LAS Denis McGuire was an uncle of mine. I never met or knew him, as I was born in 1954. He was a brother of my father Patrick.
Denis was an Irish man, who was born and bred in Roosky County Roscommon Ireland. He came from a farming background, played football, loved cycling in his younger days.
His Aunt Mary McGuire was already living and working in Cook County, Illinois USA when Denis decided to go there and look for employment there (date unknown)
He worked for the railway company and lived with his Aunt.
After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Denis and thousands more joined the Navy.
He named his Aunt Mary McGuire as his next of kin.
Denis came from a large family and his siblings were:
Annie, Edward, Patrick my father, Jack, Molly, Rosaleen and Frank (Francis junior)
His parents names were Francis and Roseann McGuire.
All those people are now deceased.
Please view the additional photos section below to see photographs of the Front and Back of LAS Denis McGuire’s actual Purple Heart Medal which was awarded posthumously.
Note: Denis was one of the 20 men who were injured during the Kamikaze attack of on March 31, 1945, during battle action at Okinawa. He was awarded a Purple Heart and it was awarded to him Apr 3rd during an on board ceremony by Admiral Raymond Spruance. The Purple Heart awarded posthumously was his second. (Patricia Stephens-Admin)
Source: War Diary, entry for 3 April 1945.
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