John Drake

John Marshall Drake was in the Fall Class of 1951 at Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco.

        John was born on April 11, 1934, to John M. and Ruth Helen Drake. A search of California birth records indicates that he was not born in California. His father was born on October 31, 1892, in Iowa and and died on October 20, 1970, in San Francisco. His mother was born in Iowa on May 5, 1907, and died in Sacramento County, California, on October 8, 1978.

        He attended Parkside Elementary School and then graduated from Aptos Middle School. He was noted in the Aptos Arrow as a very musical student. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School for several semesters, but withdrew prior to graduation to enlist in the U. S. Marine Corps.

        After basic and advanced training, he was eventually assigned to the Far East Command (FECOM) for combat duty in Korea. He was assigned to Company G, 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division in Korea. At the time of his death, his unit was in action in the sector East of Panmunjom near Outposts Reno, Vegas, Elko and Berlin.

        John was a private first class when wounded on July 25, 1953--two days before the cease fire and armistice was signed at Panmunjom. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal. He died of his wounds on August 15, 1953.

        He is listed on the Records of the Secretary of Defense, Korean conflict File, 1950 -1957 as having been killed in action.

        His remains were returned to the United States and interred, October 7, 1953 at the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California, where he is interred with his father, a veteran of WW I.