Biography
2ND LIEUTENANT
US MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II
Ronald Thomas Twito enlisted in the Naval Air Cadet program at Iowa State University in the spring of 1942 from Lake Mills, Iowa. After flight training in Sioux City Iowa, Pasco Washington and Corpus Christi Texas was commissioned a Marine Corps 2nd Lieutenant 6 October 1943.
11 October 1943 assigned Marine Barracks, Aviation Detachment, NAS Jacksonville, FL, for operational training and designation as a Naval Aviator. 9 January 1944 assigned Marine Fighting Squadron 314 (VMF 314), MCAS Cherry Point, NC. 25 June 1944 assigned Marine Fighting Squadron 911 (VMF 911), MCAS Cherry Point, NC. September 1944 assigned Marine Fighting Squadron 471 (VMF 471), MCAS El Centro, CA. 9 October 1944 assigned Headquarters Squadron, Marine Air Group 46 (MAG 46), MCAS El Toro, CA.
19 January 1945 overseas San Diego to Espirtu Santo, New Hebridges. Assigned Marine Fighting Squadron 322 (VMF 322), Marine Air Group 33 (MAG 33), 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) as Squadron pilot flying F4U Corsair.
9 April 1945 displaced to Kadena airfield Okinawa. The Ground Echelon of VMF 322 was on an LST hit by a Kamikaze while unloading killing over 150 Marines on 3 April 1945.
13 April 1945 Killed in Aircraft Accident at Okinawa.
Next of Kin: Parents, Mr Oscar I and Mrs Anna A Twito, Lakes Mills, Iowa.
Initially buried in the 1st Marine Division Cemetery on Okinawa.
1949 returned to US for permanent burial in Lake Mills, Iowa.