At the age of 24, he enlisted in the service. He joined the Infantry/Army I Company, 305th Regiment, 77th Division. He spent 9 months training at Ft. Jackson. He was transferred to Louisana for 11 months. He spent two weeks in Desert Training Center in California, before being transferred again. He then spent one month at Camp Picket, where he was promoted from Pvt. to Cpl. He then went to the Hawaiian Islands.
He served in Leyte, Guam and Okinawa. He participated in the Guam-Leyte Operation winning the Bronze star in Letye.
On June 22,1945, at the age of 27, he was asked to fix a jammed machine gun. To pull gun from service would have allowed the Japanese to gain ground. He went up on the front line, worked on the machine gun under fire, while the gun crew defended him with small gun fire. During his heroic act, he received fatal wounds. He died from his wounds the next day in Okinawa.
He received the following recognitions for his service:
The Purple Heart, The Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Clusters, The Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Phillipine Liberation Ribbon, and the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with 3 stars.
He body was interred in the National Memorial Cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii.
At the age of 24, he enlisted in the service. He joined the Infantry/Army I Company, 305th Regiment, 77th Division. He spent 9 months training at Ft. Jackson. He was transferred to Louisana for 11 months. He spent two weeks in Desert Training Center in California, before being transferred again. He then spent one month at Camp Picket, where he was promoted from Pvt. to Cpl. He then went to the Hawaiian Islands.
He served in Leyte, Guam and Okinawa. He participated in the Guam-Leyte Operation winning the Bronze star in Letye.
On June 22,1945, at the age of 27, he was asked to fix a jammed machine gun. To pull gun from service would have allowed the Japanese to gain ground. He went up on the front line, worked on the machine gun under fire, while the gun crew defended him with small gun fire. During his heroic act, he received fatal wounds. He died from his wounds the next day in Okinawa.
He received the following recognitions for his service:
The Purple Heart, The Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Clusters, The Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Phillipine Liberation Ribbon, and the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with 3 stars.
He body was interred in the National Memorial Cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Family Members
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Lydia Catherine Massey Smith
1897–1965
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Carrie Ellen Massey Smith
1899–1978
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William McKinley Massey
1902–1976
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Elsie M Massey Hitchens
1905–1974
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George Washington Massey
1907–1966
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Agnes Mary Massey Kinnikin
1909–1991
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Norris Elwood Massey
1910–1986
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Howard Thomas Massey
1912–1991
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Morris Edwin Massey
1914–1975
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Charles James Emerson Massey
1916–1975
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Daniel S Massey
1920–1985
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Robert Lee Massey
1922–2001
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