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| PFC Cleave Sinor earned the Distinguished Service Cross with the 27th Infantry Division on Saipan. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/153738415/cleave-earl-sinor https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/the-war-between-the-smiths-high-command-feud-at-saipan/ |
Cleave Earl Sinor never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on April 23, 1919 in Arkansas. His parents William and Lucy were also both born in Arkansas. His father worked as a farmer. Cleave had three younger brothers. Cleave completed a grammar school level of education and worked as a farm hand.
He was drafted into the army on October 16, 1942. He became a private first class in Company A, 1st Battalion, 165th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. The 27th ID was deployed in defensive positions in California right after the Pearl Harbor attack. In May 1942 it was sent to Hawaii to defend that location. It first saw action when it captured the Makin Atoll in November 1943. PFC Sinor may have joined his unit around that time.
The 27th ID played a major role in the attack on Saipan, landing on D+1, June 16, 1944. It was tough fighting taking on the center section of the attack. On June 17, PFC Sinor's company was sent to relieve a Marine company on the flatlands below Aslito Airport. That day, they stormed past the airport and took a valuable hill. During the night his company came under heavy artillery fire and found themselves nearly surrounded. They got the word to pull out. Sinor is quoted as saying "I helped take this hill and the only way I will leave it is when they carry me off dead." PFC Sinor held back the enemy until he was killed. He was credited with killing 200 of the enemy. He was named by the War Department as one of the 20 outstanding heroes of the Battle of Saipan and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star (although one source says it was the Distinguished Service Cross).
His Silver Star citation reads as follows.
"When the platoon of which PFC. Sinor was the automatic weapon gunner was overrun in a surprise attack at nightfall and the remainder of the platoon fell back, PFC Sinor refused to retreat and deliberately remained in position to fire upon the enemy although he know it meant certain death. This heroic action, which delayed the enemy sufficiently to enable our forces to establish the line and affect an orderly withdrawal was in the finest traditions of the military service."
His grave is at Pilgrims Rest Cemetery in Monkey Run, Arkansas.
Last year on this date I profiled Guadalcanal Medal hero John Strandwitz, 1st Marine Division. 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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