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John Joseph Hughes was born on May 6, 1916, in Rye, New York, to Ella A Beahan, age 39, and John Joseph Hughes, age 45. He had two brothers Edward and Vincent and one sister May. In Rye his family lived at 131 Purchase Street and were members of the Church of the Resurrection.
John enlisted in 1942 and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. (See Muster Rolls) John was assigned to Company "H", Second Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division
 The 1st Marines landed on the island of Guadalcanal, part of the Solomon Islands, on August 7, 1942, and fought in the Guadalcanal Campaign until relieved on 22 December 1942. Some of the heaviest action the regiment saw on Guadalcanal took place on August 21, 1942, during the Battle of the Tenaru, which was the first Japanese counter-attack of the campaign. Following their first campaign, the regiment was sent to Melbourne, Australia to rest and refit. During their stay, there they were billeted in the Melbourne Cricket Ground until leaving in September 1943.
The 1st Marines' next action was Operation Cartwheel, which was the codename for the campaigns in Eastern New Guinea and New Britain. The regiment was the first ashore at the Battle of Cape Gloucester on December 26, 1943; and continued fighting on the island, at such places as Suicide Creek and Ajar Ridge, until February 1944.
 The 1st Marines next battle was its bloodiest yet – the Battle of Peleliu. The regiment landed on September 15, 1944, as part of the 1st Marine Division's assault on the island. The division's commanding general, Major General William H. Rupertus had predicted the fighting would be, "...tough but short. It'll be over in three of four days – a fight like Tarawa. Rough but fast. Then we can go back to a rest area.". During the Battle of Peleliu, the regiment was decimated by heavy artillery and accurate small arms fire in the vicinity of Bloody Nose Ridge. Repeated frontal assaults with fixed bayonets failed to unseat the Japanese defenders from the 14th Division (Imperial Japanese Army). The 1st Marines fought on Peleliu for 10 days before being pulled off the lines after suffering 58% casualties and no longer being combat effective. Ten days of fighting on Peleliu cost the 1st Marine Regiment 1,749 casualties.
 The last World War II engagement for the regiment was the Battle of Okinawa under the command of Colonel Arthur T. Mason.
John Hughes, Marine Veteran, Gets Honorable Discharge
John J. Hughes, son of Mrs. Ella Hughes Of Highland Hall, received his honorable discharge from the U. S. Marine Corps last Friday after four years of service, Jack went ashore with the 1st Marine Division in the first invasion of Guadacanal on Aug. 7. 1942 and was with them at the triumphant landing at| Yakosuka Naval Base, near Tokyo two months ago.
Friday, November 16th, 1945 THE RYE CHRONICLE PAGE FIFTEEN (View Discharge Record)
Miss Helen M. Crothers Weds
John J. Hughes, U. S. Marine
 A banker for 48 years, Mr. Hughes started in banking business in 1935, in what was then tye County Trust Co. He retired in February 1980 as assistant vice president of the Bank of New York County Trust Region in White Plains. He was born in Rye on May 6, 1916, son of and Ella Behan Hughes, and lived in Rye and Chester before moving to Greenwich 38 years ago. He was a graduate of Port Chester High School and the Bank Public Relations and Marketing School at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL . Mr. Hughes was a mer editor of The Daily Item and a vice president Westchester Rockland Newspapers.
A veteran of World War II, he served in Marine Corps in the Pacific area. He was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church Greenwich.
John J. Hughes, a retired assistant vice presidenl of the Bank of New York, died Tuesday at Greenwicli Hospital after a short illness. He was 66 and lived Sherman Avenue in Greenwich. Two brothers, Vincent Hughes and Edward Hughes, died previously. Edward Hughes was a mer editor of The Daily Item and a vice president Westchester Rockland Newspapers, of which newspaper is a member.Mr. Hughes is survived by his wife, Helen Crothen Hughes of the home address; five daughters, Laurk Hughes of the home address, Sally Hughes of Ossining Mary Jane (Mrs. William) Guiffredo of Naugatuck Conn., Rita (Mrs. Gerald) King and Margaret (Mrs Richard) Applegate, both of Greenwich; a sister, Heustis of Brewster; five grandsons; and a granddaughter.
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Links to this Veterans History
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