Sergeant Wilson S Kishtow
Wilson Sargis Kishtow was born on November 15th, 1915 in Ontario, Canada to Abekebehen Kishtow and Jerusha Isaac, both Syrian immigrants. The Kishtow family immigrated to the United States by the end of 1919 and moved to Michigan. After completing high school, Wilson relocated to the west coast and joined the California National Guard in 1933, reaching the rank of Corporal. Walter enlisted in the Marine Corps on March 25th, 1936 after the end of his three year enlistment in the National Guard and completed boot camp in San Diego. Three months later, Pvt Kishtow transferred to the Marine Detachment, USS Portland on the 17th which then steamed for Hawaii. For the next year, they began training around Hawaiian and California waters, participating in Fleet Problem XVIII, which saw Kishtow promoted to Private First Class and a detail as a Gun Pointer 2nd Class. Finally on August 8th, 1938, Pfc Kishtow joined Marine Detachment, US Receiving Ship, San Francisco where he took on a new job as a messman. During this time, he completed the civil service combination course of the USMC Institute and was awarded the international correspondence school’s diploma the following year.
|
Eventually, Pfc Kishtow was sent to the 9th Reserve District on March 25th, 1940 for recruitment duty, getting a promotion to Corporal. Upon the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese that forced the United States into WW2, he was given a Sergeants recruiting warrant three days later and transferred to the Western Recruiting Division to help recruit new Marines so desperately needed for the war effort. Kishtow carried out this duty for nearly a year until the warrant was revoked, he was reappointed as a Corporal, and joined the 155thmm Howitzer Battalion detachment at the San Diego Training Center on November 4th, 1941. He shipped out the next month for Camp Judgeford, New Zealand and joined Battery K, 155th Howitzer Battalion, formerly of the 11th Marines, on December 27th. Kishtow eventually transferred to Battery L, which then was redesignated as Battery B, while the battalion trained on the island while also enjoying the company of friendly locals. In July, the 1st 155thmm Artillery Battalion became part of the 1st Marine Amphibious Corps and Kishtow regained his Sergeant rank on the 5th. Shortly after, the whole battalion boarded the USS Hunter Liggett and arrived at Guadalcanal on October 5th where he left Battery L for the Headquarters and Service Battery to become a police sergeant. Sadly, Kishtow was convicted for “negligence in proper performance of duty” and reduced right back to Corporal on March 17th, just three months before sailing from Guadalcanal to rehearse for the invasion of Guam.
Guam
Finally after a heavy preliminary bombardment, the Marine assault forced made their way to their assigned beaches on Guam under heavy fire on July 21. Corps artillery followed shortly after in the south, and after a hard fought battle for the beaches, all artillery units were ashore by 5:00 PM and began harassing enemy assembly areas inland. Initially, there was an issue replenishing their ammunition, but this was rapidly fixed after a few days. Kishtow’s job as an anti aircraft machine gunner was rarely needed as the Marines violently battled it out across the island, but help was still needed elsewhere. The 155thmm Artillery Battalions of the III Amphibious Corps fired a 45 minute bombardment on Japanese defenses in front of the airfield on the 28th, regular fire missions in support of continued Marine advances, and the final drive towards Yigo. The island of Guam was finally captured due to the determined Marines on August 10th, but the 1st 155thmm Artillery Battalion remained on the island until September 10th when they returned to Guadalcanal, and rejoined Battery B. Further training awaited them back at the island for five months and on March 6th, 1945, the unit boarded the USS Lacerta and met up with the invasion force for the Battle of Okinawa.
Okinawa
As Marine forces landed virtually unopposed on April 1st, Cpl Kishtow’s artillery battalion made diversionary maneuvers at Ryukyu until the 2nd, when they landed on the mainland on the 3rd. The 155th Artillery Battalions helped support the continuous drives across the island by Marine and Army forces as fighting intensified. Instead of offering strong resistance immediately, the Japanese centered their defense around specific strongpoints on the island. Artillery fire attempted to root out these emplacements, but it took the combined effort of tanks and infantry to violently flush out the defenders in places like Hedo Point, Shuri, and Yaju Daki. The island finally fell to the allies on June 22nd, and Kishtow who regained his Sergeant rank, left the island the following month and returned to California, where he was discharged on September 28th, 1945, shortly after Japan announced their unconditional surrender.
Post War
Returning to Modesto, California, Wilson married Lillie Beasley in 1949. Unfortunately, he struggled in his civilian life to find work due to strikes, and petitioned the Marine Corps Rehabilitation Office to help him find work as a truck driver. They succeeded in helping him get employed, but tragically, Kishtow died at age 34 when his truck loaded with movie film collided with a grain truck and burst into flames on October 16th, 1951. He was buried in Turlock Memorial Cemetery, California. His wife never remarried after the tragedy and was buried alongside Wilson after her death in 1997.
Guam
Finally after a heavy preliminary bombardment, the Marine assault forced made their way to their assigned beaches on Guam under heavy fire on July 21. Corps artillery followed shortly after in the south, and after a hard fought battle for the beaches, all artillery units were ashore by 5:00 PM and began harassing enemy assembly areas inland. Initially, there was an issue replenishing their ammunition, but this was rapidly fixed after a few days. Kishtow’s job as an anti aircraft machine gunner was rarely needed as the Marines violently battled it out across the island, but help was still needed elsewhere. The 155thmm Artillery Battalions of the III Amphibious Corps fired a 45 minute bombardment on Japanese defenses in front of the airfield on the 28th, regular fire missions in support of continued Marine advances, and the final drive towards Yigo. The island of Guam was finally captured due to the determined Marines on August 10th, but the 1st 155thmm Artillery Battalion remained on the island until September 10th when they returned to Guadalcanal, and rejoined Battery B. Further training awaited them back at the island for five months and on March 6th, 1945, the unit boarded the USS Lacerta and met up with the invasion force for the Battle of Okinawa.
Okinawa
As Marine forces landed virtually unopposed on April 1st, Cpl Kishtow’s artillery battalion made diversionary maneuvers at Ryukyu until the 2nd, when they landed on the mainland on the 3rd. The 155th Artillery Battalions helped support the continuous drives across the island by Marine and Army forces as fighting intensified. Instead of offering strong resistance immediately, the Japanese centered their defense around specific strongpoints on the island. Artillery fire attempted to root out these emplacements, but it took the combined effort of tanks and infantry to violently flush out the defenders in places like Hedo Point, Shuri, and Yaju Daki. The island finally fell to the allies on June 22nd, and Kishtow who regained his Sergeant rank, left the island the following month and returned to California, where he was discharged on September 28th, 1945, shortly after Japan announced their unconditional surrender.
Post War
Returning to Modesto, California, Wilson married Lillie Beasley in 1949. Unfortunately, he struggled in his civilian life to find work due to strikes, and petitioned the Marine Corps Rehabilitation Office to help him find work as a truck driver. They succeeded in helping him get employed, but tragically, Kishtow died at age 34 when his truck loaded with movie film collided with a grain truck and burst into flames on October 16th, 1951. He was buried in Turlock Memorial Cemetery, California. His wife never remarried after the tragedy and was buried alongside Wilson after her death in 1997.