A scholarship winner from Watsonville joined the growing Okinawa casualty list.

Albert Ernest Bode Jr. was born in Sacramento, California, on January 31, 1925, and moved to the Pajaro Valley with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert E. Bode Sr. Along with his brother, Stanley, he attended the Roache School and Watsonville High School, where he excelled in scholastic achievements. Albert was a member of the school's scholarship society for four years, the winner of an American Legion scholastic award, played on the school's football team and represented the school at Boys State.

One month prior to his graduation in May 1943, Bode enlisted in the US Marine Corps. After graduating from high school, he was sent to Camp Pendleton for basic and school-of-infantry training. Private Bode then attended the Marine Corps communication schools in San Diego, Camp Pendleton, and Camp Elliott, California. In 1944 Bode was promoted to Private First Class and assigned to the 6th Marine Division, which was preparing for deployment to the South Pacific.

While with the 6th Marine Division, Albert Bode saw action in combat engagements at Eniwetok, Kwajalein, Guam and finally, Okinawa.

On April 1, 1945, the 3rd Amphibious Corps of the 6th Marine Division landed on Okinawa. One of its major objectives was the capture of Sugar Loaf Hill, which they had attacked for two weeks. Private First Class Albert E. Bode was serving as a radio operator in a front line unit during an assault on that hill when he was killed in action on May 22, 1945.

His remains were buried at the US Marine cemetery on Okinawa; however, following the war, his remains were returned to the US and reinterred at the Golden Gate Cemetery in San Bruno in 1949.

(USDVA; WRP June 5, 1945 1:2, July 16, 1945 1:1; Photo-WHS)