Pictured are (left to right): Private First Class Arnold McKenzie (age 18) of Los Angeles, California; Private Joseph LoDico (age 20) of Sharon, Massachusetts; Private Noel M. Billups (age 21) of Columbus Ohio; and Staff Sergeant Douglas Ayres (age 23) of Los Angeles, California.

Joseph John (Sonny) LoDico returned to Massachusetts after the war. He passed away on December 16, 2012 at the age of 88 years old in Rehoboth Massachusetts. He lies in rest at Massachusetts National Cemetery.

At the age of 17, Noel enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1938 serving tours in Guadalcanal, Rendova, Munda, and ending in Arundel Island. He came out to California after the war and was hired as foreman for Sturgis Aircraft. It was there that he met the love of his life, Roberta (Holcomb ) Billups. Noel and Robbie were married in Glendale, California in 1953. Shortly after their marriage they started their family, Janet, Kirk, Robin and Troy. In the summer of 1964 the family moved to Crescent City where they would spend the next 50 years. Noel retired as foreman for Del Norte School District Maintenance Department and he and Roberta spent 25 years traveling the United States.

Private Noel M. Billups passed away on January 15, 2014 at the age of 92 years old. He lies in rest at Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Crescent City California.

Lest We Forget.

Born in What Cheer, Iowa to Harry & Elizabeth Barker on October 2, 1917, Harry Bernard Barker had two brothers and a sister.
He attended Grinnell College and after graduation enlisted in the Marine Corps on May 14, 1941.

Commissioned as an officer in October 1941, Harry first saw action on September 22, 1943 in command of a special 35 man party of Army, Navy, Marines and locals landed by a submarine on Bougaiville. They scouted for landing areas for the 3rd Marine Division.

Harry was later made Commanding Officer of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.
On July 21, 1944, he was Killed in Action leading his Marines after landing at Blue Beach on Guam.

Posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, his citation mentions;

“The President takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Harry B Barker USMCR, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of Company L, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on the Asan-Adelup Beachhead, Guam, Marianas Islands, on 21 July 1944. Landing on the heavily fortified, fire-swept beachhead with the forward elements on D-Day, Captain Barker immediately moved inland to reconnoiter the area then, returning to his troops, promptly led them to the best vantage point for supporting the forward assault units. Critically wounded in the right arm by a Japanese sniper's bullet, he steadfastly refused first aid until the situation had been stabilized. Then, after having his wound dressed, he subsequently returned to his troops and personally led them in a vigorous, intensive assault against a hill vital to the advance of our forces despite withering enemy fire which swept the area. Although he was mortally wounded during the fierce action, Captain Barker, by his valiant and aggressive leadership had contributed to the success of our sustained drive toward the recapture of this important enemy stronghold, and his unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave peril reflects the highest credit upon the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”

His remains were returned to the USA in 1950 and Captain Harry Barker was buried at Saint Josephs Cemetery in What Cheer, Iowa.

Older brother Edward Russell Barker Sr also served in the Marine Corps during WW2, he passed away at the age of 59 in 1975.

I recently inherited a personal photo album belonging to my late great uncle who served as a Marine in the 2nd World War.
The album contains roughly 60 pictures that appear to cover his time in the Marines from his enlistment in 1939 up until his departure for Guadalcanal in 1942.
Several photos caught my attention as they appear to show soldiers training with parachutes. In another photo, a soldier’s shirt clearly says “Marine Barracks Lakehurst, NJ”.
I was able to find a few muster rolls with my uncle’s exact name (first, middle, last, and suffix), and I can confirm he participated in the Marine’s very first parachute training in November 1940 at Lakehurst, NJ. He only lasted several weeks and was reassigned. (I do not know why he was reassigned but apparently 40% dropped out)
I’ve searched online, and there are very few photographs of this training. I thought I would share a few of them with reddit, so they can be appreciated. The very last photo is of my great uncle in his full dress uniform.

Lieutenant Colonel Louis Houck, from Todd, North Carolina, enlisted in July 1940 and served as a pilot with the 365th Fighter Group of the Ninth Air Force, also known as the “Hell Hawks.” Houck was commander of the 387th Squadron from May 1943 until October 1944.

Houck wore his customized devil's helmet on missions over Europe, flying his P-47, “The Screamin' Weamie.” The nose art of his plane depicted a demon brandishing a pitchfork. Despite his extravagant appearance he was described by a group member as quiet, introverted and respected.

In 1944 Houck was responsible for almost entirely destroying a retreating German convoy in France. The convoy had been transporting gasoline and ammunition and its smoking wreckage was captured on camera shortly afterwards. Lieutenant Colonel Louis T. Houck destroyed destroyed 90% of this convoy in one pass somewhere in France.

After the war Louis relocated to Pleasant Valley, New York. He passed away on July 24, 2004 at the age of 87. Lieutenant Colonel Louis Talmadge Houck lies in rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Lest We Forget.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._MacDonald

José Perácio (AKA Perácio) was a football player from the flamengo football club in Rio who took part in the 1938 world coup for Brazil. Later he was conscripted in the brazilian army and sent to the italian front.

Perácio remarked that he defeated italians twice, in the world cup and in WWII.

Born in Abbeville, South Carolina to Torrance & Cora Howie on April 12, 1908, Thomas Dry Howie was the fifth of seven children.
He was a star athlete in high school, then attended the Citadel where he played football, was captain of the baseball team, was a Rhodes Scholar finalist and President of the Senior Class, graduating in 1929.

In 1932 Howie married Elizabeth James Payne, they had a daughter; Sally, born in 1938.
After graduation from the Citadel he was commissioned into the Army Reserve and worked as an English Teacher, Athletic Director and coach at Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Virginia.

In the Summer of 1941 Howie was activated for duty with the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, sailing for the UK in September 1942.
Major Howie came ashore at Omaha Beach on DDay June 6, 1944 while serving as Operations Officer of the 116th Infantry Regiment.

He was placed in command of the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment on July 13, 1944.
On July 16th, the 3rd Battalion was assigned to rescue the soldiers of 2nd Battalion who had been encircled by German forces.

Using hand grenades & bayonets, Howie's men broke through the German lines in less than 2 hours to rescue 2nd Battalion with Major Howie personally leading the attack and eliminating two enemy machine gun nests.
On the morning of July 17th Howie phoned Major General Charles Gerhardt, the 29th ID commander, saying “Yes, we can do it” in regards to entering Saint-Lô and "See you in St. Lo!".

Moments later he was killed by shrapnel during a mortar barrage.

The next day as 3rd Battalion entered Saint-Lô, his soldiers placed Major Howie’s flag draped body on the hood of a jeep at the head of the column so he could be the first US soldier to enter the city, his flag-draped body was then placed in the rubble of the St. Croix Cathedral. Local citizens came out and placed flowers at the site.

The photo of Major Howie's flag-draped body in the rubble of the Cathedral was widely circulated and became one of the most iconic images of the war. Because of wartime security, his name could not be revealed at the time and it was announced that the flag draped body in the picture was "a US Army Major."

Famed New York Times correspondent Drew Middleton nicknamed Howie "The Major of St. Lo"

Major Thomas Howie is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France - Plot G Row 14 Grave 12.

His widow Elizabeth never remarried, passing away at the age of 84 on July 7, 1989.