This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt Michael Fullarton (Program)
to remember
Marine Pvt Kenneth Stewart Bowers.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Stockertown
Last Address Rt. 3, Nazareth, Pennsylvania
Casualty Date Aug 07, 1942
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Unknown, Not Reported
Location Solomon Islands
Conflict World War II
Wall/Plot Coordinates Section A Lot 60 1/2 Range C Site 2
Battle of Tulagi (including First Savo) /Tulagi Island landing
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
August / 1942
Description The Japanese occupied Tulagi on May 3, 1942, with the intention of setting up a seaplane base nearby (see Japanese Tulagi landing). The ships in Tulagi harbor were raided by planes from USS Yorktown the following day in a prelude to the Battle of the Coral Sea.
U.S. forces, primarily the 1st Marine Raiders, landed on August 7 and captured Tulagi as part of Operation Watchtower after a day of hard fighting.
After its capture by Naval and Marine forces, the island hosted a fleet of PT boats for a year which included John F. Kennedy's PT-109, as well as other ancillary facilities.
A small 20-bed dispensary was operated on Tulagi until its closure in 1946. The island also formed part of Purvis Bay, which hosted many U.S. Navy ships during 1942 and 1943.
