
John Lamar Meeks
"Pappy"
Marine Corps Regular | Service Number 231838
July 18, 1912
in Monroe, GA
John Thomas Meeks
Martha Ella (McDonald) Meeks
Details unknown
Professional Marine
May 19, 1931
at Parris Island, SC
December 2, 1942
from MCAS Quantico, VA
July 10, 1944
Wounded and evacuated from Saipan
May 25, 1945
Discharged for disability
Route 4, Madison, Georgia – home of father, John T. Meeks
Service & Campaigns
Coming soon.
Outfit: B/1/24th Marines
Rank: Sergeant
MOS: 566 (Duty NCO)
Important Events:
Meeks appears in the article “The Ear-Banger on Namur” by Master Sergeant Frank X. Tolbert of Leatherneck Magazine.
Outfit: B/1/24th Marines
Rank: Sergeant (Acting platoon sergeant, 2 Platoon)
MOS: 651 (Platoon Sergeant)
Important Events:
July 10, 1944 – wounded in action (shrapnel fragments, neck); evacuated to USS Relief.
Sent for treatment at US Naval Hospital Aeia Heights, Honolulu; US Naval Hospital, Oakland; US Naval Hospital San Leandro.
Cleared for limited duty and assigned to Guard Company, US Naval Mine Depot, Yorktown, VA in January 1945. By April 1945, sick and hospitalized at US Naval Hospital Fort Eustis, VA.
Discharged by medical survey on 25 May 1945.
Individual Decorations
Medal
Purple Heart
Campaign
Saipan
Citation
For wounds received in action on July 10, 1944
Service Stories
USNH, OAKLAND — Japanese civilians, including women with children strapped to their backs. deliberately walked off cliffs or waded out into the swirling water off Marpi Point on Saipan rather than surrender to Marines even though they had been assured they wouldn’t be harmed if they behaved themselves.
”I’ll never forget that sight,” said Sgt. John L Meeks of Madison, Ga., in telling about the mass suicides. Sgt. Meeks was wounded in the shoulder by a Jap sniper a few hours after organized Jap resistance ended. “Our interpreters made it plain to the Jap civilians and soldiers that they wouldn’t be harmed if they surrendered, but they wouldn’t believe us,” the sergeant said. “Jap soldiers were mixed in with the civilians, and as they were not firing on us at the time, we held our fire and pleaded with them to give up as we didn’t care about firing on a group where there were so many women and children.
“Some 50 or more civilians and soldiers suddenly split into two groups near a cliff about 10 or 15 feet high at the water’s edge. Suddenly, there was an explosion in the midst of the group, and those who didn’t fall made a beeline for the cliff and jumped off into the water. A hand grenade had plainly been exploded by some Jap. Those in the other group watched from a distance. Then they started toward the cliff. Some jumped off; others kept walking until they got to the beach.
“We were particularly interested in the actions of three women. They talked for a few moments, and then, after clasping hands, they deliberately walked into the surf. They seemed to change their minds after the waves caught them, but they acted a bit too late, as the last we saw of them, they were being swept out to sea. We also saw some women with children strapped to their backs wade into the water and drown themselves.”
The Marine Corps Chevron, 9 September 1944
Boat leader was Sergeant "Pappy" Meeks, a Marine with some 16 years service. As the ramp boat let them out, Pappy Meeks bellowed: "OK, you liberty hounds! Let's go ashore."
John died on December 2, 1984, and is buried in Martins Chapel United Methodist Cemetery, Lawrenceville, Georgia.
Gallery

That’s my granddad. He walked me to the bus stop for school and be there every afternoon after school. I used to put my head under his big arms and chest to keep my ears warm.
This is my grandfather! I have his Purple Heart!
I love this site so much!
I love this site so much!