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(Citation Needed)-SYNOPSIS: Thomas D Pollard (MCSN: 289992), United States Marine Corps, was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on October 8, 1942.
NAVY CROSS
FIRST LIEUTENANT
THOMAS D POLLARD
MARINE CORPS RESERVE
CITATION:
The President Of the United Statesof Americatakes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant Thomas D Pollard, United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company D, First Raider Battalion in action against the enemy at Enogai Point, New Georgia, Solomon Islands on 7, 8, 10, and 20 july 1943. He is credited with shooting four enemy snipes who were concealed in trees. Two days later his platoon was ordered to flank hostile machine-gun positions which held up the advance of two companies. Lieutenant Pollard led his platoon through the jungle to the enemy's flank and rear, knockes their gun positions out of action, killed many enemy and drove others into the sea. He then continued to lead the advance to the beach near Enogai Point where two machine- guns were captured.In later attacks against well entrenched forces defending Bairoko, his platoon penetrated enemy positions and advanced to within 200 yards of the harbor which was defended by a concentration of 90-mm mortar fire. The outstanding heroism and skill displayed by First Lieuentant Pollard on this occasion reflect highest credit upon himself andd the Armed Forces of the United States.
Ryukyus Campaign (1945)/Battle for Okinawa
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
June / 1945
Description The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg. was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945. After a long campaign of island hopping, the Allies were approaching Japan, and planned to use Okinawa, a large island only 340 mi (550 km) away from mainland Japan, as a base for air operations on the planned invasion of Japanese mainland (coded Operation Downfall). Four divisions of the U.S. 10th Army (the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th) and two Marine Divisions (the 1st and 6th) fought on the island. Their invasion was supported by naval, amphibious, and tactical air forces.
The battle has been referred to as the "typhoon of steel" in English, and tetsu no ame ("rain of steel") or ("violent wind of steel") in Japanese. The nicknames refer to the ferocity of the fighting, the intensity of kamikaze attacks from the Japanese defenders, and to the sheer numbers of Allied ships and armored vehicles that assaulted the island. The battle resulted in the highest number of casualties in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Based on Okinawan government sources, mainland Japan lost 77,166 soldiers, who were either killed or committed suicide, and the Allies suffered 14,009 deaths (with an estimated total of more than 65,000 casualties of all kinds). Simultaneously, 42,000–150,000 local civilians were killed or committed suicide, a significant proportion of the local population. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki together with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria caused Japan to surrender less than two months after the end of the fighting on Okinawa.
