P/Sgt. Richard Carl Winkler Jr.

Born: 15 February 1920 - Forest Park, Illinois

Parents: Richard C. Winkler Sr. & Anna Lohr-Winkler

Siblings: 1 sister, 2 brothers

Home:

    - 1042 South Troost Avenue - Forest Park, Illinois

Education:

    - St. Bernadine School

    - Proviso Township High School

        - Class of 1937

Enlisted:

    - 18 September 1940

        - U.S. Marines 

Serial Number: Unknown

Training: 

    - Camp Pendleton - Pendleton, California

    - Camp Elliott - San Diego, California

    - Camp Tarawa - Hawaii, Hawaii

         - sent there for training after Battle of Guam

Unit: 

    - C Company, 3rd Parachute Battalion, Amphibious Corps - Pacific Fleet 

    - 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division

        - activated - 11 November 1943

        - platoon sergeant

Engagements:

    - Battle for Vella Lavella - Solomon Islands - 15 August 1943 - 18 September 1943

        - Americans relieved by New Zealand Troops 

    - Battle of Bougainville - 1 November 1943

    - Battle of Guam - 21 July 1944 - 8 August 1944

        - held in reserve - did not take part in battle

    - Battle of Iwo Jima

        - landed on 19 February 1945

Wounded: 

    - 22 February 1945

        - during battle to take Mount Suribachi

        - boarded onto hospital ship - USS Samaritan

Died: 

    - 2 March 1945 - from wounds

Buried:

    - Forest Home Cemetery - Forest Park, Illinois

        - Section:  57   Lot:  253

Medals:

    - Purple Heart

    - American Defense Medal

    - Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal

    - World War II Victory Medal

    - Presidential Unit Citation / Oak Leaf Cluster

Return to Proviso War Dead