Putnam, Paul Albert

General Putnam was born in Michigan and was commissioned into the Marine Corps on March 5, 1926. As a Major he commanded Marine Fighting Squadron 211 which was assigned to Wake Island on 4 December 1941. On 23 December Wake Island was captured by Japanese Forces and Major Putnam and other Wake Island defenders were taken prisoners. He remained in a Japanese POW camp from December 1941 until September 1945.