Orville H. Showers Jr.
Orville H. Showers Jr., Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps.
Private First Class • U.S. Marine Corps • Serial 803129
3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division
Entered service from New Jersey • Died July 25, 1944
Buried at Arlington Cemetery, Cove Road, Pennsauken NJ 08110
Awards: Silver Star, Purple Heart
Introduction
Private First Class Orville H. Showers Jr. was born on October 19, 1923, to Orville H. and Ethel Showers. He grew up in Camden NJ, attending Burrough Junior High School, and graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School on Federal Street in Camden in 1941. The family was living at 822 Market Street when he graduated High School, but had moved to 224 Glenwood Avenue, Merchantville NJ shortly thereafter. Orville Showers enlisted in the Marine Corps in January of 1943. He trained at Parris Island and Camp Lejeune NC, and was stationed for a time at Camp Pendleton CA before going overseas in January of 1944. He fought in the Marshall Islands and on Saipan.
Orville Showers was killed in action on Tinian Island on July 25, 1944, at the age of 20. His death was reported in the September 4, 1944 edition of the Camden Courier-Post. He was survived by his parents, and is memorialized on the war memorials in Cherry Hill and Merchantville.
Orville Showers Jr. was brought home to New Jersey after the war, and was buried at Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken NJ, where he lies next to his parents.
Honor Certificates Won by Pupils at Burrough School
Camden Courier-Post —
Junior High Awards Made by Principal Trembath in Special Assembly
9A-2 Girl Is Leader
Honor certificates, scholarship pins, music buttons, athletic letters and championship awards were presented to pupils of Burrough Junior High School during a special assembly program yesterday by Principal T. W. Trembath.
Students receiving honor certificates for outstanding contributions to all-around school life included:
Highest honor scholarship, Mildred June Allen, 9A-2; honor scholarships, Norma A. Canzanese, 9A-1; Eleanor Spector, 9A-1; Dora Anna Wagner, 9A-3; Anna Mae Winstanley, 9A-1; Robert Bowell, 9A-4; Jeanette Norma Lalli, 9A-2; and Ethelyn Blessing, 9A-3.
English—Albert Kreger, 8A-2; history and geography, Mary Colalillo 8B-1; science, William Anderson, 9B-4 and Charles Metz, 9B-5; mathematics junior business, Leslie Hudson, 8A-1 and Norman Glenn, 8A-3.
Club leaderships: dancing, Mildred June Allen, 9A-2; checkers, Louis Cooper, 9A-1; puzzlers, Lena Santangelo, 8A-5; council, Gloria Keefe, 9B-1; girl reserve, Margaret Cowgill, 9B-1; editors, Eleanor Spector, 9A-1, and library, Jeanette Norma Lalli, 9A-2.
Library Awards Made
School servicing, William S. Gibson, 9A-4 and Bruno Melchionni, 9A-5; library service; Virginia Carsley, 8A-1, Virginia Shearer 8A-5, Esther Biasi 8A-6 and Elizabeth Kracht 9A-1; stage managing, Bruno Melchionni 9A-5, Emil Meloni 9A-5 and Charles Merkh 9A-5.
Homeroom leadership, Herbert Foltz 8A-7, George Charles Turnbull, 9A-3, Hazel Pine, 9B-4, Mary Colalillo 8B-1, Patsy Marcotulli, 8A-4 and Daniel Starr 8B-2.
Student government: Health chief, Anna Mae Winstanley, 9A-1; council and court, Carmella Julia Marchisella 9A-2.
Students receiving “A” averages for the year received pins in school colors inscribed “honor student.” “B” averages were rewarded with similar pins bearing the inscription, “for scholarship.”
Glee club members of merit got the award of a pin in school colors bearing a music staff and quarter notes.
‘B’s’ Awarded In Sports
Students representing their class in four consecutive intra-mural sports received the block letter “B” for sweaters. Certificates were awarded to girls’ championship class teams in volleyball and Newcomb.
Ninth grade “A” averages were made by: Norma Canzanese, Eleanor Spector, June Allen, Jennie Garramona, Jeanette Lalli, Jeanett Kaplan, Doranna Wagner, Ethelyn Blessing, Robert Bowell, Edna Pfeiffer, Elizabeth Chase, Zelda Berlin, George McClellan and Josephine Beldina.
Ninth grade “B” averages were made by: Anna Mae Winstanley, Louis Cooper, David Cohen, Millie Marzilli, Betty Cramer, Rita Puleo, Arvida Peterson, May Pasell, Elvira Polidore, Althea Young, Dorinda Todd, Kenneth Ennis, Anthony Di Servio, Theodore Bunalski, Lillian Jenkins, Neno DeMarco, Bruno Melchionni, Leslie Hudson, Myra Schaffer, Nicola Pompeano, Gloria Keefe, Marian Jarvis, Clarence Monk, Charles Thompson, Elizabeth Blair, Elizabeth Olive, Joseph Thompson, Edith Andrews, Harry Marsh, Nan Converse, Bertha Feldman, Dolores McCormick, Evelyn Molotsky, William Anderson, Ida Rabinowitz, Anthony Ambrosino, Thelma Thomas, Charles Metz, William Dube, Orville Showers, William Johnson, Frank Hoffmeister, William Smith, Nicola Seneglia, Anthony Petrome.
Many Excel in 8th Grade
Eighth grade ‘A’ averages were made by Emma Downing, Leonard Hudson, Frederick Robertson, George Richterman, Albert Kreger, Russell Pierce, Herman Kripitz, Norman Glenn, Bernard Lentz, Howard Haines, Mary Garner, Mary Colalillo, Armando Cardillo.
Eighth Grade “B” averages were made by Ella Durham, Margaret Fields, Sherman Freed, Martha Fish, William Hench, Armond Capanna, Rose Cianci, Robert Gray, Dorothy Davis, Dorothy Terry, Jack Kates, Edith Lukoff, Leonard Muscioscia, Miriam Van Sciver, Virginia Carsley, Henrietta Griffith, Jessie Odell, Edward Zane, Marjorie O’Brien, Yolanda Di Filippa, Palma Ferri, William Cox, Arleen Edwards, Penelope Marlys, Carmella Gallo, Elsie Judd, Doris Jones, Harriet James, Anthony Constantino, Rose Tryka, Rose Mavronikilas, Anna Shivers, Dorothy Paglione, Erma Pollato, Florence Meccariello, George Edwards, Arnold Shepherd, Lincoln Wood, Howard Weeks, Orlando Compoli, Carmella Constantino, Ernest Ferri, Vincent Serchia, Janet Wenger, Warner Lombardi, Henry Maiale, Frank LaMarra.
Music button recipients by grades were: 9A-1, Lillian Friedenberg, Anna Winstanley and Eleanor Spector; 9A-2, Betty Cramer and Pauline Barracliff; 9A-3, Etheylyn Blessing; 9A-4, Evelyn Fusco, Clarence Claypoole and John DeLakas; 9A-5, Virginia Pitts, Antoinette Pacifico, Gloria Polatto, Leslie Hudson and Joseph Mazola;
9B-1: Virginia Blair, Claire Wenger, Myra Schaffer and Nicola Pompeano; 9B-2, Grace Reino; 9B-3 Nan Converse, Zelda Berlin and Fred Jenkins; 9B-4, Ida Rabinowitz and Thelma Thomas; 9B-5, Faust DiCarlo and Roland Pepa; 8A-1, Armand Campanna; 8A-2, Irene Pettit and Dorothy Terry; 8A-4, Clara Iapolucci, Helene Haushalter, Elsie Judd and Mary Ann Garner; 8A-5, Rose Mavronikola, Zetta Rentz, Elizabeth Raspa and Sarah Warke; 8A-7, Harry Edwards and Herbert Foltz; 8B-1 John Burgo.
Athletic letters were awarded to: 9A-1 Michelina Dazzione, Lillian Friedenberg, Alma Wallace, Anna Winstanley; 9A-2—June Allen, Dina DiCesaris, Jennie Garramona, Marie Jackson, Shirley Laxton, Millie Marzillai, Arvida Peterson.
9A-3 Elvera Catalina, Elizabeth Manella, Althea Young
9A-4 Josephine Cardile, Louise Della Monicke, Josephine Guarino.
9A-5 Antoinette Pacifico, Virginia Pitts, Gloria Talerico, Pearl Warner, Louise Watson.
9B-1 Oliver Everett.
9B-2 Charles Thompson, William Vasey, McKinley Burrell.
9B-3 Max Dippner, William Smith.
8A-1 Carlo Degianni
8A-3 Carmen Carbone.
8A-4 Patsy Marcotulli.
8A-5 Albert Basile.
Cheerleader rewards were won by Alfred Green and Tony Russo.
Championship certificate awards were made: Volleyball—Inez Braxton, Elvera Catalina, Elisa Mannella, Doranna Wagner, Gertrude Wallace, Althea Young, Gina Annibale, Lucy Augelli, Mary Colallilo, Mary Canzanese, Frances Caratola, Carmella Constantino, Antoinette DiPasquale and Rose Gellura.
Newcomb: June Allen, Dina DiCesaris, Jennie Garramona, Marie Jackson, Shirley Laxton, Millie Marzilli, Arvida Peterson, Elvira Polidore, Ethel Reese, Doris McMacklin, Florence Meccariello, Lois Mitchell, Dorothy Paglione, Erma Pollato, Yolanda Pompeano, Elizabeth Raspa, Zettie Rentz, Virginia Shearer and Anna Shivers.
Marine Corps to Pay Last Honors To Heroic Orville H. Showers Jr.
Camden Courier-Post —
Merchantville Youth Died Stopping Jap Push on Tinian
A marine squad will fire a salute and a marine bugler will sound taps Friday over the Arlington cemetery grave of a Merchantville hero, home from the South Pacific battlefield where he was killed July 25, 1944.
Services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Murray funeral home, 409 Cooper street, for Marine Pfc. Orville H. Showers Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Orville H. Showers, 224 Glenwood avenue, Merchantville.
A guard of honor from the F. W. Grigg post, American Legion, of Merchantville, will stand watch at the funeral parlor Thursday night.
Young Showers, who was 20 when he was killed in a two-man stand against more than 250 Japs on Tinian island, in the Marianas, was awarded the Silver Star posthumously. The medal was presented to his parents in ceremonies at their Merchantville home, May 10, 1946.
High School Grad
A graduate of Woodrow Wilson High school, with the class of 1941, Showers had worked as a clerk in his father’s publishing business at 822 Market street before his enlistment in the Marine Corps in January, 1943. He had served with the Fourth Marine division in the Marshall Island operations and at the battle of Saipan.
The Fourth Marine Division’s own record of its War II campaigns has this citation of young Showers:
“The breakthrough [at Tinian] found B-3 in the fore front. When the first indications of attack were felt, two machinegun men, Pfc. Orville H. Showers Jr. and Cpl. Alfred Daigle went out on the front and on the flank of their company. They saw a great number of Japs moving toward them across a field.
“Showers and Daigle held their fire until the Japs were about 25 yards away, then opened up with everything they had. The Japs hit the deck and came back with firing light machineguns and throwing hand grenades.
Second Wave of Japs
“It seemed impossible that the two men, in such exposed positions, could hold on. Yet they killed most of the Japs. The second wave came in, more than 200 charging Japs.
“Back on the main line of defense, marines could not come to their assistance because of the hot, blazing away.”
A similar account was contained, shortly after Showers’ death, in The Parris Island Boot, newspaper of the marine training depot at Parris Island, S.C., where Showers first served after his enlistment. A camp newspaper published a combat correspondent’s report of the Tinian island engagement and concluded with the combat correspondent quoting: “Our unit will never forget their heroic stand.”
The Presidential citation which was given Mr. and Mrs. Showers at the time of the posthumous award of the Silver Star, read:
“For gallantry and intrepidity as a member of a rifle company with the Third Battalion, 25th Marines, Fourth Marine Division, in action against the enemy Japanese forces on the Island of Tinian in the Mariannas on July 25, 1944.
Seriously Wounded
“Braving a terrific concentration of machinegun and sniper fire when the entire crew of the machinegun had been put out of action, Pfc. Showers fearlessly left his protected position and making his way to the gun, Showers put it in operation and maintained a steady stream of fire in a valiant effort to clean out the force of Jap troops who had infiltrated our lines.
“Although seriously wounded during the action, he continued to pour a devastating barrage on the enemy and succeeded in inflicting many casualties on the enemy before he himself was fatally struck down by a burst of hostile machinegun fire.
“By his bold initiative, indomitable fighting spirit and resolute fortitude in the face of tremendous personal danger, he contributed materially to the success of our operations against this position.
“And by his courageous and decisive conduct throughout this period, Private First Class Showers held the highest traditions of the U.S. Navy. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”
Photos
Grave marker of Orville H. Showers Jr., Arlington Cemetery, Pennsauken NJ.