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John Robert Cox

Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class John R. Cox served with the Second Battalion, 8th Marines.
He was killed in action at Betio, Tarawa atoll, on 20 November 1943.

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

Branch

Navy Reserve
Service Number 612 60 65

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

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered

Pursuit Category

This case is under Active Pursuit by the DPAA.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

August 25, 1921
at Hocking, OH

Parents

John Sumner Cox
Nellie Grace (Funk) Cox

Education

Union Furnace High School (1939)

Occupation & Employer

Family Farm

Service Life

Entered Service

August 12, 1942
at Cincinnati, OH

Home Of Record

Route 3
Logan, OH

Next Of Kin

Parents, John & Nellie Cox

Military Specialty

Corpsman

Primary Unit

HQ/2/8th Marines

Campaigns Served

Tarawa

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

Pharmacist’s Mate John Cox served as a medical corpsman attached to the Second Battalion, 8th Marines. For administrative purposes, he was carried on the rolls of Headquarters Company (and possibly served with the battalion’s aid station) but may have gone into combat with any one of the platoons of Easy, Fox, George, or How Company.

The amphibious assault on Betio, Tarawa atoll – Operation GALVANIC – commenced on 20 November 1943. The Second Battalion 8th Marines was given the job of assaulting the easternmost of three landing beaches – “Red 3” – and, once ashore, moving inland to quickly secure the airfield that covered much of the tiny island’s surface. A heavy and morale-boosting naval bombardment convinced many Marines that the task would be a simple one, and spirits were high at 0900 when their amphibious tractors started paddling for the beach.

The Japanese were quick to recover. Shells began bursting over the LVTs. “As the tractors neared the shore the air filled with the smoke and fragments of shells fired from 3-inch guns,” notes A Brief History of the 8th Marines. “Fortunately, casualties had been light on the way to the beach, but once the men dismounted and struggled to get beyond the beach, battle losses increased dramatically.” Most of the beach defenses were still intact, and these were supported by row after row of pillboxes, rifle pits, and machine gun nests.

Corpsmen rushed along the beach and through the surf, treating casualties as best they could – and risking life and limb in the process. Five “Docs” from 2/8th Marines were wounded during the landing, and two were killed. Among the dead was John Cox.

Excerpt from the muster roll of Second Battalion, 8th Marines, November 1943.
Burial Information or Disposition

“Grave unknown.”

A memorial marker was erected in Cemetery 33, Plot 16, Row 3, Grave 16.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of parents, John & Nellie Cox.
The Cox family farm was on Route 3 outside the town of Logan.

Location Of Loss

Cox’s battalion landed on and fought in the vicinity of Betio’s Beach Red 3.

Betio Casualties From This Company​

(Recently accounted for or still non-recovered)
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