He is believed to be the first US Marine killed in the defense of the Philippines at the beginning of WW II.
He was killed while defending the Cavite Naval Base during a Japanese air attack.
****
Captain Ted E. Pulos command ed Battery F, which had two .50-caliber machine guns located on the Guadalupe Pier near the Navy Communications building. He ordered his men to open fire on the first wave of planes, but after the initial bombing ordered his men to cease fire as the aircraft were obviously above range. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines.
Source: https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003140-00/sec5.htm
He was killed while defending the Cavite Naval Base during a Japanese air attack.
****
Captain Ted E. Pulos command ed Battery F, which had two .50-caliber machine guns located on the Guadalupe Pier near the Navy Communications building. He ordered his men to open fire on the first wave of planes, but after the initial bombing ordered his men to cease fire as the aircraft were obviously above range. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines.
Source: https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003140-00/sec5.htm
He is believed to be the first US Marine killed in the defense of the Philippines at the beginning of WW II.
He was killed while defending the Cavite Naval Base during a Japanese air attack.
****
Captain Ted E. Pulos command ed Battery F, which had two .50-caliber machine guns located on the Guadalupe Pier near the Navy Communications building. He ordered his men to open fire on the first wave of planes, but after the initial bombing ordered his men to cease fire as the aircraft were obviously above range. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines.
Source: https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003140-00/sec5.htm
He was killed while defending the Cavite Naval Base during a Japanese air attack.
****
Captain Ted E. Pulos command ed Battery F, which had two .50-caliber machine guns located on the Guadalupe Pier near the Navy Communications building. He ordered his men to open fire on the first wave of planes, but after the initial bombing ordered his men to cease fire as the aircraft were obviously above range. Private First Class Thomas L. Wetherington was killed by bomb fragments, becoming the first Marine to lose his life in defense of the Philippines.
Source: https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003140-00/sec5.htm
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Entered the service from California.
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