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| Sgt. George Gorbell, 2nd Marine Divison earned the Silver Star at Tinian. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47826034/george-william-gorball https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-C-Tinian/index.html |
George William Gorball never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
George was born on August 28, 1920 in Ranchester, Wyoming. His parents Carroll and Laura (Short) were born in Nebraska and Iowa, respectively. His father worked as a farmer, a US Mail carrier, and a construction foreman. George had three older sisters, a younger sister and a younger brother. By 1940 George had moved away from home. His parents were living in Laramie and moved to West Ogden, Utah during the war.
He enlisted in the US Marine Corps in July 1940. He was sent to Pearl Harbor one week after the Japanese December 1941 attack. He reached the rank of sergeant in Company C, 1st Battalion (Engineers), 18th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.
George would have participated in the battles of Tarawa and Saipan. Having made it through those two bloody conflicts he was a sergeant when it came time for the 2nd Marine Division to take Tinian which was needed as an airbase for the Twentieth Air Force. It landed on the island on July 25, 1944. It was a tough assignment only two weeks after a month of fighting at Saipan.
August 1 would be the last day of the fighting. At that time the Japanese were making their last stand in caves and ravines on the south end of the island. In the act of flushing out the remaining defenders many Marines were wounded. Under fire, Sgt. Gorball crossed dangerous minefields to come to their aid. He was fatally wounded himself and died one day later on August 2, 1944. Sgt. Gorball was one of 326 Marines killed in this battle, far less than future battles would cost. This was the last time the Japanese contested the landing at the beaches to no avail. After Tinian the Japanese would switch to a defense in depth strategy that would prove so costly at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Sgt. Gorball's selfless actions from August 1 were recognized by a posthumous Silver Star award. The citation reads as follows:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant George W. Gorball (MCSN: 289589), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous Gallantry and intrepidity while serving with the First Battalion, Eighteenth Marines, SECOND Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Tinian, Marianas Islands, 1 August 1944.
When members of an assault engineer mine reconnaissance patrol sustained serious casualties as a result of intense enemy fire, Sergeant Gorball unhesitatingly volunteered to assist in removing the wounded and, fearlessly braving the terrific barrages from powerful automatic weapons, picked his way through dangerous minefields to the exposed position where men lay helpless. Fatally wounded while administering aid to one of the Marines, Sergeant Gorball exhausted his fast waning strength to care for his companion, persisting in his heroic efforts until he collapsed.
By his outstanding courage in the face of extreme peril, his exceptional initiative and his unwavering devotion to duty, he upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
General Orders: Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 1296 (February 22, 1945)
General Orders: Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 1296 (February 22, 1945)
His grave is at Sheridan Municipal Cemetery in Sheridan, Wyoming.
This is one of the final 50 stories to be written as part of this project which ends on September 2, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. At that time more than 1,370 men and women will have been profiled. The project will live on in an expanded program to write the stories of all 400,000+ US World War II fallen. Visit www.storiesbehindthestars.org to learn more. We welcome your continued support and interest and encourage you to help write some of these stories.
Last year on this date I profiled MIA B-25 copilot Charles Cannon. You can read about Charles 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
Last year on this date I profiled MIA B-25 copilot Charles Cannon. You can read about Charles 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
WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation
“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tinian
The Battle for Tinian: Vital Stepping Stone in America's War Against Japan by Nathan Prefer, 2012
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47826034/george-william-gorball
1920, 1930, 1940 census records
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