THE DEMOCRAT
Marlin, Falls County, Texas
January 22, 1944
Now on West Coast of U. S.
For Treatment, According to
News Dispatch
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According to a press report, Ray Moon of Mart, nephew of T. L. (Whit) Criswell
and Mrs. John Criswell, of Marlin, was wounded at Tarawa. The report
follows in part:
Ray Moon, 19 year old marine veteran of
action in the south Pacific and who was wounded in the landing operations on
Tarawa in November, is back in the United States and received treatment at a
naval hospital on the west coast.
Ray landed back in the states on his 19th
birthday and stated in his letter that it was the happiest birthday he ever
spent. He enlisted in the marine corps less than year ago, February 26,
had his boot training in San Diego, sailed for the south Pacific a short time
afterwards, was wounded and was back in about 11 months.
According to reports, young Moon was
wounded in the cheek by a motor bomb as the landing party started ashore and
continued on with his outfit storming the beach in the landing operations, being
evacuated back to the ship the next morning. It took the marines just 72
hours of bitter fighting to clean the Japs with the same fighting spirit that he
played football at Mart Hi where he starred as an end on the 1941 and '42 teams.
He has been awarded the Purple Heart for
his part in the Tarawa fight and is exceedingly proud that he could do his part
in one of the toughest assignments the marines have carried out so far.
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Submitted by
Lena Stone Criswell