HECTOR DE ZAYAS, LTCOL, USMC
Hector De Zayas '32
Lucky Bag
From the 1932 Lucky Bag:
JOSE HECTOR de ZAYAS
San Francisco, California
"Hec" "Diz" "Dizzy" "Snooks"
Knowing something of the sea from an earlier contact with it in various capacities this scion of an old Spanish family thought to further dare the terrors and mysteries as his ancestors before him—and so came here. The terrors and mysteries were real enough, as he soon found. Not of the sea, however, but of that which leads to power upon it—knowledge. Diz, however, had no thirst for power, and the academic departments several times took toll. Indeed, until second class year he knew not the giddy exhilaration of a Christmas leave. Did it embitter him or, on the other hand, lead him to delve a little deeper into his books for knowledge ? No, indeed! Ever he would go his blithe and cheery way. Spare time and study hours were ever synonymous to him.
Needless to say, Hec and his easy-going ways should succeed admirably in the Gyrenes—his unalterable choice. Beneath that pleasant exterior is a firmness and will rarely displayed. With it is a knack for making friends and a certain touch of genius which should carry him far along the road.
Wrestling Manager; Masqueraders; 2 P. O.
JOSE HECTOR de ZAYAS
San Francisco, California
"Hec" "Diz" "Dizzy" "Snooks"
Knowing something of the sea from an earlier contact with it in various capacities this scion of an old Spanish family thought to further dare the terrors and mysteries as his ancestors before him—and so came here. The terrors and mysteries were real enough, as he soon found. Not of the sea, however, but of that which leads to power upon it—knowledge. Diz, however, had no thirst for power, and the academic departments several times took toll. Indeed, until second class year he knew not the giddy exhilaration of a Christmas leave. Did it embitter him or, on the other hand, lead him to delve a little deeper into his books for knowledge ? No, indeed! Ever he would go his blithe and cheery way. Spare time and study hours were ever synonymous to him.
Needless to say, Hec and his easy-going ways should succeed admirably in the Gyrenes—his unalterable choice. Beneath that pleasant exterior is a firmness and will rarely displayed. With it is a knack for making friends and a certain touch of genius which should carry him far along the road.
Wrestling Manager; Masqueraders; 2 P. O.
Loss
Hector was killed in action with Japanese forces on Guam on July 26, 1944 by small arms fire. He was commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Hector graduated from Peekskill Military Academy in New York.
From the Los Angeles Times, California, June 3, 1932:
The graduation day weddings were barred this year by decree from Washington and officials of the Navy Academy. The only official one will be performed tomorrow, when Hector De Zayas, 22 years of age, of Oakland, Cal., and Miss Helen G. Van Houter, 22, of East Port, Md., will be married. (Her father was Sheldon van Houter, master of arms at the Naval Academy.)
Thirteen other couples have taken out marriage licenses, but none of the other weddings will be official.
Hector and his wife attended a buffet supper given by Capt. And Mrs. A. W. Cockrell at Quantico in November, 1935.
Hector was promoted from first lieutenant to captain in December, 1938.
In January, 1940, while Hector was stationed in Shanghai, China, his son Jose, Jr., was born.
Hector sailed from Shanghai to San Francisco on the S. S. President Cleveland on June 13, 1941.
Starting in the early part of 1942, Hector was in the South Pacific with the Marine Corps. He was promoted to major in May, 1942, and to lieutenant colonel in April, 1943.
From the Cumberland Evening Times, Maryland, January 28, 1944:
Marines Discover Japs’ Death Trap
Cleverly-Placed Flame Thrower Found on Bougainville IslandBougainville (Delayed) – Marines, forcing their way into the strongly defended village of Kugubikopai, apparently upset Japanese plans for a Yankee death trap by capturing a cleverly placed, flame-throwing pill box.
At the same time, the Marines recaptured a number of U.S.-made weapons, believed to have been used by the Japanese in an effort to confuse troops advancing through the jungle.
Marine Lt. Col. Hector deZayas, of Annapolis, Md., said the Japanese apparently had not had time to get the flame thrower into operation because of the rapid Marine advance.
The pillbox was placed on the flanks of two other machine gun bunkers commanding the Piva river approaches. It appeared to have a machine gun opening on the river side, but actually was closed. Its only opening was at the rear of the other pillboxes. Marines advancing to outflank either of the other pill boxes would have walked into the path of the flame throwers.
Remnants of American food rations also were found in the village and snipers, shot out of trees hours later, were found to be wearing Marine and Army cartridge belts.
Hector and Col. W. Carvel Hall, USMC, took a U.S. flag from the USS Windsor and raised it on Guam on July 21, 1944. (His wife lent it to the Naval Academy Museum in 1945.)
Hector and Hall planned an attack at Palaso and captured its command post and two coast defense guns. Hector extended his lines, and while inspecting them, he was shot by sniper. He died in Brigadier General John A. Scott’s arms. Scott described him as the “swaggering commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion.”
Per The Evening Star, Washington, D. C., September 22, 1949: Hector’s body was returned to the U.S. along with over 4,000 other Americans for reburial. Hector and two other D. C. area servicemen were reburied in Arlington National Cemetery on October 21, 1948.
In 1960, Hector’s son, Jose, Jr., took recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island.
His wife was listed as next of kin; she is buried next to him in Arlington National Cemetery. He was also survived by a son.
Photographs
Hector, "Planting the flag with a boat hook minutes after landing on Guam, 21 July 1944."
From the Boston Herald on October 14, 1945
Career
From Together We Served:
- 1933-1935, MARDET USS New Hampshire (BB-25)
- 1935-1936, 5th Marine Regiment/1st Bn, 5th Marine Regiment (1/5)
- 1936-1937, US Army Infantry School, Ft. Benning, GA
- 1937-1939, 5th Marine Division
- 1939-1941, 5th Marine Regiment/2nd Bn, 5th Marine Regiment (2/5)
- 1943-1944, 3rd Marine Regiment/2nd Bn, 3rd Marine Regiment (2/3)
He was commanding officer of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion from October 9, 1937 to May 24, 1939 (as a 1LT.)
Wartime Service
Hector was commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines during the Northern Solomon Islands Campaign and the campaign in the Marianas (Guam).
His actions in the Piva Forks Battle, in the Northern Solomons (Bougainville), are the subject of this history.
He is mentioned twice in "Battle History of the United States Marine Corps, 1775–1945" by George B. Clark; he is also mentioned in "The Six Marine Divisions in the Pacific: Every Campaign of World War II", also by George Clark.
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Colonel Hector DeZayas (MCSN: 0-4763), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in the assault on the left flank of the Division Beachhead on Guam, Marianas Islands, from 21 to 26 July 1944. Throughout this vital period of bitter assault fighting, Lieutenant Colonel DeZayas valiantly led his Battalion toward its objective, moving upward over rough and rugged terrain in the face of determined, fierce enemy opposition and maintaining an aggressive and vigorous attack despite one particularly heavy Japanese counterattack which considerably depleted his forces. Arriving at his assigned position and aware that another strong hostile counterattack was imminent, he unhesitatingly proceeded to his front lines to dispose his defenses and encourage his men and, during his courageous tour of inspection, was killed by a Japanese rifleman. Lieutenant Colonel DeZayas' inspiring leadership, dauntless fighting spirit and tenacious devotion to duty under extremely perilous conditions reflect great credit upon himself, his heroic command and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific Forces: Serial 004236 (January 4, 1945)
Action Date: July 21 - 26, 1944
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Company: Commanding Officer
Battalion: 2d Battalion
Regiment: 3d Marines
Division: 3d Marine Division
Silver Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Hector DeZayas (MCSN: 0-4763), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the battle of Piva Forks, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, on November 21, 1943. Ordered to execute a reconnaissance in force of Japanese positions, Lieutenant Colonel de Zayas' battalion was halted during a river crossing by overwhelming fire from Japanese bunker positions concealed in the jungles and swamps. Boldly advancing to the forefront of the battle and finding that his force was opposed by a reinforced hostile position, he vigorously engaged the Japanese with a part of his battalion and by-passes the enemy's position with the remainder. Proceeding with his reconnaissance, he discovered a second Japanese battalion in support of the first and, after determining the hostile scheme of defense and locating the key defensive positions, disengaged his battalion from action with minimum casualties. By his valiant leadership and brilliant tactics, Lieutenant Colonel de Zayas gained valuable information which made possible the destruction of the enemy's fortifications prior to the regimental attack, and his inspiring conduct throughout the operation was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander South Pacific: Serial 00314 (January 27, 1944)
Action Date: November 21, 1943
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Company: Commanding Officer
Battalion: 2d Battalion
Regiment: 3d Marines
Division: 3d Marine Division
First Name and Spelling of Last Name
Hector's first name was "Jose," though it doesn't appear in many records and is not on his headstone.
Hector's last name appears in many records as both "De Zayas" and "DeZayas" without a space. His grave marker appears to have it without the space, but his wife's has a definite space. In Memorial Hall, there is a space in his listing in on the Class of 1932 panel… but no space on the killed in action panel.
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
October 1932
January 1933
April 1933
July 1933
October 1933
April 1934
July 1934
April 1935
October 1935
January 1936
April 1936
July 1936
January 1937
April 1937
September 1937
January 1938
July 1938
January 1939
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
