WW2 Iwo Jima Fallen - Wyatt Percell, 5th Marine Division

Sgt. Wyatt Percell landed on Iwo Jima on the first day with the 5th Marine Division and was killed on D+1.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47582682/wyatt-harrison-percell
https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/pacific/iwo-jima/5th-division-marines-under-fire-on-iwo-jima-red-beach-no-1-feb-19-1945/ 

Wyatt Harrison Percell never had a chance to reach 102 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

When I started this project two years ago, my rookie research skills resulted in me not finding one of the fallen born on January 15, 1917. Now that I have more experience, I was able to find someone for this date I passed over. Since my goals is to do a profile for each day until the 75th anniversary of the end of WW2 (September 2, 2020), I have decided to go back and add the dates I missed.

He was born on January 25, 1917 in Kansas. His parents Fred and Elva were born in Illinois and Nebraska, respectively. His father worked as a farmer in Colorado in 1920. By 1930 he was a sawmill planer in Oregon. Wyatt had two older brothers and two younger brothers. Wyatt married Luella Dittman in 1933 when he was 16 and she was 18. By 1940 they were living in Jefferson, Oregon where he worked as a commercial laborer. They had a daughter and three sons.

He enlisted in the Marines in September 1942. He saw action in New Georgia Island where he was wounded in the leg while serving with the 2nd Raider Battalion. He was sent home in October 1943 for an operation and to recover where he decided he was not yet done serving his country. He became a sergeant in Company G, 3rd Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division.

Sgt. Percell's battalion landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. Casualties were heavy but Sgt. Percell survived the first day of the battle. On February 20, 1945 he was part of the assault battalion sent forward along the 5th Division's 1,000 yard front. They advanced across open terrain with little cover under observation of enemy artillery and mortar positions. Sgt. Percell was killed in action during this part of the battle.

His grave is at Rest-Haven Memorial Park in Eugene, Oregon. His widow did not remarry and died in 2001.

Thank you Sgt. Percell for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Wyatt.

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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