Wesley McKinley Bottoms

These awards are based on the information below and per applicable DoD Directives and Awards Manuals:
Purple Heart Medal Awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Forces, after April 5, 1917, has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may hereafter die of wounds received in action against an enemy of the United States.
U.S. Army Good Conduct Medal Awarded for exemplary behavior, efficiency, and fidelity in active Federal military service. It is awarded on a selective basis to each Soldier who distinguishes himself or herself from among his or her fellow Soldiers by their exemplary conduct, efficiency, and fidelity throughout a specified period of continuous enlisted active Federal military service.
American Campaign Service Medal Awarded for military service within the American Theater between December 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946.
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Awarded for military service with the Asiatic-Pacific Theater between December 7, 1941 and March 2, 1946.
World War II Victory Medal Awarded for military service between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946, both dates inclusive.
 Note that this list may not include all awarded medals, devices, unit citations or qualification badges.
 **It is likely but unconfirmed that PVT Bottoms was posthumously awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal.

Documents, Forms and Resources Found or Not Found:
Yes Application For Headstone or Marker, OQMG Form 623
No  Eyewitness Statement or Report
Yes Grave Marker Photo, Find A Grave
Yes National Archives Database, Enlistment Records
No Official Regiment or Division After Action Report
Yes  Photo of veteran, Find A Grave
Yes  Washington Newspaper Obit, Notice, or Report
No  WWII Draft Card Data
Yes WWII Hospital Admission Records

WWII Draft Card Data
  No Records Found

WWII Hospital Admission Records
Name: Wesley M. Bottoms
Rank: Enlisted Man
Admission Age: 25
Birth Date: abt 1920
Admission Date: April 1945
Discharge Date: April 1945
Discharge Place: Not in Medical Installation Prior to Death
Military Branch: Medical Dept., Pharmacy Corps
Military Unit: 3
Diagnosis: Fracture, simple, Not Elsewhere Classified (includes fracture, simple, and fracture unqualified) with no nerve or artery involvement;
  First Location: Not Disclosed by WMH
  Second Location: Not Disclosed by WMH
  Causative Agent: None or Unknown
Diagnosis: : Not Disclosed by WMH
Type of Injury:
Injury Type 1: Battle casualty;
Injury Type 2: All battle casualties, and all battle injuries not intentionally inflicted by self or another person;
Injured in Line of Duty: In line of duty
Service Number: 39475831
Notes: None

Note 1: The death location, "On Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan" is based on the best information available at this time. In the case of PVT Bottoms, this location was estimated on:

A. His Application For Headstone or Marker, OQMG Form 623, identifies his assigned unit as Company E, 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division.

B. At the time PVT Bottoms was Killed In Action the 77th Infantry Division was conducting combat operations on Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan during April 1945.

C. Hospital Admission Records indicate that PVT Bottoms died during April 1945, as a result of combat wounds.

D. His Find A Grave listing identifies his death location as Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan.

E. Further information on the 307th Infantry Regiment and the 77th Infantry Division can be found at the US Army Divisions website 77th Infantry Division.

F. Further information about the Ie Shima Airfield and the Okinawa Campaign Invasion of Ie Shima can be found at the Wikipedia website Ie Shima Airfield and the Invasion of Ie Shima can be found at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy website Okinawa Campaign: Invasion of Ie Shima: April 16, 1945.

Anyone with additional information or a more specific location is welcomed and encouraged to submit an email to: ww2updates@withmilitaryhonors.com.

The following information on this casualty is sourced from The National Archives Database:
 Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records) - See Note 2

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