Augustus D. Whitney III
Augustus D. Whitney III
Rank: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps
Serial: 542689
Unit: 3rd Marine Division
Entered service from: Pennsylvania
Died: , Iwo Jima
Burial: Plot F1821, Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, NJ
Awards: Purple Heart
Biography
Private First Class Augustus D. Whitney III was born in the Frankford section of Philadelphia on May 27, 1925. His father, the Rev. Augustus D. Whitney Jr., was pastor of St. Luke’s Reformed Episcopal Church in Frankford before the family moved to Camden when the elder Whitney became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at North 5th and Penn Streets in early 1931. An honor student, he was a 1943 graduate of Camden High School where he took the college preparatory course. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in March of 1943, and attended Princeton University in Princeton NJ as part of the Navy V-12 program.
Augustus Whitney III was in the Navy Training Unit (Marine Department), Marching Unit; his initial session at Princeton was July 5–October 23, 1943, but this is stamped “cancelled” with a note that “next term to be considered first term” on his record. This next term was the period of November 1, 1943–February 19, 1944, and is followed by a note that he was detached on February 25, 1944.
After volunteering for overseas duty, Private Augustus Whitney was killed in action on Iwo Jima on February 24, 1945, while serving as a platoon runner with the 3rd Marine Division. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Augustus D. Whitney Jr. of 410 Linden Street, Camden NJ, and four brothers, Paul, John, Mark, and Richard.
After the war, Augustus Whitney was brought home, and he was buried at Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly NJ on April 17, 1948.
Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, NJ
Augustus D. Whitney attended Camden High School a year ahead of me and we both traveled on a public bus in the morning to school. I got to know him well and as I understand it, he graduated in 1943 and entered the Marine Corps, was sent under one of their programs to Princeton and then requested active duty, was sent to the Pacific theatre and was killed in action. Gus, as I remember him was intelligent, well-liked and is missed by his friends and family.
— Joseph Cooper, Feb. 6, 2001
Rites to Be Held For Pastor's Son
Camden Courier-Post —
A military funeral will be held at 10.30 a.m. Saturday for Pfc. Augustus Dodge Whitney 3d, eldest son of the Rev. Augustus D. Whitney Jr., pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Services will be conducted in the U.S. National cemetery, Beverly.
A Marine, young Whitney was killed in action on Iwo Jima Feb. 24, 1945, while serving as a platoon runner with the Third division.
A brilliant student and one of the most popular pupils at Camden High school from which he graduated in the class of 1943, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in March, 1943. He was a leader in scholastic activities while enrolled at Princeton University under the Marine division of the Navy training unit. He lived with his parents at the manse, 410 Linden street.
Augustus Whitney was born in Philadelphia, where his father was pastor of St. Luke’s Reformed Episcopal Church, Frankford. His father has been pastor of the Camden church 17 years.
Also surviving as [sic] his mother, a teacher in the Hatch Junior High school; and four brothers, Paul W., a student at the University of Pennsylvania; John S., a student at Alfred University, New York; Mark W., a student at Woodrow Wilson High school, and Richard K., who attends Burrough Junior High school.