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| PFC Stanley Winnemucca landed on Green Beach at Tarawa on Green Beach with the 6th Marine Regiment. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62515148/stanley-winnemucca http://www.tarawaontheweb.org/aerial.htm |
Stanley Winnemucca never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on August 4, 1919 in Nixon, Nevada. His parents Pete and Nina were also both born in Nevada. His father worked as a farmer. Stanley had one younger sister. By 1940 Stanley was still living at home and worked as a laborer.
He volunteered for the US Marine Corps in February 1942. He became a private first class in Company B, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. The 6th MR joined the rest of the 2nd MD on Guadalcanal in January 1943. It helped eliminate the remaining Japanese forces on the island. After that, it was sent to New Zealand to prepare for the invasion of Tarawa.
The Americans began the invasion of Tarawa on November 20, 1943. Casualties were highest on the first day when low tide left the Marines far from the beach. The Japanese first implemented their die-to-the-last man strategy here. PFC's Winnemucca's Company B was not brought into the battle until the third day. He was killed in action on November 22, 1943 during the battalion's advance along the southern shore or possibly during the enemy Banzai attack that evening. Records show he was buried in a Tarawan grave, but when it came time to move his remains to a permanent cemetery they could not be found.
His cenotaph grave is at Nixon Cemetery in Nixon, Nevada.
Last year on this date I profiled B-17 bombardier George Williams. You can read about George 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
Since the landing on Green Beach was uncontested I tend to think that PFC Winnemucca was KIA 'following' the landing and during the battalion's advance along the southern shore. Also possibly during the enemy Banzai attack that evening. Just a point of interest.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I changed the profile to reflect your information.
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