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NAME
Kelton Buford George
NICKNAME
SERVICE NUMBER
276932
UNIT
Marine Detachment
USS Houston
Gun Captain
HOME OF RECORD
Cypress, IL
NEXT OF KIN
Mother, Mrs. Walter George
DATE OF BIRTH
September 22, 1916
at Cypress, IL
ENTERED SERVICE
November 10, 1939
at Chicago, IL
DATE OF LOSS
March 1, 1942
REGION
Indonesia
CAMPAIGN / AREA
Java Sea
CASUALTY TYPE
Missing In Action
Declared Dead March 2, 1943
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS
Corporal Kelton George served as a gun captain aboard the cruiser USS Houston (CA-30).George was seriously wounded in action on 4 February 1942, at the battle of Makassar Strait. His injuries were so severe that he was put ashore and treated at Tjilatjap, Dutch East Indies. As Japanese forces drew closer, the hospital was evacuated, and on 27 February a number of ambulatory patients, including Corporal George, were evacuated via the oiler USS Pecos.

Japanese dive bombers from the carrier Soryu spotted the Pecos on 1 March 1942 and quickly moved in to attack. Their third attempt was successful, and the Pecos went down in the Java Sea. Kelton George was not among the 230-odd survivors plucked from the sea; he was listed as missing in action, and declared dead as of 2 March 1943.

INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS
Purple Heart with Gold Star
LAST KNOWN RANK
Corporal
STATUS OF REMAINS
Lost at sea
MEMORIALS
Cypress Masonic Cemetery, Cypress, IL
Manila American Cemetery

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


Gallery:

0 thoughts on “Kelton B. George”

  1. Comment from Kelton Davis
    2 October 2013

    I want to confirm that Kelton B. George was no relation to Marion and Perlie George. Kelton had one sibling, his sister Sara Sue George who married Victor Davis in 1940. I would appreciate the opportunity to provide his dress picture from the Corps. Additionally, Kelton was a prolific writer and we have some amazing letters from his adventures in the pacific. I would love to have the content of these letters digitally saved for posterity if this is possible.

    1. Reply to Kelton Davis
      2 October 2013

      Hello, Kelton! Thank you for writing. Please send me an email at webmaster@ablecompany24.com and we can discuss adding his picture and letters. I had heard he was quite the writer, but didn’t know if any of his missives survived until now – very much looking forward to reading them.

      Best,
      Geoffrey

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