The stories of those who served in the Guadalcanal Campaign and never came home

Since the start of this year, I have profiled a number of men who were involved in the pivotal Guadalcanal campaign. Yesterday was the 75th Anniversary of the Marine landing on Guadalcanal.

Here are the stories of some of those who served in the Guadalcanal campaign but never made it home:

Former Cornel University boxing team captain Ira Wilson served on the USS Atlanta at its final battle near Guadalcanal:  http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/02/ww2-fallen-ira-wilson-uss-atlanta.html

B-17 navigator Leo Eminger's plane crashed near Guadalcanal. http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/03/ww2-fallen-leo-eminger-b-17-navigator.html

Sgt. Frank Winterling was killed during a night naval bombardment of Henderson Field. There is a touching story about his brother and father. 

http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/03/ww2-fallen-frank-winterling-guadalcanal.html

Lt. Harold Taylor fought with the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal and earned the Navy Cross. (no photo)

http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/03/ww2-fallen-harold-taylor-1st-marine.html 

Naval Academy grad Thomas Roddy was a lieutenant on the USS Juneau, sunk after fighting against Japanese naval forces off Guadalcanal.
http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/04/ww2-fallen-thomas-roddy-uss-juneau.html

Sgt. William Hammack was on the first American plane lost in the Guadalcanal Campaign. (no photo)
http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/04/ww2-fallen-william-hammack-b-17-crewman.html

Americal Division private Lester Purcell died fighting on Guadalcanal. (no photo)
http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/04/ww2-fallen-lester-purcell-americal.html

Navy Wildcat fighter pilot Ensign William Wileman fought at the Battle of Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, and then joined the Cactus Air Force at Henderson Field. A navy ship was named after him.
http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/05/ww2-fallen-wildcat-pilot-william-wileman.html

US Naval Academy grad Lt. Ray Penrod was on the USS Meredith when it was sunk near Guadalcanal by Japanese carrier planes.
http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/07/ww2-fallen-lt-ray-penrod-uss-meredith.html

USS New Orleans Shipfitter Second Class Gust Swenning earned the Navy Cross for helping to save his ship from sinking near Guadalcanal. A ship was named for him in his honor.
http://ww2fallen100.blogspot.com/2017/08/ww2-fallen-navy-cross-hero-gust.html

There were actually more than twice as many men lost at sea than on land in the effort to take Guadalcanal. Overall it cost more than 7,000 men to start the American's long island hopping campaign to end the war in the Pacific.

Share these stories with those who want to remember and honor these fallen. So far these stories of the WW2 Fallen have been read more than 200,000 times. Thanks for your interest!

Don Milne
Bountiful, UT