Capt. G.G. Sweet USMC, Ret, a mustang who served in many enlisted, warrant and officer ranks, who served in WWII and in Korea in 1950-51, passed away at his home on June 18th in Pahrump, NV. Capt. Sweet was born in South Chicago and served in the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 30′s. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1938 and retired in 1958.
He was burned and received severe wounds while serving as an 0311 gun captain on the USS Nevada at Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941. The Corps sought to survey him out to sell War Bonds, he convinced them he could still perform his duties and was assigned to tanks.
He won the Silver Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat V and Purple Heart in WWII. He took part in tank operations at Bougainville, Peleliu, Guam and Iwo Jima. Enroute to Iwo on board LST 477 a Japanese Kamikazi crashed into the starboard side, troops embarked quarters. He earned a 2nd Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat V while serving in Korea.
After his retirement from the Corps he was a prominent business man in Wisconsin for many years and in Pahrump, NV in the late 90′s. He was a prominent contributor to the John Cornelius Scholarship Fund. He will be interred in the private veterans park bearing his name that Memorial Day, 2011 in Pahrump, NV.
G.G. Sweets First McDonald's restaurant
Additional information on Capt. G.G. Sweet can be read in an article by the Pahrump Valley Times.