The Marlborough
Historical Society

     Victor was born the 20^th of October, 1917 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the oldest of seven children born to Sotir and Androniqi Pando.  He was raised in Somerville, Massachusetts and enlisted into the Marine Corps the 19^th of January 1942 while working at the First National Stores.  He was sent to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and received his basic training with the 5^th Recruit Battalion.  He was sent to New Bern, North Carolina the 4^th of March 1942 and assigned to Company D, 1^st Battalion 9^th Marine Regiment.  He was promoted to Private 1^st Class the 6^th of May 1942 and transferred to Company D, 23^rd Marine Regiment the 22^nd of July 1942.  On the 1^st of May 1943 he was again transferred to the newly created 25^th Marine Regiment and assigned to Company D of the 1^st Battalion.

     Victor and his new regiment departed Norfolk, Virginia the 21^st of August, 1943 aboard the USS CALVERT (APA-32) and he served as a 20 millimeter anti-aircraft gunner while the ship transited to San Diego, California arriving the 9^th of September 1943.  Following a period of training at Camp Pendleton, California, Victor and the 25^th Marines departed San Diego aboard the USS WARREN (APA-53) the 10^th of January 1944 for the Pacific Theater.  On the 31^st of January 1944 they made an assault landing at Roi-Namur, Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.  They would fight the Japanese until the 3^rd of February, 1944 at which time they became the garrison force for the Atoll. 

     On the 28^th of February, 1944 Victor and the 25^th Marines departed Kwajalein aboard the USS LEONARD WOOD (APA-12) and returned east to Hawaii arriving the 8^th of March, 1944. Following a period of rest and refit, they boarded LST-267 as Landing Team #1 the 13^th of May, 1944 and again departed for the Pacific front.  On the 15th of June, 1944 the 25^th Marines assaulted the island of Saipan, landing on Yellow Beach 1-3 with the goal of capturing Aslito airfield on the southern portion of the island. Victor was killed during the initial assault and buried at the 4^th Marine Division Cemetery, Plot #2, Row #6, Grave 265.  In 1947 his remains were repatriated to the United States and he is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Section F, Grave 631.

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