Elmer Arnold Neff

Marine Corps Reserve | Service Number 467259

Born

February 17, 1924
in Ashville, OH

Parents

Clark Neff, Sr.
Mabel (Toole) Neff

School

Ashville High School

Pre-War Employment

High school student

Entered Service

October 6, 1942
at Cincinnati, OH

Joined First Battalion

December 13, 1942
from 14th Separate Recruit Battalion

Left First Battalion

March 7, 1945
Killed in action at Iwo Jima

Left Service

March 7, 1945
Killed in action

Home Address and Next of Kin

Rural Route 2, Ashville, OH – address of parents, Clark & Mabel Neff

Service & Campaigns

Before joining battalion

Boot camp at Parris Island with 13th Recruit Battalion / New River with 14th Separate Recruit Battalion. Outposted directly to Charlie Company, First Separate Battalion (Reinforced) at New River, 13 December 1942.

Roi-Namur

Outfit: C/1/24th Marines
Rank: Private First Class
MOS: 653 (Squad or Team Leader)

Campaign Narrative

Saipan

Outfit: C/1/24th Marines
Rank: Corporal
MOS: 653 (Squad or Team Leader)
Important Events:
July 18, 1944 – sick (diagnosis unknown); evacuated to field hospital
July 20, 1944 – returned to duty

Campaign Narrative

Tinian

Outfit: C/1/24th Marines
Rank: Corporal
MOS: 653 (Squad or Team Leader)

Campaign Narrative

Iwo Jima

Outfit: C/1/24th Marines
Rank: Sergeant
MOS: 737 (Rifle NCO)
Important Events:
March 7, 1945 – killed in action (shrapnel, heart); exact circumstances unknown
March 10, 1945 – buried in Plot 1, Row 27, Grave 1331, Fourth Marine Division Cemetery

Campaign Narrative

Individual Decorations

Medal
Purple Heart

Campaign
Iwo Jima (March 7, 1945)

Citation

* Neff was recommended for the Bronze Star Medal after the Mariana Islands campaign. It is not known if the award was approved.

I was shocked, no question about it.... I couldn't hear. I remember giving my .38 to Elmer Neff. They took me back to the beach.... [Nine days later] I got my .38 back. Elmer Neff had got killed, and somebody picked it up. Just out of the clear blue sky somebody walked up to me and said 'hey, I got that .38 off Elmer when he got hit, so here it is.'"