Dale E. Suttle, Jr.
Date of Birth: October 22, 1923.
Place of Birth: Nowata County, Oklahoma.
Father and Mother’s Names: Dale Elseworth Suttle, Sr. and Elizabeth Lnu.
Spouse's Name: Nyla Margaret (Wertzberger).
Date Entered Service: April 1942, in Kansas City Missouri.
Service Branch: Marine Corps.
Service Number: 814273
Rank: Corporal
Division/Company/Unit info: Company L, 3rd Battalion, 4th Regiment, 6th Division.
Awards and Commendations: Purple Heart.
Riley Connection: The 1943 enumeration record for Manhattan, Kansas shows Dale Suttle, Sr. as living in Manhattan with 3 persons in the household, and since Dale was an only child, the three persons are likely Dale (Jr.) and his parents. It is also likely that Dale (Jr.) attended KSAC.
Date of Death (and Age): KIA (Killed in Action) April 2, 1945 (age 21).
Place of Death: Okinawa, Japan.
Grave Location: Originally interred at Cemetery #1, Ryukyu Retto, Okinawa, Japan Dale's remains were returned with the "WWII Dead Program" and buried on April 7, 1949 in the Arlington National Cemetery. A military headstone was placed on his grave on June 15, 1949.
Bio: Okinawa (Delayed) - when every other man in his fire team was cut down during an enemy ambush, Marine Cpl Dale E Suttle Jr, of Manhattan, faced the Japs alone and fought until he was killed. Suttle's company was ambushed on a ridge pock-marked by Jap caves.
The Marines were pinned down by Jap fire. Each time they attempted to deploy, they drew fire from the enemy strongpoint on their flank. Suttle led a group of men up the ridge to knock out the Jap position. As his team advanced up the ridge, the Japs directed fire toward it. One by one the members of the team were knocked out until only Suttle was left. Suttle took on the Jap position alone. In the flurry of firing that followed, Suttle was killed. but he engaged the enemy long enough to allow his company to form and move in to wipe out the ambushing force.
- Originally published The Emporia Gazette May 25, 1945.
George Suttle of near Lyons has been advised that this grandson, Corporal Dale Suttle, Jr., 20, of the Marines, was killed in action on April 2. He was with the Sixth division and it is believed his death occurred during the fighting on Okinawa island. He was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Suttle of Manhattan. He was born while the family resided at Nowata, Oklahoma.
- Originally published in Lyons Daily News 1945.
