Hector de Zayas (September 7, 1910 – July 26, 1944) was a highly decorated

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

lieutenant colonel. He was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

during the

second battle of Guam The Battle of Guam (21 July – 10 August 1944) was the American recapture of the Japanese-held island of Guam, a U.S. territory in the Mariana Islands captured by the Japanese from the United States in the First Battle of Guam in 1941 d ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and was posthumously awarded the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

Early life and career

Hector de Zayas was born on September 7, 1910, in

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. After graduating from

Peekskill Military Academy Peekskill Military Academy was a military academy for young men and women, founded in 1833 as Peekskill Academy, located in Peekskill, New York, United States. Background The academy was built by a hanging tree where a British spy was executed ...

, de Zayas was enrolled at the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

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. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps upon graduating with the class of 1932. De Zayas then reported to

The Basic School The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned and appointed (for warrant officers) United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an "Officer of Marines." The Basic School is located in Stafford County, Virginia to ...

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. After graduating from The Basic School in April 1933, he reported to the Marine Barracks in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. From late 1933 to mid-1934, de Zayas served aboard the USS ''New Mexico'' before a brief assignment to the USS ''Richmond''. By October 1934, he was assigned to the USS ''Trenton'', serving on that ship until mid-1935. De Zayas was then attached to the 1st Marine Brigade in

Quantico, Virginia Quantico (; formerly Potomac) is a town in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 578 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Quantico is approximately 35 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., bound ...

, remaining there until the end of 1936. In January 1937, he began attending the tank course at

Fort Benning, Georgia Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...

. After graduating from the course that summer, he returned to the 1st Marine Brigade's newly activated 1st Tank Company in Quantico. That October, de Zayas assumed command of the company. While de Zayas was critical of the Marmon-Herrington CTL-3 tanks, characterizing them as unreliable, he remained in Quantico until 1939. Afterwards, he was stationed in China with Headquarters Company,

4th Marine Regiment The 4th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. Based at Camp Schwab in Okinawa, Japan, it is part of the 3rd Marine Division of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Mission 4th Marine Regiment conducts littoral ...

, staying there until mid 1941.

World War II

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into

. De Zayas was soon afterwards assigned as the commanding officer of

2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (2/3) was an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii consisting of approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors. The battalion fell under the command of the 3rd Marine Reg ...

. In September 1942, de Zayas' regiment deployed to

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and was assigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade. The

3rd Marines The 3d Marine Littoral Regiment (3d MLR) is a regiment of the United States Marine Corps that is optimized for littoral maneuver in the Indo-Pacific Theater. Based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the regiment falls under the command of the 3rd Marin ...

then moved to

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to conduct combat training and in June 1943, the regiment was assigned to the

3rd Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry division ...

. The division then moved to

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomons by area and the second- ...

and conducted mock amphibious landings at

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Bougainville campaign

On November 1, 1943, the 3rd Marine Division assaulted Bougainville. Landing at Blue Beach 2, Lieutenant Colonel de Zayas' battalion was the first to reach the island and faced little resistance from the defending Japanese. On November 20, de Zayas led 2/3 in breaking an enemy roadblock on the Numa-Numa Trail, discovering a 400-foot ridge. He then ordered one of his company commanders to take the ridge. A platoon led by First Lieutenant Steve J. Cibik moved ahead of the battalion, holding the ridge against several

counterattack A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in "Military exercise, war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objecti ...

s for the next four days. De Zayas' battalion was crossing the

Piva River The Piva (, ) is a river in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The river runs through Montenegro for most of its course length, and in its last three kilometres marks the border between the two countries. Course The Piva emerges from the ' ...

on November 21 when the Marines were pinned down by heavy fire from a Japanese

bunker A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. T ...

complex. De Zayas moved forward to personally direct the fire of his Marines before leading part of his unit around the enemy position. De Zayas then encountered an enemy battalion supporting the bunker system, and was able to withdraw his men with minimal casualties. The information de Zayas gathered on the bunker system during this action was instrumental in destroying the bunkers. On November 24, de Zayas led his Marines forward 250 yards under heavy fire, taking heavy casualties while crossing a meandering stream eight times. The

battle of Piva Forks The Battle of Piva Forks, also known as the Battle of Numa–Numa Trail, was an engagement that took place during the Bougainville campaign in World War II. Occurring between 18 and 25 November 1943 on Bougainville Island in the South Pacific, th ...

concluded the next day. For his actions during the battle, de Zayas was awarded the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

. On December 25, the 3rd Marines left Bougainville and returned to Guadalcanal.

Battle of Guam

On July 21, 1944, de Zayas led his battalion ashore at Red Beach One near

Adelup Point Adelup Point (Chamorro language, Chamoru: ''Punta Adilok'') is limestone promontory in Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, Guam that extends into the Philippine Sea and separates Asan Bay, Guam, Asan Bay from Hagåtña Bay. It has been the site of the Ric ...

during the battle of Guam. De Zayas attempted to lead his Marines up over the ridge overlooking the beach between Chonito Cliff and Bundschu Ridge, but fierce enemy resistance kept his entire regiment pinned down. Company E was able to take the high ground by the end of the day, but only after the Japanese had withdrawn. De Zayas' battalion spent the entire next day continuously engaging the enemy. On July 25, 2/3 punched through enemy cave defenses on the drive toward Fonte Ridge. That night and into the next morning, his battalion helped to repulse multiple Japanese banzai attacks. Both sides took heavy casualties. By dawn, de Zayas learned of the potential of a second enemy attack and moved to the front lines to reposition his men. While he was in this exposed forward position, de Zayas was shot and killed by a Japanese

sniper A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with telescopic si ...

. The executive officer of 2/3, Major William A. Culpepper, assumed command for the remainder of the battle. De Zayas was posthumously awarded the

and a road leading to the 3rd Marine Regiment's command post on Guam was named "De Zayas Road." He was buried in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:de Zayas, Hector 1910 births 1944 deaths United States Marine Corps personnel killed in World War II Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Military personnel from New York City Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Silver Star United States Marine Corps officers United States Naval Academy alumni Deaths by firearm in Guam

Early life and career

World War II

Bougainville campaign

Battle of Guam

See also

References