George Arthur Polich
PFC George A. Polich served with George Company, Second Battalion, 2nd Marines.
He was killed in action at Betio, Tarawa atoll, on 21 November 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 519486
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
This case is under Active Pursuit by the DPAA.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
November 22, 1925
at Summit, IL
Parents
Juraj “George” Polich
Danica (Paskvan) Polich
Education
J. Sterling Morton High School (1943)
Occupation & Employer
High school student
Service Life
Entered Service
February 1, 1943
at Chicago, IL
Home Of Record
8240 West 44th Street
Lyons, IL
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. George Polich
Military Specialty
—
Primary Unit
G/2/2nd Marines
Campaigns Served
Tarawa
Individual Decorations
Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
PFC George Polich served with George Company, 2nd Marines during the Tarawa campaign.
On 20 November 1943, G/2/2 was designated to land as a support wave on Betio’s Beach Red 2, following Easy and Fox Companies of their battalion. Their LVTs began taking fire as they approached the beach – an experience described by George Company veteran Robert Twitchell:
Coming in along the pier we could hear the THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA of machine gun slugs hitting the armor plate, and every few seconds the KERWUMPA-KERWUMPA-KERWUMPA of a mortar shell exploding alongside. "My God, my God," I repeated over and over, "what the hell am I doing here?"
No one hesitated jumping or leaping over the side of the amtrac – it was the only way to exit as there were no doors. For a few long seconds you are a very visible target..... Lying on the already stained white coral sands and half floating in the lagoon were four of the men who I had just rode in with, slept with, prayed with and hoped with.... The horrible realization of what had happened struck me; the other five men in that amtrac must have been killed or wounded as they tried to climb up and over the side....
Polich managed to survive the carnage of the first day, and may have become separated from the main body of his company in the chaos. On 21 November 1943, he was fighting near the western end of Betio – in the vicinity of Green Beach – when he was shot in the head and killed. He was just one day short of his eighteenth birthday.
George Polich received a posthumous Bronze Star Medal, which was probably awarded for actions on the day of his death. The citation has not yet been located.
Burial Information or Disposition
On 23 November 1943, George Polich was buried in Grave #4 of Cemetery C, a mass grave containing a total of thirteen Marines.
This cemetery was originally located near Green Beach, and consisted of a line of conspicuously marked graves. However, the markers were taken down during the “beautification” process, and the exact location subsequently lost.
To this day, “Cemetery C” has not been located – and the remains of PFC Polich are still on Betio.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of father, Mr. George Polich.
Location Of Loss
PFC Polich was buried in the vicinity of Betio’s Green Beach.
