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| Cpl. William Wolvington served with the 1st Marine Division at the Battle of the Tenaru and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81997871/william-henry-wolvington https://www.pinterest.com/judah55/us-navy-cross-medal/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/usmcarchives/36545717782 |
William Henry Wolvington never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
William was born on April 26, 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents John and Jane were also both born in Pennsylvania. All of his grandparents were born in England. His father worked as a dying mill examiner and later as a WPA laborer. William had one older sister, two younger brothers, and one younger sister.
He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in October 1940. He became a corporal in the 2nd Battalion, First Marine Regiment, First Marine Division.
William married his wife Dorothy shortly before leaving the states for the South Pacific in April 1942. He was one of the first marines to land on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942. Cpl. Wolvington had the distinction of being one of the marines who tore down the Japanese flag at the airfield the Americans captured and renamed Henderson Field.
In the early hours of August 21, a Japanese force sent to retake the airfield from the Americans attacked across Alligator Creek in what became known as the Battle of the Tenaru. The overconfident Japanese underestimated the size and fortitude of the defending Americans and the attack was a complete failure with only 30 of 900 Japanese troops escaping death or capture. Cpl. Wolvington played a key role in the American victory at the cost of his life. He was one of 41-44 marines killed in the battle. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
Cpl. Wolvington's citation is as follows:
When his platoon was enfiladed by machine gun fire, Corporal Wolvington, with courageous disregard for his own personal safety, advanced to the front line, picked up an abandoned machine gun and silenced the hostile fire. Continuing to carry the weapon and firing from the hip, he killed Japanese who had filtered across the river and assisted in silencing two enemy machine guns on the far bank. Exposed to deadly fire throughout the action, he fought with stubborn persistence until he was mortally wounded.
He gallantly gave up his life in the service of his country.
Thank you Corporal Wolvington for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for William.
Last year on this date I profiled B-24 airman Robert Boyd. 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.
Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
His grave is at Forest Hills Memorial Park in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania. I don't know what happened to his widow.
Last year on this date I profiled B-24 airman Robert Boyd. 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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