Virgil enlisted in the US Marine Corp on Dec. 8, 1942. He served in the 12th Marine Regiment (155 mm Howitzer artillery regiment) of the 3rd Marine Division. It is not known if he took part in the Bougainvillea campaign however he is believed to have participated with the 12th Marine Regiment in the battle in Iwo Jima.

Navy muster rolls show that on Dec 12, 1944 he left Leyte, Philippines on USS LST 130 for Guam where the regiment began training in preparation for the invasion of Iwo Jima. The 3rd Marine Division was designated as a “floating reserve” for the invasion of Iwo Jima and on invasion day they remained offshore. The 3rd Division began coming ashore on Feb. 24, 1945. The regiment provided artillery for daily attacks, counter battery fire, and day & night harassing fires when needed. They were relieved and left for Guam on March 16, 1945 to begin training for the invasion of the Japanese Islands. As a result of its actions on Iwo Jima, the 12th Marines received a Navy Unit Commendation and the liaison and forward observer parties of the 12th Marines were specifically cited in a Presidential Unit Citation for their extraordinary heroism.

Following the surrender of Japan, the 12th Marines on Guam were designated as a reserve force for the occupation of China however many were eligible for demobilization and began to rotate back to the States; Virgil was discharged on Nov. 12, 1945. Virgil is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, Plot 1-I 0 1722

Virgil Steinnerd (1924)