John A. Stephenson
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Marines
John A. Stephenson enlisted in the Marine Corps July 19, 1944.
He served as a Private and light machine gun crewman with Company F of the 29th Marines of the the 6th Marine Division in Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, and occupation of China.
Mr. Stephenson shared the following: "I went to Marine boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., where I learned that I was not a Marine, not a human being loved by my mother and father, not a Private but just a recruit, unfit for recognition as a member of the human race."
"I, at last, became an exalted Private, went through secondary training at Camp LeJeune, N. C., where, through a miraculous fluke, I was detained several months keeping me out of the Iwo Jima assault where I lost one of my recruit instructors and several of my boot camp buddies."
"I was sent by troop train to Camp Pendleton, Calif., for machine gun training and transferred to the 29th Marines, 6th Marine Div., on Okinawa in May 1945 for combat. During the assault on the Shirii Castle line east of Naha and subsequent operations, our battalion suffered a 250% casualty rate, losing replacements for replacements."
"Again, I lucked out with no apparent punctures. I was within a hundred yards of Gen. Buckner and several of his staff as they were killed trying to raise a flag to signify the securing of the island June 1945."
"The division was shipped to Guam to receive and train replacements and prepare for the invasion of Japan. I was there when the Japanese capitulated and word came over the radio the war was over. In September 1945, two of our regiments were sent instead to Shantung Province to accept the surrender of the Japanese in that area of Northern China, to assist in their repatriation and to protect American property. I was there for about a year until being transferred back to the States..."
Mr. Stephenson was honorably discharged August 28, 1946, at Great Lakes, Illinois.
He was awarded the following: Combat Action Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze battle star, World War II Victory Medal, and Navy Occupation Medal (Asia).
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, 307.
