Corporal Joseph Gifford, A Marine's Story
Corporal Joseph Gifford, A Marine's Story
Corporal Joseph Gifford was born on March 27, 1909, in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a young man, he relocated to Cornville, Arizona, where he worked as a farmer before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in 1928.
Early in his Marine career, Corporal Gifford deployed to China during a period of heightened international tension in the Pacific. With the outbreak of World War II, he was selected for assignment to the newly formed Marine Raider units, elite forces created to conduct amphibious raids and irregular warfare operations. These Raiders are widely regarded as the forerunners of modern U.S. special operations forces.
Corporal Gifford was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, commonly known as Carson’s Raiders. In August 1942, he participated in the Makin Island Raid, a daring operation intended to disrupt Japanese forces and gather intelligence in the Gilbert Islands.
During the raid, Corporal Gifford was captured by Japanese forces. On October 16, 1942, he was executed while in enemy captivity. He was 33 years old.
Corporal Joseph Gifford has no known grave. He is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, honored among those who gave their lives in the service of their country and were never recovered.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
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