| Private William Frank Seiverling, Jr. | |
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United States Marine Corps |
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(1920 - 1942) |
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William Frank Seiverling, Jr., was born on September 22, 1920 at Elizabethtown, Pa. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in Philadelphia, Pa., on February 2, 1942 and was fatally wounded on November 1, 1942. |
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Pvt. Seiverling was stationed at the Marine Barracks, Parris Island, S.C., for basic training from February 3rd to March 12th. He moved to the base at New River, N.C., on the latter date and served there until May 17, 1942. |
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| Pvt. Seiverling began service in the field on June 19, 1942 and by the following fall, was on Guadalcanal helping to wrest control of that island from the Japanese. He was killed on November 1, 1942 during the enemy attack across the Matanikau River on Guadalcanal Island. When the enemy attacked, Seiverling ran down the hill in the face of enemy fire, killing at least one sniper and perhaps several others. Later, he covered the evacuation of wounded marines from his own platoon; and after hearing that the 2nd Platoon was also in trouble, he ran between that unit and the enemy to cover his comrades' withdrawal. Once again, he killed several Japanese before he himself was hit by enemy machine-gun fire. Though wounded, Pvt. Seiverling continued to deliver a withering fire into an enemy position with his automatic rifle. As he started back over the ridge to make his own retirement, he was fatally wounded. | |
| For unselfishly giving his life for his comrades and his country, Pvt. Seiverling was awarded the Navy Cross, posthumously. | |
