Henry Lutzow
PFC Henry Lutzow served with King Company, Third Battalion, 2nd Marines.
He was killed in action at Betio, Tarawa atoll, on 20 November 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number 498639
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
This case is under Active Pursuit by the DPAA.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
February 28, 1924
at Chicago, IL
Parents
Christ Lutzow
Elizabeth Lutzow
Education
Carl Schurz High School
Occupation & Employer
Lathe operator
Armstrong-Bray & Company
Service Life
Entered Service
November 18, 1942
at Chicago, IL
Home Of Record
4346 North Kilbourn Avenue
Chicago, IL
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Lutzow
Military Specialty
—
Primary Unit
K/3/2nd Marines
Campaigns Served
Tarawa
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
PFC Henry Lutzow served with Company K, 2nd Marines during the Tarawa campaign.
On 20 November 1943, Lutzow’s battalion was assigned the task of spearheading the assault on Betio’s Beach Red One – a curved stretch of sand running several hundred yards from the “bird’s beak” in the west to Red Two in the east. The natural shape of the beach created a crossfire for the defenders, and the area became known as “the Pocket.” Slow-moving landing craft were quickly targeted from multiple angles, and many were knocked out as they approached the shore. Hundreds of men were killed or wounded before stepping foot on dry land. Those who survived faced a network of obstacles manned by determined Japanese defenders, and the fighting was close-in and savage.
“On approaching the beach, the first two waves of LVTs were hit by machine gun and anti-boat gun fire from beaches Red 1 and 2 and Beach Green firing over the point,” reads an official report. “This fire damaged several LVTs and caused severe casualties. The assault waves landed generally at about 0910. The left half of Company K was partially stopped about 150 yards from the beach by anti-boat fire and suffered very heavy casualties. The remainder of Company K and Company I were also heavily hit by machine guns both in LVTs and while disembarking. The log barricade in front of Company I offered some cover and an opportunity to organize, but Company K had no cover and many of those who made the beach were hit on the flat terrain.”
PFC Lutzow was killed in action during the day’s operations. No specifics of his death or burial are currently known.
Burial Information or Disposition
At some point in 1944, a marker bearing Henry Lutzow’s name was placed in a small cemetery near Betio’s Beach Red One. “Cemetery 18” contained four graves – two men from H/2/2 (Private Frank C. Andruseasky and Corporal Robert J. Brand) and two from K/3/2 (Platoon Sergeant Basil Norman Jr. and PFC Lutzow).
These markers may have been intended as memorials, rather than actual burial sites. Records for Andruseasky and Brand indicate that they may have been buried in “West Division Cemetery,” also known as “Cemetery 11.” Furthermore, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company did not report recovering any remains from “Cemetery 18” during recovery efforts in 1946.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Lutzow.
Location Of Loss
PFC Lutzow’s battalion was engaged in the vicinity of Beach Red One.
