From the South Dakota WWII Memorial website:
Vincent R. Condelario was born on June 8, 1920, in Martin, South Dakota. Born to Peter and Nancy Moran Condelario, Vincent was the youngest of ten children. Vincent’s sister, Alberta Pourier wrote, “He was handsome, well spoken, and had many friends. He was a good student and enjoyed sports.” Attending St. Francis Mission High School in St. Francis, South Dakota, Vincent graduated as vale-dictorian. Then Vincent went to college in Denver, Colorado, but left college in 1942 to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Condelario trained at San Diego. After he completed his training, Vincent was sent to the south Pacific with the 1st Btn, 8th Marines. Pfc. Condelario engaged in combat at Guadalcanal. He was promoted to Corporal before the Tarawa landings.
Marine Cpl. Vincent Condelario was wounded in the landing on Tarawa and died of wounds the following day November 21, 1943. Vincent was buried in a mass grave on Tarawa. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii. He was also awarded the Presidential Unit Citation ribbon bar with two stars, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the WW II Victory Medal.
Vincent’s sister, Alberta, said, “Vincent was a very serious young man and had many dreams and ambitions for his future.”
We will not forget the service of Marine Vincent R. Condelario.
Thanks to Aaron Erickson, Chrissy Antuna, and Sam Reede, 8th Grade West, Spearfish Middle School, Spearfish, South Dakota, December 4, 2000 for researching Cpl. Condelario. Information for this entry from the South Dakota WWII Memorial website was provided by Alberta C. Pourier, Rushville, Nebraska, sister of Marine Pfc. Vincent R. Condelario.
Email - Jon@tarawaontheweb.org
copyright 2003 Wheaton, Illinois
Created 18 January 2003
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