William Chandler Dutton
Sergeant William C. Dutton served with How Battery, Third Battalion, 11th Marines.
He was killed in action at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 9 August 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 297389
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
July 7, 1921
at Marietta, OK
Parents
William Alex Dutton
Lonie Gladys (Chandler) Dutton
Education
Grammar school
Occupation & Employer
Oil field driller
Service Life
Entered Service
September 30, 1940
at Cincinnati, OH
Home Of Record
New Harmony, IN
Next Of Kin
Parents, William & Lonie Dutton
Military Specialty
Communications
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Sergeant William Dutton served with the communications section of How Battery, 11th Marines, during the battle for Guadalcanal.
Although the landings on 7 August 1942 were unopposed, Japanese activity increased notably – especially after dark. On the night of 9 August 1942, a group of Imperial troops managed to get into the How Battery positions, but were spotted by a sentry. In the ensuing firefight, Sergeant Dutton was shot in the head and instantly killed.
No air raids for a change. There was however a naval battle. I spent most of the night under a truck during the battle because it was raining and we were moving to a new position. There was Jap snipers and machine gun fire. Dutton was killed and we also killed a cow to the rear of the battery in the dark - we didn't know what it was.
Burial Information or Disposition
At the time of Dutton’s death, there was no formal American military cemetery on Guadalcanal. His buddies buried him in the field and dutifully marked the coordinates (M4534) on their map (D-2 Section Map, Guadalcanal Island, 15 July 1942). They also created a sketch of the location, which they hoped would lead later search parties to Dutton’s lonely grave.
Unfortunately, post-war attempts to find William Dutton were unsuccessful. He likely still lies in his “temporary” field grave today.
Memorials
Next Of Kin Address
Temporary address of parents, William & Lonie Dutton.
The Duttons later moved to Warr Acres, Oklahoma.
Location Of Loss
Sergeant Dutton was killed at an unspecified location on Guadalcanal.
