Lest We Forget
Name: Hulen D. Buchanan War: World War II
Rank: Corporal Serial number: 509 914 Branch: Marine Corps
Unit: 2nd Marine Division
Battle: The taking of Tarawa Island, where the Japanese built their strongest defenses
Decorations: Purple Heart & the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Date born: July 31, 1923
Place born: Campo, Colorado
Date died: November 23, 1943
How died: Fatally wounded in action
Place died: He died of wounds aboard ship coming back to the United States
Place buried: In the Pacific Ocean “with appropriate military honors”
Home place: Route 2, Box 182, DeRidder, LA
School(s): School in Campo, Colorado – and – DeRidder High School, where he was given the nickname “Curley”
Interests: Fishing
Spouse: None Children: None
Parents: Charles Hunt Buchanan and his wife Annie Buchanan
Siblings: Leona Copenhaver, Lois Geneva (Deans) Byrd, Jess, Frank, John, Henry (Hank) Buchanan (Hank served in the Air Force – Frank in the Army at the same time Hulen was in the Marine Corps)
Comments: The Marines landed on Tarawa on November 20, 1943 – “it was only after three days of the bloodiest fighting in the Pacific area that the island was won” – 939 Marines and Navy men died or were missing – 2,085 were wounded
Data provided by: His sister: Geneva Byrd, 303 Nolen St., DeRidder, LA
Other sources: News articles and official correspondence were provided
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