Brookline War Memorial
Jack E. Shannon

Private Jack E. Shannon
United States Marine Corps (1944-1945)

Jack E. Shannon

United States Marine Corps (1775-present)

Jack Eugene Shannon was born on November 20, 1925, to parents Catherine M. and Harry E. Shannon of 2853 Midland Street. Jack had three older brothers, Harry, Ralph and Robert, and one sister, Marie. The Shannon family were members of the Brookline Boulevard United Presbyterian Church, where Jack was a Boy Scout. A graduate of Brookline Elementary School and Connelly Trade School, Jack was employed at Evan's Jewelry Repair.

Following in his big brother's footsteps, Jack enlisted in the service on March 23, 1944. His brother Ralph was in the Army. His brother Robert was in the Navy. His brother Harry served in the Army Air Forces and had lost his life in July 1943 in New Guinea. Jack chose to join the United States Marine Corps. A third Blue Service Star joined the one Gold Star on the window of the Shannon's Brookline home.

After completing boot camp and additional combat infantry training, Private Jack E. Shannon was assigned to the 22nd Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division, which was formed in September on Guadalcanal. After a family leave in late-November, Jack joined the Division's other new recruits in San Diego and departed for the South Pacific on December 20, 1944.

        

Once they arrived on Guadalcanal, the green recruits were dispersed among the Division's veteran units, then participated in intensive training for the upcoming Invasion of Okinawa. Once prepared, Pvt. Shannon and the 6th Marine Division shipped out and traveled 6,000 miles to the island of Okinawa.

The Division landed on April 1, 1945 and met only light resistance. By April 14 it had advanced fifty-five miles. The successful drive to the north culminated with the capture of the Motobu Peninsula. What began as a relatively easy campaign would soon digress into a bitter, deadly battle against well-entrenched Japanese defenders to the south.

6th Marine Division landing on Okinawa
Marines of the 6th Division landing on Okinawa, April 1, 1945.

At the end of April, the 6th Marine Division replaced the Army's 27th Infantry Division on the southwestern flank and took part in the struggle to breach the Shuri Line, a strong Japanese position. The Shuri Line was honeycombed with caves and passages.

Mutually supported defensive positions, mortar, artillery, machine guns, and interconnected tunnel complexes awaited the attackers. In addition, the Marines ran into what they referred to as "spider holes." Flush with the ground and covered with brush or dirt, these hideaways kept the men constantly vigilant about what might be behind them. Private Jack Shannon and the Marines had to root out the Japanese defenders one stronghold at a time.

6th Marine Division on Okinawa    6th Marine Division on Okinawa
Marines of the 6th Division resting near Naha (left) and attacking Japanese positions near Sugar Loaf Hill.

The Sugar Loaf Hill Complex formed the western anchor of the Japanese defense, and the 6th Marine Division was ordered to capture it. After a week of fighting, and suffering horrendous casualties, the hill was secured. After Sugar Loaf, the Division advanced through Naha and participated in the ten-day battle to capture the Oroku Peninsula. The Marines then partook in mopping up operations on the southern tip of the island.

The Battle of Okinawa was declared over on June 21, 1945. Only the day before, after surviving two and a half months of savage island fighting, during skirmishes against isolated die-hard groups of Japanese resisters, Brookline's nineteen year old Private Jack E. Shannon was killed in action. His body was interred in the American Cemetery on Okinawa.

 

The Shannon family received the tragic news of Jack's death in early July. The banner hanging on the window of the Shannon family home at 2853 Midland Street changed once again. Along with two Blue Service Stars there were now two Gold Stars. Nearly four months passed before, on November 7, the Pittsburgh Press listed Jack's name in the daily casualty listings. By then, the war had by been over for three months.

Union Dale Cemetery

In April 1949, the body of Private Jack Eugene Shannon was returned to the United States. Funeral services were held on April 9 at Beinhauer Mortuary. He was buried alongside in his brother 2nd Lt. Harry C. Shannon in the soldier's plot at the Union Dale Cemetery on the Northside, with military services by Brookline's American Legion Post #540. The other two Shannon brothers, Ralph and Robert, both survived the war. The Shannon family of 2853 Midland Street was the only Brookline family to lose two sons during World War II.

Union Dale Cemetery

* Written by Clint Burton: May 2, 2018 *




The Brookline War Memorial

The Brookline Veteran's Memorial.

Listed below are many of the sons of Brookline who gave their
lives to preserve freedom and contain aggression during
World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”
General George S. Patton
 

United States Army (1775-present)  United States Army Air Services (1917-1947)  United States Navy (1775-present)  United States Marine Corps (1775-present)
United States Coast Guards (1790-present)  United States Air Force (1947-present)  United States Merchant Marine (1775-present)

World War I (1917-1919)

Percy Digby

Digby, David P.
Mayville Avenue
Army

Details

Raymond P. Cronin

Cronin, Raymond P.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details

Charles Luppe

Luppe, Charles
Ferncliffe Avenue
Army

Details

WW1 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War I Memorial - Washington D.C.

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World War II (1941-1945)


Alm, William H.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Arensberg, Roy T.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Bracey, Bruce H.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Details


Brickley, Edward G.
Woodward Avenue
Army

Details


Capogreca, James J.
Merrick Avenue
Navy

Details


Copeland, Clarence R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Cullison, Thomas J.
Birtley Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Howard F.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Walter F.
Milan Avenue
Navy

Details


Diegelman, Edward R. Jr
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Dornetto, Frank P.
Jacob Street
Navy

Details


Doyle, John F Jr.
Eben Street
Navy

Details


Fagan, Gerald B.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Falk, Harold E.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Fehring, Robert M.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Gmuca, Joseph J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Heil, Robert F.
Bayridge Avenue
Army

Details


Hynes, Richard E.
Waddington Avenue
Army

Details


Kestler, Paul C.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Ketters, Robert C.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Mahoney, Michael J.
Oakridge Street
Army

Details


Majestic, Arthur B.
Starkamp Avenue
Army

Details


Mayberry, Alexander G.
Breining Street
Army

Details


Mazza, John
Alwyn Street
Army

Details


McCann, Robert F.
Edgebrook Avenue
Navy

Details


McFarland, Hugh R.
McNeilly Road
Army

Details


Meisner, Walter F.
Berwin Avenue
Merchant Marine

Details


Miller, William J.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Napier, Edward J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Nicholson, John D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


O'Day, John R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Orient, Andrew D.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Pisiecki, Raymond A.
Wolford Avenue
Army

Details


Reeves, Alfred M.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Reitmeyer, John P.
Bellaire Avenue
Navy

Details


Rhing, Vern M.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Ruane, Roy J.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details


Shannon, Harry C.
Midland Street
Army

Details


Shannon, Jack E.
Midland Street
USMC

Details


Simpson, James D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Spack, Harry
Linial Avenue
Army

Details


Tobin, Paul M.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Vierling, Howard F.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Wagner, Ralph G.
Shawhan Avenue
Army

Details


Wentz, Walter L. Jr
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Zeiler, Harold V.
West Liberty Avenue
Army

Details


WW2 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War II Memorial - Washington D.C.

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Korean War (1950-1953)

Patrick Gallagher

Gallagher, Patrick J.
Bodkin Street
Army

Details

James Gormley

Gormley, James W.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details

Gerald Hilliard

Hilliard, Gerald G.
Edgebrook Avenue
Army

Details

James McKenna

McKenna, James E.
Bellaire Place
Army

Details

Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.

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Vietnam War (1965-1973)

James Robert Bodish

Bodish, James R.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Gilbert Collins

Collins, James G.
Dunster Street
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Charles Wonn

Wonn, James C.
Mayville Avenue
Navy

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.




The Brookline Monument - The Cannon

Brookline Veteran's Park - April 26, 2014.

<Brookline War Memorial> <> <Brookline History>