June 17 1945, one of the most iconic pictures of World War II hits newsstands. Taken the previous month, it shows Marine Col. Francis (Ike) Fenton kneeling by the body of his son, Marine Pvt. Michael Fenton. Killed on Okinawa, Pvt. Fenton was a scout sniper with the 1st Marine Division. Col. Fenton served as the division engineer officer. He had also served in World War I, enlisting in 1917. He earned a Bronze Star at Peleliu and would attain the rank of Brig. Gen. His oldest son, Francis Fenton Jr. also served in World War II. He would be featured in one of the most iconic photos of the Korean War. Early in the war, Capt. Fenton is in charge of a desperate defense against North Korean forces at No Name Ridge along the Pusan Perimeter. They had been fighting all night. Half of his men are wounded or killed. They are low on ammunition and the radio is broken. The moment the picture is taken, he has just been told his 1st sergeant is mortally wounded. He would also serve in Vietnam. After the military he worked as the Director of the National Cash Register’s World Wide Parts Center in Dayton, Ohio. The photographer of the No Name Ridge picture is former Marine David Douglas Duncan who served as a combat cameraman in World War II. He would become well known, especially for his war photography and his pictures of Pablo Picasso. Pvt. Michael Fenton is interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Brig. Gen. Francis (Ike) Fenton is interred at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery with his wife Mary Kelly Fenton. Col. Francis (Ike) Fenton Jr. is interred at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Eloise Rowan Fenton. He was awarded Three Bronze Stars Medals and three Legion of Merit Medals Duncan attained the rank of 2nd Lt (perhaps higher). He died in 102 in South of France. The location of his remains are unknown

FRANCIS IVAN FENTON

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