Nyal Marford Selby was the son of Oscar Selby and Annie Harrel of Black Dog Township, Osage, Oklahoma.
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Nyal as a newborn living with his family in Black Dog Township. The following people are recorded as living in the home:
Head Oscar D Selby M 25 Oklahoma
Wife Annie Selby F 23 Oklahoma
Son Herman O Selby M 3 Oklahoma
Dau Hellen E Selby F 2 Oklahoma
Son Nyal M Selby M 0 Oklahoma
Mother Mary A Selby F 70 Missouri
Nyal and his younger brother Harold enlisted on January 4, 1940, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the closest city to rural Black Dog were they were born and raised. They completed their boot camp training at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, San Diego, California. Their serial numbers differed by only one number.
The Selby brothers were assigned to the Marine Guard at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada, in February 1940. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Nyal and Harold as being on station there. In October, the brothers shipped out for duty in China with Headquarters Company, Fourth Marine Regiment in Shanghai. Selby served as an MP for most of his time in China. In 1941, he was transferred to Company B, First Battalion, Fourth Marines, while his brother was assigned to Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines.
The brothers had not been with the Fourth Marines very long when orders were received for the regiment to transfer from China to the Philippines due to the large Japanese military presence in China and the expected war with that nation on the horizon. In late November, 1941, the 4th Marines marched out of the Marine Barracks at Shanghai and sailed for the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines. A week later, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and a day after that, began their assault on the Philippine Islands.
The American and Philippine military forces fought bravely and caused the Japanese to expend a great deal of manpower and equipment to beat them. But, largely due to receiving no support from outside of the Philippines, the Allied forces lost Manila, Bataan and Cavite. After their evacuation from Olongapo in Zambales, close to the Subic Bay Naval Base on December 26, the Fourth Marine Regiment, under the command of Col. Samuel L. Howard, became the primary fighting unit on the island. Corregidor's Army garrison received the largest group of reinforcements right after the fall of Bataan, with some 72 officers and 1,173 enlisted men from more than fifty different units were integrated and assigned to the Fourth Marines. Few of the reinforcements were trained or equipped for ground combat. By April 30, 1942, the Fourth Marines had four battalions and actually numbered 229 officers and 3,770 men, of whom only 1,500 were Marines with the rest being Army troops and sailors; two of those Marines were the Selby brothers.
Nyal Selby was killed in action on May 6, 1942, when the Japanese overran Corregidor and the U.S. forces surrendered. How he died and what happened to his remains are unknown. Harold survived the battle but would later die as a prisoner of war. It is believed he died on the "Hellship", Arisan Maru on 10/24/44.
At the time of Nyal's death, his parents were living at Box 122, Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma. At some point, Oscar and Annie moved to Springdale, Arkansas, as tehy were living at Route 3, Springdale, when they received notification that Harold's missing in action status had been changed to killed in action.
Corporal Nyal Marford Selby, Sn# 279877, earned the following badges/decorations during his career in the United States Marine Corps during World War II (not in order of precedence):
- Purple Heart Medal (Posthumously)
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- China Service Medal
- American Defense Medal with Base Clasp
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations Campaign Medal with one bronze battle/campaign star
- World War II Victory Medal
- U.S. Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Philippine Defense Medal with bronze campaign star
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Marine Corps Rifle Qualification Badge
- Marine Corps Basic Qualification Badge with bar(s)
**NOTE** - A large portion of this bio is based on information from the website missingmarines.com. They have done a fantastic job of researching approximately 3000 US Marines whose bodies were lost in the war. This writer wholeheartedly recommends their site for researchers or families of the missing. - Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR {RET})
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Nyal as a newborn living with his family in Black Dog Township. The following people are recorded as living in the home:
Head Oscar D Selby M 25 Oklahoma
Wife Annie Selby F 23 Oklahoma
Son Herman O Selby M 3 Oklahoma
Dau Hellen E Selby F 2 Oklahoma
Son Nyal M Selby M 0 Oklahoma
Mother Mary A Selby F 70 Missouri
Nyal and his younger brother Harold enlisted on January 4, 1940, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the closest city to rural Black Dog were they were born and raised. They completed their boot camp training at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, San Diego, California. Their serial numbers differed by only one number.
The Selby brothers were assigned to the Marine Guard at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada, in February 1940. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Nyal and Harold as being on station there. In October, the brothers shipped out for duty in China with Headquarters Company, Fourth Marine Regiment in Shanghai. Selby served as an MP for most of his time in China. In 1941, he was transferred to Company B, First Battalion, Fourth Marines, while his brother was assigned to Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines.
The brothers had not been with the Fourth Marines very long when orders were received for the regiment to transfer from China to the Philippines due to the large Japanese military presence in China and the expected war with that nation on the horizon. In late November, 1941, the 4th Marines marched out of the Marine Barracks at Shanghai and sailed for the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines. A week later, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and a day after that, began their assault on the Philippine Islands.
The American and Philippine military forces fought bravely and caused the Japanese to expend a great deal of manpower and equipment to beat them. But, largely due to receiving no support from outside of the Philippines, the Allied forces lost Manila, Bataan and Cavite. After their evacuation from Olongapo in Zambales, close to the Subic Bay Naval Base on December 26, the Fourth Marine Regiment, under the command of Col. Samuel L. Howard, became the primary fighting unit on the island. Corregidor's Army garrison received the largest group of reinforcements right after the fall of Bataan, with some 72 officers and 1,173 enlisted men from more than fifty different units were integrated and assigned to the Fourth Marines. Few of the reinforcements were trained or equipped for ground combat. By April 30, 1942, the Fourth Marines had four battalions and actually numbered 229 officers and 3,770 men, of whom only 1,500 were Marines with the rest being Army troops and sailors; two of those Marines were the Selby brothers.
Nyal Selby was killed in action on May 6, 1942, when the Japanese overran Corregidor and the U.S. forces surrendered. How he died and what happened to his remains are unknown. Harold survived the battle but would later die as a prisoner of war. It is believed he died on the "Hellship", Arisan Maru on 10/24/44.
At the time of Nyal's death, his parents were living at Box 122, Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma. At some point, Oscar and Annie moved to Springdale, Arkansas, as tehy were living at Route 3, Springdale, when they received notification that Harold's missing in action status had been changed to killed in action.
Corporal Nyal Marford Selby, Sn# 279877, earned the following badges/decorations during his career in the United States Marine Corps during World War II (not in order of precedence):
- Purple Heart Medal (Posthumously)
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- China Service Medal
- American Defense Medal with Base Clasp
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations Campaign Medal with one bronze battle/campaign star
- World War II Victory Medal
- U.S. Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Philippine Defense Medal with bronze campaign star
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Marine Corps Rifle Qualification Badge
- Marine Corps Basic Qualification Badge with bar(s)
**NOTE** - A large portion of this bio is based on information from the website missingmarines.com. They have done a fantastic job of researching approximately 3000 US Marines whose bodies were lost in the war. This writer wholeheartedly recommends their site for researchers or families of the missing. - Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR {RET})
Nyal Marford Selby was the son of Oscar Selby and Annie Harrel of Black Dog Township, Osage, Oklahoma.
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Nyal as a newborn living with his family in Black Dog Township. The following people are recorded as living in the home:
Head Oscar D Selby M 25 Oklahoma
Wife Annie Selby F 23 Oklahoma
Son Herman O Selby M 3 Oklahoma
Dau Hellen E Selby F 2 Oklahoma
Son Nyal M Selby M 0 Oklahoma
Mother Mary A Selby F 70 Missouri
Nyal and his younger brother Harold enlisted on January 4, 1940, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the closest city to rural Black Dog were they were born and raised. They completed their boot camp training at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, San Diego, California. Their serial numbers differed by only one number.
The Selby brothers were assigned to the Marine Guard at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada, in February 1940. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Nyal and Harold as being on station there. In October, the brothers shipped out for duty in China with Headquarters Company, Fourth Marine Regiment in Shanghai. Selby served as an MP for most of his time in China. In 1941, he was transferred to Company B, First Battalion, Fourth Marines, while his brother was assigned to Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines.
The brothers had not been with the Fourth Marines very long when orders were received for the regiment to transfer from China to the Philippines due to the large Japanese military presence in China and the expected war with that nation on the horizon. In late November, 1941, the 4th Marines marched out of the Marine Barracks at Shanghai and sailed for the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines. A week later, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and a day after that, began their assault on the Philippine Islands.
The American and Philippine military forces fought bravely and caused the Japanese to expend a great deal of manpower and equipment to beat them. But, largely due to receiving no support from outside of the Philippines, the Allied forces lost Manila, Bataan and Cavite. After their evacuation from Olongapo in Zambales, close to the Subic Bay Naval Base on December 26, the Fourth Marine Regiment, under the command of Col. Samuel L. Howard, became the primary fighting unit on the island. Corregidor's Army garrison received the largest group of reinforcements right after the fall of Bataan, with some 72 officers and 1,173 enlisted men from more than fifty different units were integrated and assigned to the Fourth Marines. Few of the reinforcements were trained or equipped for ground combat. By April 30, 1942, the Fourth Marines had four battalions and actually numbered 229 officers and 3,770 men, of whom only 1,500 were Marines with the rest being Army troops and sailors; two of those Marines were the Selby brothers.
Nyal Selby was killed in action on May 6, 1942, when the Japanese overran Corregidor and the U.S. forces surrendered. How he died and what happened to his remains are unknown. Harold survived the battle but would later die as a prisoner of war. It is believed he died on the "Hellship", Arisan Maru on 10/24/44.
At the time of Nyal's death, his parents were living at Box 122, Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma. At some point, Oscar and Annie moved to Springdale, Arkansas, as tehy were living at Route 3, Springdale, when they received notification that Harold's missing in action status had been changed to killed in action.
Corporal Nyal Marford Selby, Sn# 279877, earned the following badges/decorations during his career in the United States Marine Corps during World War II (not in order of precedence):
- Purple Heart Medal (Posthumously)
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- China Service Medal
- American Defense Medal with Base Clasp
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations Campaign Medal with one bronze battle/campaign star
- World War II Victory Medal
- U.S. Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Philippine Defense Medal with bronze campaign star
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Marine Corps Rifle Qualification Badge
- Marine Corps Basic Qualification Badge with bar(s)
**NOTE** - A large portion of this bio is based on information from the website missingmarines.com. They have done a fantastic job of researching approximately 3000 US Marines whose bodies were lost in the war. This writer wholeheartedly recommends their site for researchers or families of the missing. - Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR {RET})
The 1920 U.S. Census shows Nyal as a newborn living with his family in Black Dog Township. The following people are recorded as living in the home:
Head Oscar D Selby M 25 Oklahoma
Wife Annie Selby F 23 Oklahoma
Son Herman O Selby M 3 Oklahoma
Dau Hellen E Selby F 2 Oklahoma
Son Nyal M Selby M 0 Oklahoma
Mother Mary A Selby F 70 Missouri
Nyal and his younger brother Harold enlisted on January 4, 1940, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the closest city to rural Black Dog were they were born and raised. They completed their boot camp training at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, San Diego, California. Their serial numbers differed by only one number.
The Selby brothers were assigned to the Marine Guard at the Naval Ammunition Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada, in February 1940. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Nyal and Harold as being on station there. In October, the brothers shipped out for duty in China with Headquarters Company, Fourth Marine Regiment in Shanghai. Selby served as an MP for most of his time in China. In 1941, he was transferred to Company B, First Battalion, Fourth Marines, while his brother was assigned to Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines.
The brothers had not been with the Fourth Marines very long when orders were received for the regiment to transfer from China to the Philippines due to the large Japanese military presence in China and the expected war with that nation on the horizon. In late November, 1941, the 4th Marines marched out of the Marine Barracks at Shanghai and sailed for the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines. A week later, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and a day after that, began their assault on the Philippine Islands.
The American and Philippine military forces fought bravely and caused the Japanese to expend a great deal of manpower and equipment to beat them. But, largely due to receiving no support from outside of the Philippines, the Allied forces lost Manila, Bataan and Cavite. After their evacuation from Olongapo in Zambales, close to the Subic Bay Naval Base on December 26, the Fourth Marine Regiment, under the command of Col. Samuel L. Howard, became the primary fighting unit on the island. Corregidor's Army garrison received the largest group of reinforcements right after the fall of Bataan, with some 72 officers and 1,173 enlisted men from more than fifty different units were integrated and assigned to the Fourth Marines. Few of the reinforcements were trained or equipped for ground combat. By April 30, 1942, the Fourth Marines had four battalions and actually numbered 229 officers and 3,770 men, of whom only 1,500 were Marines with the rest being Army troops and sailors; two of those Marines were the Selby brothers.
Nyal Selby was killed in action on May 6, 1942, when the Japanese overran Corregidor and the U.S. forces surrendered. How he died and what happened to his remains are unknown. Harold survived the battle but would later die as a prisoner of war. It is believed he died on the "Hellship", Arisan Maru on 10/24/44.
At the time of Nyal's death, his parents were living at Box 122, Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma. At some point, Oscar and Annie moved to Springdale, Arkansas, as tehy were living at Route 3, Springdale, when they received notification that Harold's missing in action status had been changed to killed in action.
Corporal Nyal Marford Selby, Sn# 279877, earned the following badges/decorations during his career in the United States Marine Corps during World War II (not in order of precedence):
- Purple Heart Medal (Posthumously)
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
- China Service Medal
- American Defense Medal with Base Clasp
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations Campaign Medal with one bronze battle/campaign star
- World War II Victory Medal
- U.S. Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Philippine Defense Medal with bronze campaign star
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon
- Marine Corps Rifle Qualification Badge
- Marine Corps Basic Qualification Badge with bar(s)
**NOTE** - A large portion of this bio is based on information from the website missingmarines.com. They have done a fantastic job of researching approximately 3000 US Marines whose bodies were lost in the war. This writer wholeheartedly recommends their site for researchers or families of the missing. - Rick Lawrence, MSgt., USMC/USAFR {RET})
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Entered the service from Oklahoma.
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