Alexander Bonnyman, Jr.
| Alexander Bonnyman, Jr. | |
|---|---|
 
Medal of Honor recipient Alexander Bonnyman, Jr.
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Sandy" |
| Born |
May 2, 1910 Atlanta, Georgia |
| Died | November 23, 1943 (aged 33) Betio, Tarawa |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1942–1943 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Alexander "Sandy" Bonnyman, Jr. (May 2, 1910 – November 22, 1943) was a United States Marine Corps officer who was killed in action at Betio, Tarawa during World War II. A combat engineer, he received the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three Bronze Stars and the World War II Victory Medal posthumously for his actions during the strategically important assault on a Japanese bombproof shelter during the Battle of Tarawa.
Born on May 2, 1910, in Atlanta, Georgia, Bonnyman's family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, when he was a baby. His father was the president of Knoxville's Blue Diamond Coal Company.
Bonnyman attended Princeton University where he studied engineering and played American football. Dropping out of college after his sophomore year, he signed up for the Army Air Corps and entered flight training in June 1932 but washed out three months later, reportedly "for buzzing too many control towers". He then worked in the coal industry before moving to New Mexico, where he started a copper mining business.
At the outbreak of the war, Bonnyman was exempt from any military obligation due to his role in running a company producing strategically vital material for the war effort. Nevertheless, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as a private at Phoenix, Arizona. Bonnyman received his recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California.
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