Rank and Name, Private John Martin Steele.
Unit/Placed in, Marine Detachment USS Lexington, United States Marine Corps.
John is born on 24 Augustus 1920.
Father, John Steele.
Mother, Mary Steele.
John enlisted the service in Illinois with service number # 336689.
John‘s Crew-members of Nr. 2 Anti-Aircraft Battery – were,
Corporal Elwin E. Smith
Corporal John R. Harshbarger Pfc. Marvin B. Schluessel
Corporal Oliver D, Nichelson Pfc. Layne Nordstrom
Corporal Robert A, Herzog Pvt. Leonard D, MayField
Pfc. Donald L. Sibler Pvt. Gail .L. Sherwood
Pfc. Francis N, Woods Pvt. John M. Sreele
Pfc. Henry Zemoka Pvt. Ellis M. Hulse
Pfc. Edward J. Juszkowski Pvt. M.L. Landwehr
Pfc. Richard T. Anderson Pvt, James J. Corbin
Pfc. Arthur W. Carson
John was KIA during the Battle of the Coral Sea, when a bomb exploded in his gun’s ammunition locker, the entire crew was killed or mortally wounded by the blast on 8 May 1942, he is honored with a Purple Heart, Marine Corps Good Combat Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy & Marine Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
John is buried/mentioned at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Philippines.
Walls of the missing.
Thanks to, https://pacificwrecks.com/ships/usn/CV-2.html
Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com
Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.
ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov
Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker
Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/
Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org
POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.
Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano
Navy Seal Memorial, http://www.navysealmemorials.com
Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org
Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/
Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org
Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/
Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com
Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/
WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/
Military Recovery, https://www.dpaa.mil/
BOMB ATTACK AND DAMAGE
Dive bombers attacked simultaneously and scored two direct hits and at least five near-misses as follows:
- The first direct hit landed in the 5-inch ready service locker which had been converted from Admiral’s stateroom, port side of main deck, frames 55 to 58. This was reported to be a 1000 lb. bomb, but the extent of damage indicates a much smaller bomb – probably a bomb weighing from 100 to 200 pounds. Such bombs were used by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor and in later attacks against Enterpriseand Chester. This bomb has an instantaneous fuse and probably penetrated the light side plating just under the flight deck where it detonated. The 250 Kg general purpose bomb used by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor had a delay-action fuse resulting in detonation after a travel of about 36 feet from the first point hit. The 250 Kg bomb also caused much greater damage than did the bombs which struck Lexington. The Gunnery 0fficer stated that the powder in the 5-inch cartridges in this space was ignited and burned and split open the cases, but that no 5 inch projectiles were noted to have detonated. The immediate consequences of this bomb hit were as follows:
- 6 – 5″/25 gun was put out of action and a number of its crew were killed.
- Three men on No.4 – 5″/25 gun were killed.
- The light metal joiner bulkheads in the Admiral’s and Chief of Staff’s cabin area were disrupted.
- Fires were started in Admiral’s and Chief
