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| PFC Floyd Pearson, Americal Division, earned the Distinguished Service Cross at the Gifu. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/165294981/floyd-pearson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mount_Austen,_the_Galloping_Horse,_and_the_Sea_Horse |
Floyd Pearson never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on August 6, 1919 in Rockford, Illinois. His parents Adolph and Anna were born in Sweden and Iowa, respectively. His father worked as a grocery store proprietor, and later as a paint contractor. Still later he was a night watchman. Floyd had one older sister, two older brothers, and one younger sister. By 1940 Floyd was still living at home. He had completed eight years of education and was working as a machine operator.
He was drafted into the army in March 1941. He became a private first class in Company I, 3rd Battalion,132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division. The 132nd IR was one of the first army regiments sent overseas. It left New York in January 1942 and arrived in Australia by February. By May it was attached to the Americal Division in New Caledonia which was assigned to augment and then relieve the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal.
PFC Pearson and the 132nd Infantry Regiment landed on Guadalcanal on December 8, 1942. By the second week on island the 132nd was ordered to drive the Japanese off of Mt. Austen. This hill was high ground that allowed the Japanese to keep an eye on Henderson Field and make pesky night attacks that sometimes reached the airfield itself. The Japanese position was their strongest on the island and it took more than a month to clear them off the hill at the cost of 250 dead Americans.
PFC Pearson's 3rd Battalion was given the primary role in taking the hilly terrain in a thick jungle. The initial efforts were not successful. There was some limited success in taking some of the hills, but the strongest Japanese defense on the island, known as "the Gifu" would not fall easily. PFC Pearson was killed in in one of the failed frontal attacks on the Gifu on December 27, 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Here is PFC Pearson's citation. It is sadly lacking details and the reference to the Philippines Islands is in error.
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Floyd Pearson (36013061), Private First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy, in action against enemy forces on 27 December 1942, in the Philippine Islands. Private First Class Pearson's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
His grave is at Arlington Memorial Park Cemetery in Rockford, Illinois.
Last year on this date I profiled John Brenchley, 22nd Marine Regiment. You can read about John 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.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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