Criteria The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the Armed Forces, has been wounded, kill... The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the Armed Forces, has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may die of wounds received in armed combat or as a result of an act of international terrorism. The criteria were announced in a War Department circular dated February 22, 1932, and authorized award to soldiers, upon their request, who had been awarded the Meritorious Service Citation Certificate, Army Wound Ribbon, or were authorized to wear Wound Chevrons subsequent to April 5, 1917 MoreHide
Comments
Struck by a Japanese morter on March 9, 1945 halfway through the battle of Iwo Jima.
Criteria The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal decoration awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain (or colonel in th... The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal decoration awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain (or colonel in the Marine Corps) and below who have actively participated in ground or surface combat. (World War II and Korea War service rate one ribbon for each period only) MoreHide
Criteria The Presidential Unit Citation may be awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or aft... The Presidential Unit Citation may be awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after December 7, 1941. MoreHide
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service... The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service during the current War on Terrorism. In addition, all members of the National Guard and Reserve who were part of the Selected Reserve in good standing between August 2, 1990, to November 30, 1995, are eligible for the National Defense Service Medal. In the case of Navy personnel, Midshipment attending the Naval Academy during the qualifying periods are eligible for this award, and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Midshipmen ae only eligible if they participated in a summer cruise that was in an area which qualified for a campaign medal. MoreHide
Description The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945), or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States Armed Forces fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the JapaneThe Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945), or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States Armed Forces fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese Empire. The American invasion had the goal of capturing the entire island, including its three airfields (including South Field and Central Field), to provide a staging area for attacks on the Japanese main islands. This five-week battle comprised some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the War in the Pacific of World War II.
After the heavy losses incurred in the battle, the strategic value of the island became controversial. It was useless to the U.S. Army as a staging base and useless to the U.S. Navy as a fleet base. However, Navy SEABEES rebuilt the landing strips, which were used as emergency landing strips for USAAF B-29s.
The Imperial Japanese Army positions on the island were heavily fortified, with a dense network of bunkers, hidden artillery positions, and 18 km (11 mi) of underground tunnels. The Americans on the ground were supported by extensive naval artillery and complete air supremacy over Iwo Jima from the beginning of the battle by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators.
Iwo Jima was the only battle by the U.S. Marine Corps in which the Japanese combat deaths were thrice those of the Americans throughout the battle. Of the 22,000 Japanese soldiers on Iwo Jima at the beginning of the battle, only 216 were taken prisoner, some of whom were captured because they had been knocked unconscious or otherwise disabled. The majority of the remainder were killed in action, although it has been estimated that as many as 3,000 continued to resist within the various cave systems for many days afterwards, eventually succumbing to their injuries or surrendering weeks later.
Despite the bloody fighting and severe casualties on both sides, the Japanese defeat was assured from the start. Overwhelming American superiority in arms and numbers as well as complete control of air power — coupled with the impossibility of Japanese retreat or reinforcement — permitted no plausible circumstance in which the Americans could have lost the battle.
The battle was immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's photograph of the raising of the U.S. flag on top of the 166 m (545 ft) Mount Suribachi by five U.S. Marines and one U.S. Navy battlefield Hospital Corpsman. The photograph records the second flag-raising on the mountain, both of which took place on the fifth day of the 35-day battle. Rosenthal's photograph promptly became an indelible icon — of that battle, of that war in the Pacific, and of the Marine Corps itself — and has been widely reproduced.... More
Best Moment
November 1944 - Coming home on leave after Boot Camp.
Worst Moment
9 Mar 1945 - Wounded in action on Iwo Jima by Japanese mortar fire. Second worst moment was learning that he would no longer be able to play the piano.
Chain of Command
31st Replacement Battalion, 5th Shore Party Regiment on APA 96 Liberty Ship. These Marines were assigned to 13th, 26th, 27th or 28th Marine Regiments.
Other Memories
27 Jun 1944 - Enlisted in USMC. Dad told the story this way. He and two of my mother's brothers had gone to Richmond, VA to enlist in the Navy together. After they had signed their names and were standing in line for the Navy, a Marine Sergeant came up to the line and said that enlistments for the Marines were down a little that day. He said they needed three volunteers from this line for the Marines, "You, you and you." One of the "you's" was Dad. He was only 5' 6" tall and was barely tall enough for the military anyway. Dad said "Why me, I'm the shortest one in this line, look at all these big tall guys." The sergeant said "We like you little guys, you're scrappers." I heard that story many times wile I was growing up. True or not, I'm not 100% sure, but both of my Uncles did end up in the Navy while Dad went to the Marines. 28 Jun 1944 - Transferred to 4th Recruit Battalion, Platoon 401, Parris Island, SC. 6 Sep 1944 - Transferred to 8th Training Battalion Infantry, Camp Lejeune, NC. 23 Oct 1944 - Transferred to 31st Replacement Battalion. Nov 1944 - Home to Virginia on leave. Dec 1944 - Sailed to Iwo Jima aboard APA 96 Liberty Ship. 19 Feb 1945 - Landed on either Green or Red Beach on Iwo Jima. Several buddies from his squad were wounded and one boy was killed. In a letter home from Iwo Jima he said he was hit by a piece of shrapnel that day but was not hurt. 23 Feb 1945 - Dad said he heard cheering and saw people pointing to the volcano. He looked up and saw the flag flying on top of Mt. Suribachi. 9 Mar 1945 - Received chest and shoulder injuries from a Japanese mortar that went off right behind him. 10 Mar 1945 - Evacuated from the island aboard a Hospital Ship. Transferred to USNH, Oakland, CA and then to Bethesda Naval Hospital, Bethesda, MD. 5 May 1945 - Promoted to PFC. 3 May 1946 - Promoted to Cpl. Honorably Discharged from USMC with 70% disability.
Criteria The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or,... The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or, an aggregate service of one year within the Continental United States during the same period under the following circumstances: On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States; or, On permanent assignment as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for a period of 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service outside the continental limits of the United States in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non consecutive days; or, For service in active combat against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat; or, For service within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of one year. MoreHide
November 1944 - Coming home on leave after Boot Camp.
9 Mar 1945 - Wounded in action on Iwo Jima by Japanese mortar fire.
Second worst moment was learning that he would no longer be able to play the piano.
31st Replacement Battalion, 5th Shore Party Regiment on APA 96 Liberty Ship. These Marines were assigned to 13th, 26th, 27th or 28th Marine Regiments.
27 Jun 1944 - Enlisted in USMC. Dad told the story this way. He and two of my mother's brothers had gone to Richmond, VA to enlist in the Navy together. After they had signed their names and were standing in line for the Navy, a Marine Sergeant came up to the line and said that enlistments for the Marines were down a little that day. He said they needed three volunteers from this line for the Marines, "You, you and you." One of the "you's" was Dad. He was only 5' 6" tall and was barely tall enough for the military anyway. Dad said "Why me, I'm the shortest one in this line, look at all these big tall guys." The sergeant said "We like you little guys, you're scrappers." I heard that story many times wile I was growing up. True or not, I'm not 100% sure, but both of my Uncles did end up in the Navy while Dad went to the Marines.
28 Jun 1944 - Transferred to 4th Recruit Battalion, Platoon 401, Parris Island, SC.
6 Sep 1944 - Transferred to 8th Training Battalion Infantry, Camp Lejeune, NC.
23 Oct 1944 - Transferred to 31st Replacement Battalion.
Nov 1944 - Home to Virginia on leave.
Dec 1944 - Sailed to Iwo Jima aboard APA 96 Liberty Ship.
19 Feb 1945 - Landed on either Green or Red Beach on Iwo Jima. Several buddies from his squad were wounded and one boy was killed. In a letter home from Iwo Jima he said he was hit by a piece of shrapnel that day but was not hurt.
23 Feb 1945 - Dad said he heard cheering and saw people pointing to the volcano. He looked up and saw the flag flying on top of Mt. Suribachi.
9 Mar 1945 - Received chest and shoulder injuries from a Japanese mortar that went off right behind him.
10 Mar 1945 - Evacuated from the island aboard a Hospital Ship. Transferred to USNH, Oakland, CA and then to Bethesda Naval Hospital, Bethesda, MD.
5 May 1945 - Promoted to PFC.
3 May 1946 - Promoted to Cpl. Honorably Discharged from USMC with 70% disability.