DOB/DOD: June 21, 1925 (Greenville, ME) – February 19, 1945; 19 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: 201 Center Street, Bristol
ENLISTMENT: February 16, 1943, in Augusta, Maine
SERVICE NUMBER: 527716
UNIT: Joint Assault Signal Company, 4th Marine Division
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY: 0641, Telephoneman
FAMILY: Born to Earl E. (1894-1934) and Pearl Shesong Thompson (1900-1984). Youngest of three children. Siblings are Elizabeth Thompson Sawyer (1922-2014), and Earle (1920-2016). Raymond’s father passed when he was 9 years old. 1
CIRCUMSTANCES: Boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, in the Spring of 1943. Following boot camp, it was on to Antiaircraft Artillery School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In the Summer of 1943, assigned to the 25th Replacement Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In early 1944, assigned to the 5th Marine Division, First Defense Battalion, Special Weapons Group. In January 1945, assigned to the 1st Joint Assault Signal Company. 4 The nature of his wounds and death is unknown.
Photo contributed by Candy Stone, great-niece of PFC Thompson.
Honored on the Bristol (CT) World War II – Korean War Monument, 495 South Street, Bristol, Connecticut. Photo by Jeff DeWitt.
Initially buried in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, Plot 1, Row 5, Grave 217. At his mother’s request, his remains were repatriated and buried on March 16, 1949, in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), 2177 Puowaina Dr, Honolulu, Hawaii; Section N, Site 581. 3 Photo from Ancestry.com 2
1 – 1940 census https://www.ancestry.com/cs/1940-census
2 – https://ancestry.com
3 – USMC Casualty Report received via FOIA request
4 – USMC Muster Rolls: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1089/