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May 7, 1945: Burial of 19-year-old US Marine Pfc. Michael James Fenton (born Nov 30, 1925) who was killed, while beating back a Japanese counterattack not far from Sugar Loaf Hill, Okinawa.
His father was Col Francis I. Fenton (1892/1978) who was with the 5th Mar Regt Hq when his son was killed. His father arrived at the location where his son was killed and prayed over his body (colorized pic). When he was through praying and stood up, he looked at the other Marines that had been killed and said, "It's sad that they don't have family to pray for them".
Michael enlisted in the Marine Corps on Aug 17, 1943, and joined B Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. - the same division in which his father commanded the engineers. Reportedly turning down a commission so he could fight at the front, Michael served as a scout-sniper.
Father and son met once during the fighting when their paths crossed at a partially destroyed Okinawan farmhouse. After exchanging news from home, including information on Michael's older brother, Francis, Jr. (1922/1998), who had been commissioned a Marine officer in 1941, the two family members returned to their work.
They would never talk again. On May 7, 1945, while beating back a Japanese counterattack not far from Sugar Loaf, Pfc. Michael Fenton was killed.
After the burial, Col Fenton returned to his headquarters and wrote a brief note to his wife, Mary, in San Diego. Mary Fenton learned of her son's death before receiving her husband's letter. In fact, she experienced a bittersweet two days when a telegram arrived from the Marine Corps Commandant informing her of Michael's death.
Mrs. Fenton told reporters she was proud that Michael had done his duty as a Marine. She quoted a recent letter from him in which the youth wrote that he 'dedicated my life to my country' and that he was 'prepared to die.'
Both Col. Fenton and his older son (Francis Jr.) survived the war.
Michael's body was later exhumed from his temporary grave and is now resting in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
His father was Col Francis I. Fenton (1892/1978) who was with the 5th Mar Regt Hq when his son was killed. His father arrived at the location where his son was killed and prayed over his body (colorized pic). When he was through praying and stood up, he looked at the other Marines that had been killed and said, "It's sad that they don't have family to pray for them".
Michael enlisted in the Marine Corps on Aug 17, 1943, and joined B Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. - the same division in which his father commanded the engineers. Reportedly turning down a commission so he could fight at the front, Michael served as a scout-sniper.
Father and son met once during the fighting when their paths crossed at a partially destroyed Okinawan farmhouse. After exchanging news from home, including information on Michael's older brother, Francis, Jr. (1922/1998), who had been commissioned a Marine officer in 1941, the two family members returned to their work.
They would never talk again. On May 7, 1945, while beating back a Japanese counterattack not far from Sugar Loaf, Pfc. Michael Fenton was killed.
After the burial, Col Fenton returned to his headquarters and wrote a brief note to his wife, Mary, in San Diego. Mary Fenton learned of her son's death before receiving her husband's letter. In fact, she experienced a bittersweet two days when a telegram arrived from the Marine Corps Commandant informing her of Michael's death.
Mrs. Fenton told reporters she was proud that Michael had done his duty as a Marine. She quoted a recent letter from him in which the youth wrote that he 'dedicated my life to my country' and that he was 'prepared to die.'
Both Col. Fenton and his older son (Francis Jr.) survived the war.
Michael's body was later exhumed from his temporary grave and is now resting in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.