This Military Service Page was created/owned by
CWO3 Manuel (Manny) Vizinho
to remember
Marine PFC Donald Robert Abraham.
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Casualty Info
Home Town New London
Last Address 919 North St New London, WI
Casualty Date Mar 05, 1945
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Gun, Small Arms Fire
Location Japan
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery (VA) - Minneapolis, Minnesota
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Donald R. Abraham (MCSN: 474542), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company G, Third Battalion, Twenty-Eighth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 5 March 1945. Participating in an attack on a strongly entrenched enemy force and overrunning its position, Private First Class Abraham, with his squad, was subjected to heavy mortar and intense sniper fire. Making his way to a nearby friendly tank, Private First Class Abraham directed it through his squad's area to a good firing position, retained his hazardous position and successfully directed its fire to destroy a heavy enemy mortar emplacement. His sound judgment and outstanding devotion to duty, in the face of grave peril, contributed to the success of that operation and reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Abraham and the United States Naval Service. Action Date: March 5, 1945
Northern Solomon Islands Campaign (1943-44)/Battle of Bougainville
From Month/Year
November / 1943
To Month/Year
January / 1944
Description After New Georgia, the next major operation was an invasion of the island of Bougainville, which was approached by landings at Mono and Stirling in the Treasury Islands on October 25-27, 1943. A Marine division landed on the west coast of Bougainville at Empress Augusta Bay on November 1, 1943. The Marines were followed within the month by an Army division and replaced in the next month by another Army division.
It was late November before the beachhead at Empress Augusta Bay was secure. This beachhead was all that was needed, and no attempt was made to capture the entire island. Allied planes neutralized enemy airfields in the northern part of the island, and the Allied command made use of its naval and air superiority to contain the Japanese garrison on Bougainville and cut its supply line to Rabaul by occupying the Green Islands (February 14, 1944).
Despite these measures, the Japanese maintained pressure against the beachhead, mounting an especially heavy but unsuccessful counterattack as late as March 1944. Success at Bougainville isolated all Japanese forces left in the Solomons. The Japanese sustained comparatively heavy air and naval losses during the campaign, which further crippled the Japanese Combined Fleet and had a vital effect on the balance of naval power in the Central Pacific.
