Rome, NY WWII Fallen

Pvt. Jack Alton Dunn

USMC #953788

3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 6th Marine Division

Jack Alton Dunn was born January 8, 1926, to Earl Leroy (1896-1971) and Hazel Cassie Lobdell (1898-1931) Dunn in Rome, Oneida County, New York. Earl and Hazel were married January 31, 1916, in Decatur, New York. Earl was a farmer and Hazel worked as a housemaid. Jack was the fourth of six children born to Earl and Hazel: Olive Mae Arrowsmith (1920-1985), Leroy Earl (1921-1988), Gladys Mildred (1924-?), Jack Alton (1926-1945), Margaret Ann Walter (1929-2002), and Virginia (1931-?). Hazel passed away in 1931. Earl married Edith Mabb Fredenburgh in 1933. They were the parents of seven additional children: James, Harley, Maxine, Edith, Robert Howard, Briggs William, and Keith. In the 1940 U.S. Census, Earl’s occupation is listed as carpenter.Jack attended Rome public schools and was first employed by the Rome Box and Lumber Company. He was a member of the Free Methodist Church.

Jack registered for the draft on his 18th birthday on January 8, 1944, in Delmar, New York. He was 5’ 7 ½’ inches tall, weighed 130 pounds, and had brown hair and blue eyes. He listed his aunt, Mrs. Maud Crosier, as the “person who will always know your address,” and his address as the same as hers – RFD Box 91, Ravena, Albany, New York. He was employed by the New York Central Railroad in Selkirk, Albany, New York.

His Draft Registration Card

Jack Dunn enlisted in the US Marines on March 10, 1944, and completed his basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. He was then sent to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, and lastly to Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, for a final course. He left for overseas duty in March 1945. Pvt. Dunn served in the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 6th Marine Division in the Battle of Okinawa.

The Battle of Okinawa began April 1, 1945 and hostilities ceased on June 20, 1945. More than 10,000 American Army and Marine personnel died. It is estimated over 100,000 Japanese forces were killed. Pvt. Jack Alton Dunn was killed in action on June 7, 1945. He was the first citizen of Rome, New York, killed on Okinawa. The War Department informed his grandmother, Mrs. Byron S. Dunn, of Rome, by telegram.

Pvt. Dunn was posthumously awarded the Rome Medal of Honor. He was the 75th Roman to give his life in service of his country. In February, 1949, the bodies of three Rome, New York, war dead were returned home for burial. They were Pvt. Jack A. Dunn, PFC Charles Naaman, Brown, and SSgt Frank Janik. A funeral for Pvt. Jack Alton Dunn, with full military honors, took place on April 9, 1949, at the Rome Cemetery. The Meeker O’Rourke American Legion Post was in charge of military rites. The Rome Combined Veterans Committee for Return of the War Dead, Marine Corps League, Rocco Racco Post 4 Italian American War Veterans, St. John the Baptist Post of Catholic War Veterans, Frank Steczko Post of Polish American War Veterans, Rome Post of VFW, and Fort Stanwix Chapter 20 of Disabled American Veterans also took part in the service.

Other members of Jack’s family served in the Armed Forces. His brother, TSgt. Leroy Dunn, served in the US Army in WWII. His brother-in-law, SSgt. Albert Arrowsmith, served in the US Army from 1940 through 1945. His stepbrother, GMGSN Robert Howard Dunn served in the US Navy and MSG Briggs William Dunn served in the US Army, both in Vietnam.

End notes: This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project, a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3 web sites. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact hillerson@beyondbb.com.

Sources

FindAGrave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95636351/jack-alton-dunn

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95567487/hazel-cassie-dunn

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95567272/earl_leroy_dunn

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13541769/leroy-earl-dunn

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/151133987/olive-mae-arrowsmith

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176080483/albert_james_arrowsmith

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106295610/harley_everett_dunn

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144570976/briggs-william-dunn

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72865329/robert_howard_dunn

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36720220/maud_e_crosier