PIERSON, GEORGE J. June 9, 1945 age 22 KIA Okinawa

GEORGE JAMES PIERSON  b. Nov 13, 1922 Michigan d. June 9. 1945 Killed in Action Okinawa

Pfc 36917439 Army 383^rd Inf Reg 96^th Inf Div Co H

Buried White Chapel Memorial Cemetery, Birmingham/Troy

 

Parents: Roy J. & Maude (Kerwin)

Sibling: Adreth, Roy, Earl, Lila
Spouse: Marie Ann Rushlow  

Father Roy was an engineer on the steam railroad. They owned the houses where they lived with 5 children, but they’ve been torn down, part of the housing dilemma in Detroit.

Marriage to Marie Rushlow

George was a mason, married Marie Ann Oct 1940 in Detroit. He registered for the draft June 30, 1942 then enlisted in the Army Oct 5, 1944. He was 5’10” 148 lbs. with hazel eyes and brown hair and now he worked for Gracedale Motors.  He and Marie lived at 14238 Minock in Redford Twp. Marie was born in California even though her parents came from Michigan. Her sister Kate was a witness at her marriage. There may have had a daughter, Carol Marie, but that’s not definite as to being the correct person. Marie remarried, divorced 1979 and died 1982 in Redford Twp.

Big battles were fought on Okinawa. The 96^th Division had the highest percentage of casualties. How do you begin to account for the actions of any single company? There were over 10,000 casualties total.

It was the last major battle of WWII. On April 1, 1945 – Easter Sunday – the Navy’s Fifth Fleet and more than 180,000 Army and Marine Corps troops descended on the Pacific island. It was part of Operation Iceberg, a plan to invade and occupy the Ryukyu Islands. Last stop before Japan. The battle effectively ended with the Japanese General Ushijima committed suicide June 22, but it didn’t end soon enough for George.

 

 VIDEO of Bodies of US soldiers are buried at 96th Division Cemetery in Okinawa during World War II:  https://youtu.be/B2U7XZRAxxg 

White Chapel Cemetery achieved notoriety in 1960. The body of a WWI veteran was removed from a site next to his wife as he was a full blooded Native America; wife was white.  The cemetery has restrictions that required bodies to be at least 75% Caucasian. Also buried here are Lee Iacocca, Jack Kevorkian, and William Broomfield (my former Congressman).