

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Sunday, December 7, 1941
Death details: Killed aboard the USS Arizona
Cemetery: New Grace Hill Cemetery, Birmingham

Source: National Archives, al.com

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Coates, Roman Willies
Army Private 1st class

Roman Willies Coates from Jefferson County Birmingham, Alabama .

Parents: Agnes Coates

Service era: Korea

Date of death: Unknown
Death details: By mid-November 1950, U.S. and Allied forces had advanced to within approximately sixty miles of the Yalu River, the border between North Korea and China. On November 25, approximately 300,000 Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) “volunteers” suddenly and fiercely counterattacked after crossing the Yalu. The 2nd Infantry Division, located the farthest north of units at the Chongchon River, could not halt the CCF advance and was ordered to withdraw to defensive positions at Sunchon in the South Pyongan province of North Korea. As the division pulled back from Kunu-ri toward Sunchon, it conducted an intense rearguard action while fighting to break through well-defended roadblocks set up by CCF infiltrators. The withdrawal was not complete until December 1, and the 2nd Infantry Division suffered extremely heavy casualties in the process. Corporal Roman Willies Coates joined the U.S. Army from Alabama and was a member of Battery B, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. On November 30, 1950, he was captured by enemy forces south of Kunu-ri, as his unit made their fighting withdrawal toward Sunchon. He was marched to a prisoner of war camp in Kaechon, North Korea, where, in January 1951, he died of wounds he had suffered in the earlier fighting. He was not identified among remains returned to U.S. custody after the war, and he is still unaccounted-for. Today, Corporal Coates is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed on the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, which was updated in 2022 to include the names of the fallen.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Birmingham Post Herald (1954)