1st Marine Division

ROBERT “ALLEN” LEATHERWOOD

ROBERT “ALLEN” LEATHERWOOD

Mar 1, 2018 | ,

Allen Leatherwood was born in Austin, Texas in 1983 but he grew up in a country home near Elgin where he attended public schools. In high school he was a 3-year varsity Football letterman and was also on the Power Lifting Team. As a 17 year-old during his senior year, and with his parents consent, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Both of Allen's grandfathers had served in the military and he had an uncle that was an Army Vietnam veteran, but Allen was the first Marine in the family. He graduated from Elgin High School with the class of 2001 and was soon sent off to begin training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in California. After completing Boot Camp in November 2001, he...

GABRIEL TAMAYO

GABRIEL TAMAYO

Apr 1, 2014 | ,

Gabriel Tamayo was born in Lockhart, Texas in 1925. He grew up there and attended public schools. He was still in high school when his draft notice came in 1943, but Gabriel didn’t wait. He dropped out of school and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve instead. He entered active duty in San Antonio on December 11, 1943, and was sent to San Diego where he went through boot camp. After boot camp and advanced individual training at Camp Pendleton, Gabriel was immediately sent off to the Pacific Theatre without having any home leave. His ship sailed on May 13, 1944, and his destination was Pavuvu, in the Russell Islands northwest of Guadalcanal. At that time, Pavuvu island was...

HADRON “IZELL” BANKSTON

HADRON “IZELL” BANKSTON

May 1, 2008 | ,

Hadron Izell Bankston was born in Malta, Texas (Bowie County near New Boston) in 1925. He has been called Izell all of his life. As a small child his family moved to Kaufman County and while he was growing up they lived variously at Kemp, Blue Bank, Mabank and Kaufman. He was attending Kaufman High School when America entered the war and he wanted to volunteer immediately. However, he was only seventeen and his mother refused her permission. So, Izell bided his time until he turned eighteen and enlisted in the Navy on his birthday. Doing so meant dropping out of high school before finishing his senior year. Izell entered service as a “selective volunteer” and after eight...