George and his family were shown in the 1920 US census as residents of Danville, Illinois. His elder sister, Hazel, was born 3 years earlier in Gibson City, Illinois (1917) and his younger sister, Elsie, in Danville, Illinois (1919). In the 1930 census, the family was found in Middleport, Illinois. The 1940 census shows George as an enlisted man, residing at the US Marine Corps reservation, Mare Island Naval station, in Vallejo, California; in 1935, he was given as residing in Watseka, Illinois.
George enlisted on 21 July 1937 at the Chicago Recruiting Station, and reported a few days later to the San Diego Recruit Depot. Private Williams was mustered into Company H, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Brigade, and less than 2 months after enlisting at Chicago, boarded the USS Chaumont on 19 September 1937 at Mare Island Naval Station. They set sail via Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, for Shanghai, China. Arriving on 19 September 1937, they supported existing troops in the American sector of Shanghai, during the Japanese invasion of China. After several months, their support was deemed no longer necessary, so on 18 February 1838 they re-boarded the USS Chaumont. They proceeded to Manila, Guam, and Honolulu, and after participation in fleet maneuvers, were returned to San Diego aboard the USS Utah by April 1938. In August 1938, Private George R. Williams qualified for the Basic Weapons and Marksman badge, with a Sharpshooter Pistol bar. He was detached from Company "H" in May 1939, at which time he sailed aboard the USS Trever to San Clemente for Annual Service Practice, returning on the USS Chester. He was again dispatched on the USS Trever to San Francisco for a landing drill, returning on the USS Navigator. He was reported as sick on 22 Jan 1940, and was admitted to the US Navy hospital on Mare Island at least through 29 February 1940 (March through June 1940 record not found).
July to December 1940 records show Private First Class George R. Williams as assigned to the General Service Unit, 12th Reserve district. George's records from Dec. 1940 to July 1942 have not been found. On 1 June 1942, the 22nd Marines was established at Camp Elliott, California. They were ordered to the Pacific Theater of Operations on 18 June 1942. They sailed in two groups from San Diego; the first departed on the troop transport Heywood, and arrived on Apia, Island of Upolu, Western Samoa on 29 June 1942, followed by the balance of the troops aboard the SS Lurline on 29 July 1942. It appears from the July 1942 muster record that Corporal George R. Williams of Company "D", First Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, Third Marine Brigade, Fleet Marine Force, was probably among the first group to arrive in June. By October 1942, George had been raised to the rank of Sergeant, and to Platoon Sergeant by January 1943; Wikipedia states the position of Platoon Sergeant was authorized in 1929 and eliminated in 1946. As such, he would have been the senior non-commissioned officer of his platoon. The last muster entry found for George was dated April 1943. The 22nd spent a total of 16 months training and providing island defense on Upolu Island, Western Samoa. George died 2 months before the regiment was ordered to Hawaii, from where they went on to combat in the Marshall Islands during February 1944. His cause of death code was "AD", and his name was included among those awarded the Purple Heart during WWII. Military burial records show that George was initially interred at "site 4566", before being reburied in Illinois. His father's WWII draft registration in 1942 listed the family as residing in Rantoul. His mother signed his military headstone request from Dolton, Illinois in 1949.
Contributor:
Richard S. Clark - [email protected]
George enlisted on 21 July 1937 at the Chicago Recruiting Station, and reported a few days later to the San Diego Recruit Depot. Private Williams was mustered into Company H, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Brigade, and less than 2 months after enlisting at Chicago, boarded the USS Chaumont on 19 September 1937 at Mare Island Naval Station. They set sail via Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, for Shanghai, China. Arriving on 19 September 1937, they supported existing troops in the American sector of Shanghai, during the Japanese invasion of China. After several months, their support was deemed no longer necessary, so on 18 February 1838 they re-boarded the USS Chaumont. They proceeded to Manila, Guam, and Honolulu, and after participation in fleet maneuvers, were returned to San Diego aboard the USS Utah by April 1938. In August 1938, Private George R. Williams qualified for the Basic Weapons and Marksman badge, with a Sharpshooter Pistol bar. He was detached from Company "H" in May 1939, at which time he sailed aboard the USS Trever to San Clemente for Annual Service Practice, returning on the USS Chester. He was again dispatched on the USS Trever to San Francisco for a landing drill, returning on the USS Navigator. He was reported as sick on 22 Jan 1940, and was admitted to the US Navy hospital on Mare Island at least through 29 February 1940 (March through June 1940 record not found).
July to December 1940 records show Private First Class George R. Williams as assigned to the General Service Unit, 12th Reserve district. George's records from Dec. 1940 to July 1942 have not been found. On 1 June 1942, the 22nd Marines was established at Camp Elliott, California. They were ordered to the Pacific Theater of Operations on 18 June 1942. They sailed in two groups from San Diego; the first departed on the troop transport Heywood, and arrived on Apia, Island of Upolu, Western Samoa on 29 June 1942, followed by the balance of the troops aboard the SS Lurline on 29 July 1942. It appears from the July 1942 muster record that Corporal George R. Williams of Company "D", First Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, Third Marine Brigade, Fleet Marine Force, was probably among the first group to arrive in June. By October 1942, George had been raised to the rank of Sergeant, and to Platoon Sergeant by January 1943; Wikipedia states the position of Platoon Sergeant was authorized in 1929 and eliminated in 1946. As such, he would have been the senior non-commissioned officer of his platoon. The last muster entry found for George was dated April 1943. The 22nd spent a total of 16 months training and providing island defense on Upolu Island, Western Samoa. George died 2 months before the regiment was ordered to Hawaii, from where they went on to combat in the Marshall Islands during February 1944. His cause of death code was "AD", and his name was included among those awarded the Purple Heart during WWII. Military burial records show that George was initially interred at "site 4566", before being reburied in Illinois. His father's WWII draft registration in 1942 listed the family as residing in Rantoul. His mother signed his military headstone request from Dolton, Illinois in 1949.
Contributor:
Richard S. Clark - [email protected]
George and his family were shown in the 1920 US census as residents of Danville, Illinois. His elder sister, Hazel, was born 3 years earlier in Gibson City, Illinois (1917) and his younger sister, Elsie, in Danville, Illinois (1919). In the 1930 census, the family was found in Middleport, Illinois. The 1940 census shows George as an enlisted man, residing at the US Marine Corps reservation, Mare Island Naval station, in Vallejo, California; in 1935, he was given as residing in Watseka, Illinois.
George enlisted on 21 July 1937 at the Chicago Recruiting Station, and reported a few days later to the San Diego Recruit Depot. Private Williams was mustered into Company H, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Brigade, and less than 2 months after enlisting at Chicago, boarded the USS Chaumont on 19 September 1937 at Mare Island Naval Station. They set sail via Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, for Shanghai, China. Arriving on 19 September 1937, they supported existing troops in the American sector of Shanghai, during the Japanese invasion of China. After several months, their support was deemed no longer necessary, so on 18 February 1838 they re-boarded the USS Chaumont. They proceeded to Manila, Guam, and Honolulu, and after participation in fleet maneuvers, were returned to San Diego aboard the USS Utah by April 1938. In August 1938, Private George R. Williams qualified for the Basic Weapons and Marksman badge, with a Sharpshooter Pistol bar. He was detached from Company "H" in May 1939, at which time he sailed aboard the USS Trever to San Clemente for Annual Service Practice, returning on the USS Chester. He was again dispatched on the USS Trever to San Francisco for a landing drill, returning on the USS Navigator. He was reported as sick on 22 Jan 1940, and was admitted to the US Navy hospital on Mare Island at least through 29 February 1940 (March through June 1940 record not found).
July to December 1940 records show Private First Class George R. Williams as assigned to the General Service Unit, 12th Reserve district. George's records from Dec. 1940 to July 1942 have not been found. On 1 June 1942, the 22nd Marines was established at Camp Elliott, California. They were ordered to the Pacific Theater of Operations on 18 June 1942. They sailed in two groups from San Diego; the first departed on the troop transport Heywood, and arrived on Apia, Island of Upolu, Western Samoa on 29 June 1942, followed by the balance of the troops aboard the SS Lurline on 29 July 1942. It appears from the July 1942 muster record that Corporal George R. Williams of Company "D", First Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, Third Marine Brigade, Fleet Marine Force, was probably among the first group to arrive in June. By October 1942, George had been raised to the rank of Sergeant, and to Platoon Sergeant by January 1943; Wikipedia states the position of Platoon Sergeant was authorized in 1929 and eliminated in 1946. As such, he would have been the senior non-commissioned officer of his platoon. The last muster entry found for George was dated April 1943. The 22nd spent a total of 16 months training and providing island defense on Upolu Island, Western Samoa. George died 2 months before the regiment was ordered to Hawaii, from where they went on to combat in the Marshall Islands during February 1944. His cause of death code was "AD", and his name was included among those awarded the Purple Heart during WWII. Military burial records show that George was initially interred at "site 4566", before being reburied in Illinois. His father's WWII draft registration in 1942 listed the family as residing in Rantoul. His mother signed his military headstone request from Dolton, Illinois in 1949.
Contributor:
Richard S. Clark - [email protected]
George enlisted on 21 July 1937 at the Chicago Recruiting Station, and reported a few days later to the San Diego Recruit Depot. Private Williams was mustered into Company H, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Brigade, and less than 2 months after enlisting at Chicago, boarded the USS Chaumont on 19 September 1937 at Mare Island Naval Station. They set sail via Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, for Shanghai, China. Arriving on 19 September 1937, they supported existing troops in the American sector of Shanghai, during the Japanese invasion of China. After several months, their support was deemed no longer necessary, so on 18 February 1838 they re-boarded the USS Chaumont. They proceeded to Manila, Guam, and Honolulu, and after participation in fleet maneuvers, were returned to San Diego aboard the USS Utah by April 1938. In August 1938, Private George R. Williams qualified for the Basic Weapons and Marksman badge, with a Sharpshooter Pistol bar. He was detached from Company "H" in May 1939, at which time he sailed aboard the USS Trever to San Clemente for Annual Service Practice, returning on the USS Chester. He was again dispatched on the USS Trever to San Francisco for a landing drill, returning on the USS Navigator. He was reported as sick on 22 Jan 1940, and was admitted to the US Navy hospital on Mare Island at least through 29 February 1940 (March through June 1940 record not found).
July to December 1940 records show Private First Class George R. Williams as assigned to the General Service Unit, 12th Reserve district. George's records from Dec. 1940 to July 1942 have not been found. On 1 June 1942, the 22nd Marines was established at Camp Elliott, California. They were ordered to the Pacific Theater of Operations on 18 June 1942. They sailed in two groups from San Diego; the first departed on the troop transport Heywood, and arrived on Apia, Island of Upolu, Western Samoa on 29 June 1942, followed by the balance of the troops aboard the SS Lurline on 29 July 1942. It appears from the July 1942 muster record that Corporal George R. Williams of Company "D", First Battalion, Twenty Second Marines, Third Marine Brigade, Fleet Marine Force, was probably among the first group to arrive in June. By October 1942, George had been raised to the rank of Sergeant, and to Platoon Sergeant by January 1943; Wikipedia states the position of Platoon Sergeant was authorized in 1929 and eliminated in 1946. As such, he would have been the senior non-commissioned officer of his platoon. The last muster entry found for George was dated April 1943. The 22nd spent a total of 16 months training and providing island defense on Upolu Island, Western Samoa. George died 2 months before the regiment was ordered to Hawaii, from where they went on to combat in the Marshall Islands during February 1944. His cause of death code was "AD", and his name was included among those awarded the Purple Heart during WWII. Military burial records show that George was initially interred at "site 4566", before being reburied in Illinois. His father's WWII draft registration in 1942 listed the family as residing in Rantoul. His mother signed his military headstone request from Dolton, Illinois in 1949.
Contributor:
Richard S. Clark - [email protected]
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