WW2 Iwo Jima Fallen - Silver Star hero John Kirby, 5th Marine Division

Sgt. John Kirby commanded a flame thrower tank, such as this one, during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99284371/john-mooney-kirby
http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_m4_sherman_flamethrower.php

John Mooney Kirby never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on January 29, 1918 in Georgia. His parents John and Francis were also both born in Georgia. His father worked as a shipyard driller and later a chief engineer with the YMCA. John's mother died in 1933. He had three older brothers and an older sister (one brother served in the army during the war). By 1940 John had completed two years of high school and was already serving in the US Marines as a private first class.

John rose to the rank of sergeant in Company C, 5th Tank Battalion, 5th Marine Division. He married Anna Lee Walker on December 17, 1943.

Sgt. Kirby was in command of a flame thrower tank when the 5th Marine Division landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. He was killed in action three days later. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. His citation includes the following:

Cool and courageous while approaching to destroy an enemy installation, Sergeant Kirby acted instantly when his tank threw a track and, dismounting from the disabled vehicle, directed his crew in a hurried attempt to effect repairs despite the sudden concentration of blasting fire pouring forth from a Japanese emplacement beyond range of the tank's flame gun. 

Determined to reduce the heavy volume of hostile fire, he advanced toward the enemy position by foot carrying a sub-machine gun and succeeded in delivering several bursts of fire into the entrance and ports of the installation before he fell under the impact of an enemy grenade. 

By his unfaltering leadership, tenacious perseverance and self-sacrificing devotion to duty he aided in reducing the hostile fire and enabled the other members of the tank crew to place their vehicle back in action. 

His conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon Sergeant Kirby and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

His grave is at Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery in Princeton, West Virginia. I don't know what happened to his widow.

Thank you John for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for John.

John Forsythe

While John Kirby was denied the opportunity to return home and live a full life, another John, John Forsythe, was born on the very same day and lived to age 92.

John Forsythe was an actor best known for his roles in Charlie's Angels, and Dynasty. He started his acting career with bit movie parts in the early 1940's. He joined the army and served stateside making films for the army and serving injured soldiers with speech problems.

John Forsythe appeared with Cary Grant in Destination Tokyo (1943) before joining the army.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001234/
http://theretroset.com/destination-tokyo-a-classic-example-of-the-1940s-propaganda-war-film/ 

Forsythe died in 2010.

Last year on this date I profiled Mosquito navigator Milford Hopkins. You can read about Milford here.

On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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