Skip to content

Floyd W. Essinger

NAME
Floyd William Essinger
NICKNAME
Billy / Essy
SERVICE NUMBER
407926
UNIT
Company F
Second Battalion
8th Marines
HOME OF RECORD
513 Shaw Avenue
Paris
Illinois
NEXT OF KIN
Mother, Mrs. Verna Essinger
DATE OF BIRTH
April 3, 1923
ENTERED SERVICE
June 19, 1942
DATE OF LOSS
November 22, 1942
REGION
Solomon Islands
CAMPAIGN / AREA
Guadalcanal
CASUALTY TYPE
Killed In Action
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS
Private Floyd W. Essinger served with Company F, 8th Marines during the battle of Guadalcanal.

On 22 November 1942, units of the Army’s Americal Division joined with the 8th Marines to begin a series of frontal attacks on a string of hills along the north coast of Guadalcanal. Steep ravines, bare ridges, and tenacious Japanese resistance thwarted the Americans, and after 48 hours the operation was called off. Nearly 40 members of the 8th Marines lost their lives in the futile assault.*

One of their number was Private “Billy” Essinger, who was killed in action on 22 November 1942. His body could not be recovered from the field.

INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS
Purple Heart
LAST KNOWN RANK
Private
STATUS OF REMAINS
Not recovered
MEMORIALS
Manila American Cemetery

* Note: Official sources and several histories report that the 8th Marines suffered nine fatal casualties. However, this number only accounts for those Marines who were buried in the island cemetery. It excludes fully 29 men who were reported missing in action or buried in the field.

Biography:
Coming soon. Contact the webmaster for more information about this Marine.


Articles & Records:


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *