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World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Sgt. Grant Frederick Timmerman, USMC
Grant Frederick Timmerman was born at Americus, Kansas, on 19 February 1919, the son of Fred and Esther Timmerman. Educated in the public schools of Emporia, Kansas, he graduated from Emporia High School in 1936. He played the saxophone in the high school band for two years, enjoyed hunting small game, and read, wrote, and spoke French and Russian. He attended Kansas State Teacher's College at Emporia for one year, where he took a pre-engineering course. In the summer of 1937, Timmerman went to California and worked as an electric welder at San Mateo. He enlisted in the Marine Corps at San Francisco on 28 October 1937 and went through boot camp at San Diego.
His first assignment was at the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Washington. After a few weeks duty there, Private Timmerman went to Mare Island Navy Yard, California, where he boarded the old China transport, USS Henderson. He crossed the 180th meridian on the tenth of April, 1938, was duly initiated into the Imperial Domain of the Golden Dragon and arrived at Woosung, China, on the fifth of May. Assigned to the Motor Transport Company of the 4th Marines, Private Timmerman served as a truck driver and as a motorcycle dispatch rider. Once in Shanghai, he and another Marine observed a white woman surrounded by a crowd of menacing Chinese. Playing the part of "Marines to the rescue," Timmerman and his buddy dispersed the angry crowd and stood by until a policeman was summoned. The lady turned out to be the wife of a U.S. Navy commander. A letter of commendation and appreciation from the commander is now in the young Marine's record book.
Rates were not easily come by in the "old Corps" and it was July 1940 before Timmerman was promoted to private first class. When the usual 18-month tour of duty was completed, PFC Timmerman requested that his tour be extended. His request was granted and it was thirty-three months in all before he set foot on the California shore again. Arriving at Mare Island in April 1941, the China Marine was given duty at the Naval Prison there and stayed at that post until his discharge at the completion of his four year enlistment on 27 October 1941.
Mr. Timmerman, the ex-Marine, went back to electric welding and got a job at the ship yard of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at San Francisco welding electrical fixtures and armor plates on destroyers. After five weeks of civilian life, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and in February, 1942 Timmerman reenlisted and was reappointed to his old rank of private first class.
Since he had only been out of the Marine Corps for four months, the 23-year-old China veteran did not have to go through boot camp again but was immediately sent to the Transport Company at the Marine Corps Base at San Diego. Five weeks of that and he went to San Francisco as a clerk in the office of the Commanding General of the Department of the Pacific where he stayed two months. Next assigned to the 2d Tank Battalion of the 2d Marine Division, Timmerman found that rates in the war-time Marine Corps were a little more easily obtained. Promoted to corporal in July, he was advanced to sergeant in October, and in November was once more on his way overseas. His battalion went to Wellington, New Zealand, and when he crossed the equator Sergeant Timmerman was initiated in the realm of King Neptunus Rex.
After a period of intensive training at Wellington, the 2d Division made their epic landing on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands on 20 November 1943. However it was two days later that Sergeant Timmerman came in with the tanks. In December they went to Hawaii for a rest and more training, and in May, 1944 shoved off on another combat mission - the last for Sergeant Timmerman.
He landed on Saipan on D-Day, 15 June and on 28 June sustained a slight shrapnel wound in the right forearm. A few days later - on 8 July - Sergeant Timmerman's tank, of which he was tank commander, was advancing a few yards ahead of the infantry when the attack was held up by a series of Japanese pillboxes and trenches. The sergeant had been firing the tank's antiaircraft gun during the vigorous attack but when progress was halted, he prepared to fire the 75mm gun. Exposing himself to the enemy, he stood up in the open turret of his tank to warn the infantry to hit the deck because of the muzzle blast of the 75mm. A Japanese grenade came hurtling through the air aimed in the direction of the open turret. Sergeant Timmerman fearlessly covered the opening with his own body to prevent the grenade from killing his crew and the grenade exploded on his chest, killing him instantly. Although two members of the crew received slight wounds from the grenade, none were killed, all the larger fragments being taken by Sergeant Timmerman. For that his country bestowed its highest honor upon him - the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The Medal and also a Bronze Star Medal earned earlier in the Saipan campaign, were presented to Grant Timmerman's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Timmerman of Emporia, Kansas, on 8 July 1945, the first anniversary of his death, in their home by Colonel Norman E. True of the Marine Barracks at Great Lakes, Illinois. This quiet informal presentation was made at the request of the hero's mother.
In January, 1946 the Navy named one of its new destroyers after Sergeant Timmerman. The USS Timmerman (DD-828) was christened by Mrs. Fred Timmerman, his mother.
Other medals earned by Sergeant Timmerman in addition to the Medal of Honor and the Bronze Star Medal, are the Purple Heart with a Gold Star, the Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze star, the American Defense Medal with Base Clasp, the China Service Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal with two bronze stars, the American Theatre Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
Initially buried in the 2d Marine Division Cemetery on Saipan, Marianas Island, Sergeant Timmerman was later reinterred in the National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
CITATION:
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 14 February 1919, Americus, Kans. Accredited to: Kansas. Other Navy award: Bronze Star Medal. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as tank commander serving with the 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, 2d Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan, Marianas Islands, on 8 July 1944. Advancing with his tank a few yards ahead of the infantry in support of a vigorous attack on hostile positions, Sgt. Timmerman maintained steady fire from his antiaircraft sky mount machinegun until progress was impeded by a series of enemy trenches and pillboxes. Observing a target of opportunity, he immediately ordered the tank stopped and, mindful of the danger from the muzzle blast as he prepared to open fire with the 75mm., fearlessly stood up in the exposed turret and ordered the infantry to hit the deck. Quick to act as a grenade, hurled by the Japanese, was about to drop into the open turret hatch, Sgt. Timmerman unhesitatingly blocked the opening with his body holding the grenade against his chest and taking the brunt of the explosion. His exception valor and loyalty in saving his men at the cost of his own life reflect the highest credit upon Sgt. Timmerman and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
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