Joseph Francis Setzer
Private Joseph F. Setzer served with Easy Company, Second Battalion, 8th Marines.
He was killed in action at Guadalcanal on 23 November 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 415933
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
July 7, 1915
in Brooklyn, NY
Parents
John Henry Setzer
Barbara (Pfaffele) Setzer
Education
John Adams High School
Occupation & Employer
Window dresser
Stern Brothers department store
Service Life
Entered Service
June 24, 1942
at New York, NY
Home Of Record
103-32 107th Street
Richmond Hill, Queens, NY
Next Of Kin
Parents, John & Barbara Setzer
Military Specialty
—
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
On 21 November, the 164th and 182nd Infantry Regiments pushed westward along Guadalcanal’s north coast and took positions on ridges beyond Point Cruz. A gap developed between 3/164 and 2/182, and General Edmund Sebree requested a Marine unit to connect the two battalions. Easy Company, 8th Marines, was tapped for the task and moved out at approximately 1700 hours. Reports of sniper activity only arrived after they departed, and the route itself was extremely difficult, with harassing sniper and mortar fire causing casualties among the Marines. Easy Company held this position through the next day while other companies of their battalion moved up to reserve positions behind the Army outfits trying in vain to break through heavy Japanese fortifications.
On the morning of 23 November, Fox and George Companies took over the main assault while Easy moved back to reserve positions. While spared the worst of the frontal assault, Easy still suffered several casualties, of whom four were killed in action. Among the dead was Private Joseph F. Setzer, who fell with fatal shrapnel wounds in the chest.
Burial Information or Disposition
While the other three Easy Company Marines killed on 23 November were brought to the First Marine Division Cemetery, Setzer’s body was buried in the field at coordinates (69.9 – 199.8) on the standard Map 104 of Guadalcanal’s northern coast.
Memorials
Next Of Kin Address
Address of parents, Vern and Verna Essinger.
Location Of Loss
Approximate location of Setzer’s isolated grave.
