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| Pvt. Robert Holcomb served with the 4th Marine Division in Iwo Jima. Pvt. Benjamin Holcomb served with the 7th Infantry Division in Okinawa. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68586008/robert-pierce-holcomb https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68586022/benjamin-franklin-holcomb |
Robert Holcomb never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on November 25, 1919 in Robeson, North Carolina. His parents Franklin and Vara were also both born in North Carolina. His father worked as a saw mill laborer and a farmer. Robert had one older sister, three younger brothers, and one younger sister.
He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in June 1944. He became a private in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division. His brother Benjamin was drafted into the army one month later. He became a private in Company A, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.
The 4th Marine Division took part in the battles of Kwajalein, Saipan, and Tinian before its final battle on Iwo Jima. Pvt. Holcomb joined the 2/25 in time to be part of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Casualties were heavy for the first week, but Pvt. Holcomb was still unharmed on D+8, February 27, 1945. On that day the terrain in front of the 2nd Battalion was dense with caves and pillboxes. The Marines paid a heavy price to keep up their advance that day. One of those killed was Pvt. Robert Holcomb. The 4th Marine Division would suffer more than 4,000 casualties in only 14 days.
His brother Ben, who served in the 7th Infantry Division, was killed near the end of the Battle of Okinawa on June 6, 1945.
The brothers' bodies were returned home at the same time four years later and were buried at Rowland Cemetery in Rowland, North Carolina in February 1949.
Last year on this date I profiled Medal of Honor hero Robert McCard, 4th Marine Division at Saipan. You can read about Robert 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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