| NAME: Richard Ervin |
NICKNAME: — |
SERVICE NUMBER: 627 43 98 |
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| HOME OF RECORD: Steen, IN |
NEXT OF KIN: Parents, Oscar & Alta Ervin |
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| DATE OF BIRTH: 10/6/1922 |
SERVICE DATES: 1943 – unknown Served in Korea |
DATE OF DEATH: 6/5/2001 |
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| CAMPAIGN | UNIT | MOS | RATE | RESULT | |||
| IWO JIMA | 1/24 | Corpsman | PhM2c | ||||
| INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS: Bronze Star |
LAST KNOWN RANK: Pharmacist’s Mate, First Class |
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Richard Ervin was born in Frichton, Indiana in October 1922. He grew up in Knox County with his parents, Oscar and Alta (Wininger) Ervin, and three older sisters.
Ervin joined the Navy in 1943. He first served as a corpsman in the dispensary of Camp Pendleton, California, treating illness and injuries suffered in training. In July 1944, he was attached to the 62nd Replacement Battalion, which took him to Hawaii. There, he joined the Fourth Marine Division, and was sent to First Battalion, 24th Marines when they returned from the Marianas in August.
Doc Ervin had a lot of catching up to do, as he was replacing another corpsman who had been killed or wounded. However, he proved himself on Iwo Jima, surviving the entire battle unwounded and receiving a Bronze Star for his actions. He stayed with the battalion until the end of the war, and returned to California on October 25, 1945.
Ervin elected to remain in the Navy; he served during the Korean War and eventually retired as a Pharmacist’s Mate First Class. He died in Illinois and is buried in City Cemetery, Lawrenceville.
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