Jaime Sabater Sr.

Sabater was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. There he received his primary and secondary education before he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy on July 9, 1923, by Félix Córdova Dávila, the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington D.C.. He graduated from the academy in the Class of 1927 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.[1]

During World War II, Sabater, then a lieutenant colonel, commanded the 1st Battalion 9th Marines, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division which deployed during January–February 1943 to Auckland, New Zealand, from Camp Pendelton California. Sabater's battalion then deployed to the South Pacific island of Bougainville where Sabater led his men in the Bougainville amphibious operations.[2]

US Marines move inland in Guam.

On November 1, 1943, the Allies intended to establish a beachhead around Cape Torokina, within which an airfield would be built. Allied forces did not plan, at this time, to try to capture the entire island of Bougainville from Japanese forces. An attempt by the Japanese Navy to attack the U.S. landing forces was defeated in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, between November 1 and November 2. A subsequent attempt by Japanese land forces to attack the Allied beachhead was defeated in the Battle of Koromokina Lagoon.[3]

Sabater participated in the Battle of Guam (July 21, 1944- August 10, 1944) as executive officer of the 9th Marines.[4] He was wounded in action on July 21, the first day that the Marines invaded the island, and was awarded the Purple Heart. Sabater served as executive officer of the 9th Marines until November 18, 1944.

On October 1, 1947, Sabater was promoted to colonel and named commanding officer of the 3rd Marines, Fleet Marine Force, Western Pacific (formerly the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines) in Tsingtao, China. He served as such during the Fleet Marine Forces occupation of the Okinawa Islands.[5] On March 31, 1948, the Fleet Marine Force returned to Tsingtao and on April 1, 1948, Sabater was reassigned to another unit.[1]

Sabater was serving as a military liaison in Argentina when on April 24, 1955, he died from wounds received as a result of an automobile accident. He was survived by his wife Rebecca Sabater (1905–1981), his daughter Myrna Sabater Hayes (born 1931) and his son Jaime Sabater Jr (1935–2019). Sabater is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Plot Section 6, Site 5022-B in Arlington, Virginia.

Sabater's son, Jaime Sabater Jr., also became a colonel in the United States Marine Corps. Sabater Jr. served at the Defense Attaché Office on Tan Son Nhut air base, near Saigon during the Vietnam War. He was present at the fall of Saigon as commander of the Special Planning Group ( SPG ) responsible for the in city evacuation of US personnel from Saigon City to Tan Son Nhut Air Base.

Among Colonel Sabater's decorations and medals were the following:

1	Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device		Purple Heart		Combat Action Ribbon
2	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal		World War II Victory Medal		National Defense Service Medal

• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of Puerto Rican military personnel
• Puerto Ricans in World War II
• Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps
• Hispanics in the United States Naval Academy
• Hispanic Americans in World War II
• For American Latin musician, see Jimmy Sabater.

• Puertorriquenos Who Served With Guts, Glory, and Honor. Fighting to Defend a Nation Not Completely Their Own; by Greg Boudonck; ISBN 978-1497421837