Joseph Ivan McWhorter was born on 11 August 1925 in Georgia, the son of Paul Deforest McWhorter and Flora Mae Hollis.
Died 20 October 1945
Cpl McWhorter died at Shields Lake, Illinois.
The Chattanooga Daily Times, 21 October 1945
Cpl. Joseph Ivan McWhorter, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.P. McWhorter, 1129 Dartmouth Street, died yesterday afternoon in the Great Lakes Naval Hospital, Great Lakes, Ill., from wounds received in action with the Marine corps on Okinawa May 10. Relatives here were notified of the death and said last night that the body of Cpl. McWhorter will be brought to Chattanooga for funeral service and interment. Cpl. McWhorter, a veteran of Several Pacific island campaigns, had been twice decorated with the Purple Heart for wounds previous to those which resulted in his death yesterday. He is survived by his parents, three sisters, Misses Martha and Evelyn McWhorter and Mrs R.T. McMahan, all of Chattanooga, and a brother, S/Sgt Paul D. McWhorter, now in service in the European theater.
The Chattanooga Daily Times, 26 October 1945
Funeral services for Cpl. Joseph Ivan McWhorter, 20, USMC, son of Mr. and Mrs. T.D. McWhorter, who died Oct. 20 in the Great Lakes, Ill., Naval Hospital from battle wounds received on Okinawa last May, will be held at the Northside Baptist Church. Interment will be in Rock Springs Cemetery.
A graduate of East Side Junior High School, Cpl. McWhorter was employed by the Seven-Up Bottling Company before entering the service in October, 1943. He last visited his parents in February, 1944, approximately one month before going overseas. He was first wounded in action on Palau Island in September, 1944; was wounded again in heavy action on Okinawa May 4, 1945, and on his return to action on May 10 was hit by an enemy mortar shell. He was flown from the Island to a navy hospital in California last June and in August was transferred to the Great Lakes Hospital. Cpl. McWhorter was awarded the Purple Heart with cluster and the Pacific theater ribbon with five battle star.
Ivan McWhorter was my mother’s brother. An uncle I never got to know. A young life
taken by the scourge of war. A life given for his family and country’s freedom. He joined the Marine Corp. reserves in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was deployed to the south pacific where he was gravely wounded on the island of Okinawa. He died of his wounds back in the States. He received 2 purple hearts and other combat
decorations for his courage and sacrifice. He has long been gone but he and his sacrifice will not be forgotten by our family. His medals and story are passed along to succeeding generations in honor of his life.
–Submitted by David McMahan
Spec. 4th Class
United States Army Reserves 1967-1973
- Rank: Corporal
- Date of birth: 11 August 1925
- Date of death: 20 October 1945
- County: Hamilton
- Hometown: Chattanooga
- Service Branch: Marine Corps
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Pacific theater ribbon
- Burial/Memorial Location: Rock Spring Cemetery, Rock Springs, Walker County, Georgia
- Location In Memorial: Pillar X, Middle Panel
- Sponsored by: David McMahan
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