Name: Alec Monroe Sim Rank: Second Lieutenant Service Number: 15625 Service: Company C, 1st Marine Corps Raider Battalion (Edson’s Raiders), United States Marine Corps Reserve Awards: Distinguished Service Cross Date of Birth: November 4, 1919 Place of Birth: North Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts Date of Enlistment: January 5, 1942 Place of Enlistment: San Diego, California Address at Enlistment: California Age at Enlistment: 22 Height: 5 feet, 9 inches Complexion: Ruddy Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown Occupation: Proof puller in publishing Marital Status: Single at enlistment (married Jan. 4, 1943) Next of Kin: Marion E Sim (Mother) Date of Death: July 20, 1943 Age: 23 Cemetery: Hermosa Gardens Cemetery, Colton, San Bernardino County, California Alec Monroe Sim was the son of Watson Romanzo Sim (1891-1967) and Marion Elizabeth (Wyman) Sim (1893- 1980). Alec had three siblings, Leslie Wyman Sim (1918–2006), Gordon Marion Sim (1923–2010), and Miriam Haynes Sim (1936–1940). Alec’s father was born in West Gore, Hants County, Nova Scotia. His mother was born in Maine. Alec registered for the US Draft on July 1, 1941, in Berkley, California and was a student and working as an advertising salesman for the Berkley Gazette newspaper at the time. He listed Elizabeth Glasson as the person who would always know his address (for registration purposes). He married Elizabeth Benbow Glasson (1921-2007) of Berkley, California on January 4, 1943, in Berkley. After enlisting in January 1942, Alex was initially assigned to the Seventh Recruit Battalion in San Diego. The muster roll of January 1943 indicates he was travelling to Nouméa in the French territory of New Caledonia (codenamed White Poppy). During WWII, the United States Navy built Naval Base Noumea and Nouméa served as the headquarters of the United States military in the South Pacific. Jan 1942 – Private Seventh Recruit Battalion, Recruit Depot, Marine Corps Barracks, San Diego, California Oct 1942 – PFC Company "B", Tenth Candidates' Class, MCS, Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia Apr 1942 – PFC Marine Barracks, Naval Ammunition Depot, Hawthorne, Nevada July 1942 – PFC Marine Barracks, Naval Ammunition Depot, Hawthorne, Nevada Jan 1943 – Second Lt First Marine Raider Battalion, in the Field Apr 1943 –Second Lt First Raider Battalion, First Marine Raider Regiment Second Lieutenant Alex Monroe Sim was killed in action in the New Georgia in the Solomon Islands on July 20, 1943, during the Battle of Bairoko. The Battle of Bairoko was fought between American and Imperial Japanese Army and Navy forces on July 20, 1943, on the northern coast of New Georgia island during the New Georgia campaign of the Pacific War. In the battle, 2 battalions of the US Marine Raiders from the 1st Marine Raider Regiment, supported by 2 US Army infantry battalions attacked a Japanese garrison guarding the port of Bairoko on the Dragons Peninsula, advancing from Enogai and Triri. After a day long engagement, the Japanese repulsed the American assault and forced the attacking troops to withdraw with their wounded to Enogai. US forces remained in the area carrying out patrolling and intelligence gathering operations until the end of the campaign. Bairoko was eventually captured at the end of August after the airfield at Munda had been captured, and further reinforcements sent from there towards Bairoko to clear the area from the south. His family chose to repatriate his remains, and Alex was interred at the Hermosa Gardens Cemetery in Colton, San Bernardino County, California.