Alfred Hoyle WWII Service Record

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Last summer (‘18) I had the National Archives send me my Grandfather’s service record (55 pages, lots of insurance forms).  There’s a link to that set of documents below.

From Alfred Hoyle’s pay record, I’m starting to piece together what I think Grandpa did during WWII.  Looks like basic training at Parris Island SC, Mechanic’s training at Camp Lejune NC and then deployed to 2nd Marines 2nd Separate Engineer Battalion in the Pacific.  Likely saw / experienced some / all of the Battle of Okinawa.  The 2nd Marines did their occupation time in Nagasaki (atomic bomb #2), which matches what I've heard about Grandpa's service

I have very few stories from his time in the Marines (one I do have, I’ve added as a likely event with the historical context below).  I don’t think he spoke much of his time. I will bug John this summer (and now).  If you've got stories you know / remember, I'd like to capture them.

Marine PFCs made $54 / month during WWII.

 Please feel free to share this with all Grandpa's great grands as well as cousins who might be interested. There's much more work to be done (by me) (getting unit history will help), but the documents are interesting in and of themselves.

Bold - big events for the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion (Hoyle’s combat Battalion)
Not bold - from Hoyle’s service record

2 NOV 42 to 
8 FEB 43
2nd Marines - Capture and defense of Guadalcanal
20 Nov 43 to 
4 Dec 43
2nd Marines The Battle of Tarawa, in the Gilbert Islands campaign
16-Aug-44
18th Marines was redesignated 2nd Engineer Battalion
04-MAR-44
Private Hoyle is inducted into the Marines - Boston MA
06-MAR-44
Private Hoyle joins 3rd Recruit Battalion Parris Island SC
23-MAY-44
Private Hoyle joins Co C Quartermaster Battalion Camp Lejune NC
15 Jun 44 to 
24 Jul 44
2nd Marines The Battle of Saipan, Mariana Islands campaign
24 Jul 44 to 
10 Aug 44
2nd Marines The Battle of Tinian
02-SEP-44
Private Hoyle promoted to PFC
14-OCT-44
PFC Hoyle joins 22nd Replen Draft

Likely combat service start
08-DEC-44
PFC Hoyle joins HQ Co Service Battalion Trans C FMF Pac (Fleet Marine Force Pacific) [goes overseas about here]
20-Feb-45 
PFC Hoyle joins 2nd Sep Engineer Battalion - [joins combat battalion(?)]
01-Apr-45 to 10-Apr-45
2nd Marines The Battle of Okinawa (floating Reserve) — 1 to 30 June 1945 (Detachment of Headquarters and the 8th Marines, reinforced, from). 
03-Jun-45
Pacific Typhoon -  possible / likely storm PFC Hoyle experienced.  Story goes PFC Hoyle welded tanks to aircraft carrier landing surface to secure them for the storm.  Admiral was pissed that his aircraft carrier had this done to it and yelled at Hoyle to grind them down.  Possibly USS Hornet (CV-12), USS Bennington (CV-20)
23-SEP-45
2nd Engineer Battalion deployed to Nagasaki -  Occupational Force
01-Dec-45
PFC Hoyle joins 5th Marine Div - [starts his exit from Marines?]
19-Jan-46
PFC Hoyle discharged from Marines

From my research, I understand that these are two medals / decorations he was authorized to wear.  They are the Asiatic Pacific Campaign (right) and World War II victory ribbon (left).  He also qualified (Marksman) at Parris Island April 18, 1944.

 These are not his WWII ribbons, but I believe that they are ww2 authentic.


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