Bernard Jay Hessling
- Marine Private Bernard Jay Hessling, son of Mrs. Mayme Hessling, rural route 1, Lowell, has been graduated from the Marine corps infantry and Browning automatic rifle school at Camp Elliott, San Diego, California.
- The 20-year-old leatherneck is a graduate of Hebron high, where he lettered in basketball. He joined the Marines last November.
- Pvt. Hessling has been thoroughly trained in the use of the Browning automatic rifle, the Garand and carbine rifles, hand grenades and anti-tank grenades and is exceptionally well versed in the use of the bayonet and knives for jungle warfare.
- Training for amphibious operations, he has been assigned to an infantry battalion of the Marine corps.
The following October 26, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1 column 2:
Pvt. Bernard Hessling Recovering in Hospital
Word comes to the Joe Hessling family that their son, Pvt. Bernard (Jay) Hessling is recovering from shrapnel wounds in the left knee at a hospital somewhere in the Solomons.Pvt. Hessling, who is a member of the 1st Marine division, firing a 75 mm gun in the anti-tank corps, lost his personal belongings, among them his fountain pen, snapshots, Bible, and billfold, while in action recently in the Southwest Pacific. "Things happen so quick," wrote the Lowell Marine, "you don't have time to think of anything -- you just pray."
On Saturday, October 21st, Bernard's family received his Purple Heart, which he sent home while in the fleet hospital.
This Lowell Tribune article was found in the April 4, 1946, issue (page 5, columns 5-6):
- Cpl. Bernard J. Hessling has been discharged from the Marine Corps Reserve. He has just returned from 21 months in the South Pacific
Return to World War II Veterans
Return to Biographies