DOB/DOD: April 17, 1925 (Ellington, CT) – March 17, 1945; 20 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: 41 Harrison Street, Hartford
ENLISTMENT: February 17, 1943, in Springfield, Massachusetts
SERVICE NUMBER: 527197
UNIT: Weapons Company, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY: 0803, Field Musician
FAMILY: Born to Henry (1901-1964) and Sophie “Sadie” (Saidak) Tyler (1905-1955). Oldest of five children. Siblings are Robert (1926-2002), Catherine Tyler Ricciardi (1928-1989), Lorraine Tyler Spady (1928-), and Mary Jean Tyler Vignone (1930-2007). 1
CIRCUMSTANCES: Boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, Training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Assigned to the 5th Marine Division, 28th Marines, Weapons Company in October 1944. Died from a gunshot wound to the head. 3
Photo from FindAGrave.com. 2
From The Hartford Courant May 11, 1945
A memorial mass will be celebrated Saturday at 10 AM at St. Justin’s Church for Henry A. Tyler Jr., 20, a field musician with the Marine Corps. He died recently of wounds received on Iwo Jima, his first combat assignment, according to word received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Tyler, 41 Harrison Street.
Tyler attended Northwest Junior High School and was employed by the Sun Oil Company prior to entering the service on May 12, 1943. He had volunteered for Marine Corps duty on December 6, 1942, when he was 17 years old. Following his training at Parris Island, South Carolina, New River, North Carolina, and Camp Pendleton, California, he was sent overseas last September and was stationed in Hawaii for a time.
Besides his parents, he leaves a brother, Seaman Second Class Robert L. Tyler, stationed at Newport, Rhode Island; and three sisters, Catherine, Lorraine, and Mary Jean Tyler, all of Hartford; and Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Saidak of Ellington; and several uncles.
From The Hartford Courant January 18, 1949
The body of Henry A. Tyler Jr., 20, a Marine Corps Field musician who was killed on Iwo Jima March 17, 1945, will arrive in Hartford Wednesday. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Tyler of 41 Harrison Street. Funeral services will be held at the Ahern Funeral Home, 180 Farmington Avenue, on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. with a solemn requiem mass at St. Justin’s Church at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Soldier’s Field, Wilson. Tyler enlisted in the Marine Corps on December 6, 1942, at the age of 17, and was called to active duty on May 12, 1943. He received his basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, and went to New River, North Carolina, and Camp Pendleton, California, for further training. He went overseas in September of 1943. He attended Northwest Junior High School and had been employed by the Sun Oil Company before entering the Corps. Besides his parents, he leaves a brother, Robert L. Tyler of Hartford; three sisters, Catherin Tyler, Lorraine Tyler, and Mary Jean Tyler, all of Hartford; and his grandmothers, Mrs. Olin Tyler of Hartford and Mrs. Andrew Saidak of Ellington. Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Initially buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, Row 6, Grave 1825, Plot 7. Repatriated and buried on January 20, 1949, in Northwood Cemetery, 81 Matianuck Avenue, Windsor, Connecticut; Section AA, Lot 45. Photos by Jeff DeWitt.
Private Evleth and PFC Pennington are buried next to each other. The headstones for all four who died in the Battle of Iwo Jima and are buried in Northwood Cemetery are near each other.
1 – 1940 census https://www.ancestry.com/cs/1940-census
2 – USMC Muster Rolls: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1089/
3 – USMC Casualty Card received via FOIA request