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Joseph A. Gaylord

NAME
Joseph Allen Gaylord
NICKNAME
SERVICE NUMBER
369260
HOME OF RECORD
59 1st Street, Newark, NJ
NEXT OF KIN
Mother, Mrs. Mary J. Gaylord
DATE OF BIRTH
September 24, 1917
ENTERED SERVICE
January 22, 1942
DATE OF LOSS
November 23, 1942
REGION
Solomons
CAMPAIGN / AREA
Guadalcanal
CASUALTY TYPE
MIA / Declared Dead
November 24, 1943
UNIT
G/2/8th Marines
DUTY
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS
On 22 November 1942, units of the Army’s Americal Division and the 8th Marine Regiment began 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.*

Private Joseph A. Gaylord was last seen in a ravine on the morning of 23 November 1942, as G/2/8 attempted to scale a heavily defended ridge. When the company withdrew back to their jumping off positions early in the afternoon, five Marines – including Gaylord – were missing. All were declared dead on 24 November 1943.

INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS
Purple Heart
LAST KNOWN RANK
Private
STATUS OF REMAINS
Missing in action.
Possibly last seen in vicinity of (69.7 – 199.8), North Coast Guadalcanal.
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.

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