DOB/DOD: September 19, 1923 (Westport, CT) – March 13, 1945; 21 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LAST ADDRESS: Upper Stepney in Monroe
ENLISTMENT: July 17, 1942, in Springfield, Massachusetts
SERVICE NUMBER: 422327
UNIT: Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Marines, 3rd Marine Division
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY: 0631, Intelligence
FAMILY: Born to Alfred Sr. (1885-1970) and Ellen Maguire Winspur (1884-1973). Both parents were born in Birmingham, England. Seventh born of eight children. Siblings are Grace Winspur Corning (1911-1978), Matthew (1913-1997), Virginia Winspur Mackro (1914-2007), Alice Winspur McCarthy (1916-2004), Catherine (1918-1958), Alfred Jr. (1921-2004), and Donald (1926-1999). 1, 2 Worked at Bren Bern Farm in Monroe prior to the service. 4
CIRCUMSTANCES: Boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, and New River, North Carolina, for training. In early 1943, temporarily assigned to the First Marine Raider Regiment, First Raider Battalion. In July 1943, he was permanently assigned to his final unit, the 3rd Marine Division, 21st Marines, 3rd Battalion, Headquarters Company. 6 One of the namesakes of Sippin–Winspur American Legion Post 176 in Monroe, CT. 3 Sergeant Enrico LaTorraca of New Haven, Connecticut, was in the same company as Corporal Winspur. They died 12 days apart.
Awarded the Purple Heart Medal. The photo of the medal and the letter were contributed by Jay Mackro, nephew of Corporal Winspur.
Memorialized on the Monroe (CT) World War II Memorial, 743 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe, Connecticut. Photo by Jeff DeWitt.
Initially buried in the 3rd Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, Row 28, Grave 678. At his mother’s request, remains were repatriated and buried on February 16, 1949, in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), 2177 Puowaina Dr, Honolulu, Hawaii; Section N, Site 1543. 5 Photo from FindAGrave.com. 3
1 – 1940 census https://www.ancestry.com/cs/1940-census
2 – http://www.swpost176.org/history.html?r
3 – https://findagrave.com
4 – https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238
5 – USMC Casualty Report received via FOIA request
6 – USMC Muster Rolls: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1089/