Thomas Moore Kerr, Jr.

Enlisted 8 December 1941; called to active duty and taken up on rolls at Philadelphia on 5 January 1942. Boot camp at Parris Island with Eighth Recruit Battalion; outposted to Second Radio Company, Post Signal Battalion, Quantico for instruction as a radio operator. Assigned to HQ Company, Third Battalion, 3rd Marines through 17 July 1942, at which time accepted to Officer Candidates’ School, Quantico.

Received commission on 26 September 1942; attended Reserve Officers’ Class, Quantico, and posted to Headquarters Company, Camp Lejeune. Additional training at Officers’ Communication Course, Fort Benning, GA in early 1943.

Joined First Battalion, 24th Marines at Camp Pendleton, CA on 18 May 1943, for duty as communications officer.

Outfit: HQ/1/24th Marines (Comms platoon)
Rank: First Lieutenant
MOS: 0200 (Communications officer)

Campaign Narrative

Outfit: HQ/1/24th Marines (Comms platoon)
Rank: First Lieutenant
MOS: 0200 (Communications officer)
Important Events:
June 18, 1944 – wounded in action (slight, cause unknown) while providing first aid to Marines during a tank attack
July 1, 1944 – wounded in action (traumatic amputation, toe, left foot) while checking on telephone connections between companies. Evacuated to unknown vessel for treatment and transport to hospital.

Campaign Narrative

Admitted to US Fleet Hospital #110 (Banika) on 11 July 1944; transferred to US Fleet Hospitals #108 (Guadalcanal) and #105 (Noumea), arriving 15 August 1944. After successful recovery, rejoined Fourth Marine Division at Camp Maui on 30 October 1944. Assigned duty as assistant communications officer for the 24th Marines.

Promoted to Captain on 23 January 1945, en route to Iwo Jima. Participated in the Iwo Jima campaign with Headquarters Company, 24th Marines.

On 17 April 1945, transferred to Headquarters Company, 25th Marines for duty as regimental communications officer. Returned to United States on 18 October 1945; regiment disbanded.

Assigned to Company C, First Headquarters Battalion, Washington DC for duty with BuShips. Resigned commission at New York Naval Shipyard on 13 July 1946.

On rolls with the USMC Officers’ Volunteer Reserve from 1951 to 1957. Final known rank of major.