Corporal William Allen Eakens
William Allen Eakens was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico on January 19, 1923 to Mr. and Mrs John Eakens. After graduating from Las Cruces High School in 1941 he enrolled at New Mexico State University where he majored in Engineering. In August 1942 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After completion of boot camp, Eakens volunteered for the Marine Paratroopers. Following completion of jump school in January 1943 he was assigned to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Paratroop Regiment. In March of that year his unit was shipped to Noumea, New Caledonia. In September they were shipped to Vella LaVella after a brief stint at Guadalcanal. On December 4, 1943 the 1st Marine Paratroop Regiment was placed into combat at Empress Augustus Bay, Bougainville on the 3rd Marine Division front. Over the next 10 days they were in combat culminating in an unsuccessful attack on strong Japanese positions. In late December 1943 the Marines made the decision to discontinue the paratroop units and the 1st Marine Paratroop Regiment was ordered back to the states to be assumed into the 5th Marine Division. Eakens was subsequently assigned to “Charlie” Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division. In late September 1944 the 28th Marines boarded ship in San Diego bound for Camp Tarawa, Hawaii.
In December 1944, the 28th boarded amphibious transports bound for the western pacific, arriving off the coast of Iwo Jima on February 16, 1945. The 1st Battalion of the 28th was among the first ashore on 19 February. Elements of the 28th were responsible for the flag raising on Mount Suribachi. On March 2nd , Corporal Eakens was wounded in an attack which resulted in a concussion and hospitalization. Some documents list him as KIA on 2 March. In fact, he voluntarily left the hospital on 5 March to return to his unit as it attempted a major offensive to end Japanese resistance. On 8 March, 1945, while attempting to locate sniper fire that was holding up his squad, Corporal William Allen Eakins was struck by gun fire and killed in action. He was initially buried on Iwo Jima in the 5th Marine Division cemetery. In 1948 his body was reinterred at Fort Bliss National Cemetery Texas. Corporal William Allen Eakens was 22 years of age at the time of his death.