Medals Sgt. Burt Horton probably earned

Burt Howard Horton was born on February 15, 1915 and grew up in Howard Lake, Minnesota. Burt Horton had 5 brothers and 6 sisters. He attended Howard Lake public school and went to bible school at his church (Howard Lake Church of Christ). He was greatly loved by his teachers, friends in the Church and he in turn loved the community. He was a great sportsman and loved to hunt and fish. Burt was employed by Northrop, King & Co., before entering the service. He was also engaged prior to his service.

Burt was one of the first boys of Howard Lake to enlist. He enlisted in the Marines in March, 1941, taking his boot training at probably Camp Elliott in San Diego, California. He was then sent to Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands and was there when the Japs made their sneak attack on that harbor on December 7, 1941. In May, 1942, he returned to the States and enjoyed a week’s leave at his home in Howard Lake, Minnesota. He took special training for a few months in the States and was then sent again to the South Pacific. There he remained for nearly 2 years in combat. He served in the 3rd Marine Division, 19th Marine Regiment, 1st Battalion, Company B. There he survived Guadalcanal, the jungles of Bougainville, the Battle for the Northern Solomons and the fightings on the Admiralty Islands. Then Sgt. Burt H. Horton, 29, died July 26, 1944 of wounds suffered in the horrific battle of Guam.

US Marines Fighting in Pacific

Burt often wrote home to his sister. Letters he wrote range from December 1941 until 1944. In most of his letters he wrote about what it was like to serve during a war, many thoughts about his girlfriend and his future with her, questions about family, talking about life on Pacific islands, thinking about life back in Minnesota, etc.

His folks had not heard from him for about 3 weeks before his mother Anna received the message of his death on Sunday August 20, 1944. Sgt. Horton’s family received no previous word that Sgt. Horton was wounded, so the message was a great shock. One brother, Cpl. Frank, served at that time with the Army in Normandy, France.