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John William Stump

PFC John W. “Billy” Stump served with Fox Company, Second Battalion, 7th Marines.
He was killed in action at the Metapona River, Guadalcanal, on 3 November 1942.

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

Branch

Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 283622

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

August 16, 1921
at Honaker, VA

Parents

Rosie Lee (Stump) Mills
stepfather, Harry Eugene Mills
biological father not known

Education

Details unknown

Occupation & Employer

Details unknown

Service Life

Entered Service

April 18, 1940
at Washington, DC

Home Of Record

Fairfax, VA

Next Of Kin

Mother, Mrs. Rosie L. Mills

Military Specialty

Primary Unit

F/2/7th Marines

Campaigns Served

Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

On 2 November 1942, the Second Battalion, 7th Marines were ordered out to the Koli Point area east of Henderson Field to intercept a possible Japanese landing. After a day-long march, they crossed the Metapona River and took up concealed positions along the shoreline to await the enemy. The hunch was right; a sizable force did land, but 2/7 was unable to contact the main perimeter due to radio interference. A firefight broke out at dawn on 3 November and quickly coalesced on positions held by Fox Company, 7th Marines. Unable to call for reinforcements and with ammunition running low, LtCol. Herman H. Hanneken opted to conduct a fighting withdrawal back across the Metapona River.

Altogether, 2/7th Marines recorded 23 wounded, one “missing (believed killed)” (PFC John Gnorik) and one killed in action: PFC John “Billy” Stump, who lost his life to shrapnel wounds.

Burial Information or Disposition

Although Hanneken’s report noted that “dead and wounded were evacuated by Higgins boat” back to the Lunga perimeter, it appears that PFC Stump’s body was left at the battlefield “in vicinity of (115.7-80.5) East Coast Guadalcanal.”

Unfortunately, the 7th Marines were operating with “D-2 Map #3” (which was specially prepared for their use), and not the standard Map 104. Post-war searchers plotted the area as “1000 yards south of airfield just forward of the front lines at Lunga Ridge”– approximately the area where several members of the First Raider Battalion were killed at Edson’s Ridge, and nowhere near the Metapona area. Even sketches included in Gnorik and Stump’s files failed to provide usable clues.

It is not known how close search parties ever came to the graves of the Fox Company Marines. Neither have been accounted for.

Next Of Kin Address

The Mills family lived on a rural route outside Fairfax, VA.

Location Of Loss

Stump was killed in action near the mouth of the Metapona River.

Related Profiles

Marines non-recovered from the Koli Point action.
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