Biography
Year at ISU: 1940
Corporal Joseph Lee Higgins was born on October 11, 1916 to Joseph Fosse Higgins and Ruby Rose Greene. He grew up in Keswick Iowa.
Joseph entered the United States Marine Corps at Des Moines, Iowa, on January 13, 1942. He made Private First Class in February 1943 and Corporal June 1943.
His father wrote the following letter to the Alumni Association dated June 28, 1945:
"Joseph Lee Higgins enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in Jan. 1942. He received training at Camp Pendleton and San Diego and was sent overseas in June where he took part in the Guadalcanal Campaign and was later sent to a rest camp near Wellington, New Zealand. He was made corporal in June 1943 and was killed in an accident, in line of duty, at Camp McKay near Wellington, New Zealand, July 14, 1943, where he was buried with full military honors.
Sincerely, J.F. Higgins."