Private First Class Agnew was with his brothers in Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in the Corps history.
It was November 21, 1943 (D+1 for the “Battle of Tarawa”), when young Robert - just 21 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son or husband off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Robert’s family accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Silver Star
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Private First Class
Battalion: Headquarters Battalion
Division: 2d Marine Division
GENERAL ORDERS:
Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 2013 (May 2, 1944)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Robert H. Agnew (MCSN: 264583), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, SECOND Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 20 and 21 November 1943. Acting as stretcher bearer on a section of the beach where heavy casualties among hospital corpsmen made the lack of trained first aid men acute, Private First Class Agnew voluntarily advanced under intense enemy machinegun and rifle fire to front line positions in order to render first aid to his wounded comrades. Returning repeatedly to the line of action to minister to the injured and evacuate several of them to safety, Private First Class Agnew carried on his heroic mission until fatally wounded on the second day of the attack. His great personal valor and exceptional spirit of self-sacrifice on behalf of his comrades were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, and PFC Agnew’s remains were recovered.
SOURCE
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
Military Information: PFC, US MARINE CORPS
It was November 21, 1943 (D+1 for the “Battle of Tarawa”), when young Robert - just 21 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son or husband off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Robert’s family accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Silver Star
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Private First Class
Battalion: Headquarters Battalion
Division: 2d Marine Division
GENERAL ORDERS:
Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 2013 (May 2, 1944)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Robert H. Agnew (MCSN: 264583), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, SECOND Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 20 and 21 November 1943. Acting as stretcher bearer on a section of the beach where heavy casualties among hospital corpsmen made the lack of trained first aid men acute, Private First Class Agnew voluntarily advanced under intense enemy machinegun and rifle fire to front line positions in order to render first aid to his wounded comrades. Returning repeatedly to the line of action to minister to the injured and evacuate several of them to safety, Private First Class Agnew carried on his heroic mission until fatally wounded on the second day of the attack. His great personal valor and exceptional spirit of self-sacrifice on behalf of his comrades were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, and PFC Agnew’s remains were recovered.
SOURCE
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
Military Information: PFC, US MARINE CORPS
Private First Class Agnew was with his brothers in Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in the Corps history.
It was November 21, 1943 (D+1 for the “Battle of Tarawa”), when young Robert - just 21 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son or husband off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Robert’s family accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Silver Star
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Private First Class
Battalion: Headquarters Battalion
Division: 2d Marine Division
GENERAL ORDERS:
Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 2013 (May 2, 1944)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Robert H. Agnew (MCSN: 264583), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, SECOND Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 20 and 21 November 1943. Acting as stretcher bearer on a section of the beach where heavy casualties among hospital corpsmen made the lack of trained first aid men acute, Private First Class Agnew voluntarily advanced under intense enemy machinegun and rifle fire to front line positions in order to render first aid to his wounded comrades. Returning repeatedly to the line of action to minister to the injured and evacuate several of them to safety, Private First Class Agnew carried on his heroic mission until fatally wounded on the second day of the attack. His great personal valor and exceptional spirit of self-sacrifice on behalf of his comrades were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, and PFC Agnew’s remains were recovered.
SOURCE
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
Military Information: PFC, US MARINE CORPS
It was November 21, 1943 (D+1 for the “Battle of Tarawa”), when young Robert - just 21 years old - perished. He was reportedly soon buried on Betio Island - a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son or husband off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
For his service and sacrifice, Robert’s family accepted his awards and decorations, including:
- Silver Star
- Purple Heart
- Combat Action Ribbon
- World War II Victory Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal
- Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, and
- Gold Star Lapel Button.
Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Private First Class
Battalion: Headquarters Battalion
Division: 2d Marine Division
GENERAL ORDERS:
Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 2013 (May 2, 1944)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Robert H. Agnew (MCSN: 264583), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, SECOND Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 20 and 21 November 1943. Acting as stretcher bearer on a section of the beach where heavy casualties among hospital corpsmen made the lack of trained first aid men acute, Private First Class Agnew voluntarily advanced under intense enemy machinegun and rifle fire to front line positions in order to render first aid to his wounded comrades. Returning repeatedly to the line of action to minister to the injured and evacuate several of them to safety, Private First Class Agnew carried on his heroic mission until fatally wounded on the second day of the attack. His great personal valor and exceptional spirit of self-sacrifice on behalf of his comrades were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Despite the heavy casualties suffered by U.S. forces, military success in the battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.
In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio, and PFC Agnew’s remains were recovered.
SOURCE
Jennifer Morrison, independent volunteer forensic genealogist
Military Information: PFC, US MARINE CORPS
Inscription
ROBERT H / AGNEW
CALIFORNIA / PFC US MARINE CORPS / WORLD WAR II
MARCH 19 1922 / NOVEMBER 21 1943
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