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Vernon Ennis Putnam

Corporal Vernon E. Putnam served with Dog Company, First Battalion, 4th Marines in the Philippine Islands.
He was killed in action at Corregidor on 24 April 1942.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Branch

Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 263395

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered

Pursuit Category

The DPAA has not publicized this information.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

June 1, 1916
at Blountsville, AL

Note: Family name was "Putman."
Parents

Rufus Lander Putman (d. 1944)
Lottie (Hare) Putman (d. 1925)

Education

J. B. Pennington High School

Occupation

Details unknown

Service Life

Entered Service

17 January 1938
at Los Angeles, CA

Home Of Record

Blountsville, AL

Next Of Kin

Father, Mr. Rufus L. Putman

Specialty

Machine Gunner

Primary Unit

D/1/4th Marines

Campaigns Served

Defense of the Philippines / Corregidor

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

(only if relevant and short)

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

Corporal Vernon Putnam served with Company D, 4th Marines during the Philippine campaign and the defense of Corregidor.

On 24 April 1942, Japanese artillery unleashed a bombardment against Marine-held positions at Corregidor’s Infantry Point. Unable to strike back, the defenders took cover from the shelling. Several Marines sheltered in a nearby magazine, which subsequently suffered several direct hits.

Excerpt from the war diary of the 4th Marines, April 1942.

When the explosions ceased, the survivors turned out to search for the casualties. They identified four bodies, and found other men “beyond recognition.” Corporal Putnam failed to answer at a muster following the shelling, and was reported as missing in action. Eyewitness statements later confirmed his death, but the fall of Corregidor prevented this information from reaching the United States until June of 1943.

Burial Information or Disposition

All remains recovered from the destroyed magazine were buried in the Fort Mills Station Cemetery, Corregidor.

It took three days to remove the last of the men, by which time they were long beyond recognition. The Graves Registration guessed that the remains represented four Marines, but “all efforts were made to identify without results. Impossible to fingerprint.” They received a collective burial in the Station Cemetery, Plot C, Grave 40.

The four Marines are almost certainly Corporal Putnam, Corporal Walter W. Meyer, PFC Truman K. Fain, and PFC Irving E. Holmes.

Casualty log, 4th Marines, April 1942.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of father, Mr. Rufus L. Putman.

Location Of Loss

Putnam was last seen near an ammunition dump at Corregidor’s “Infantry Point.”

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