| |
| |
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Colonel Justice Marion Chambers, USMC
Colonel Justice Marion Chambers, who received the Nation's highest award, the Medal of Honor, 1 November 1950, and retired from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve 1 January 1946, died on 29 July 1982. After his retirement, he had served as staff advisor for the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Presentation of the Medal of Honor was made at the White House by the President for exceptional gallantry which helped assure the victory at Iwo Jima during World War II. Colonel Chambers had been recommended for the Medal on 7 April 1945 following his evacuation, seriously wounded, from Iwo Jima. He had received the Navy Cross, which honor was revoked upon re-examination of the original recommendation with additional evidence.
The colonel, then a lieutenant colonel, commanded the 3d Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, in the Iwo Jima landing on 19 February 1945. His sector was beneath high ground from which heavy enemy fire raked the whole landing beach. "Capture of the high ground," the Medal of Honor recommendation stated, "was essential to the success of the D-Day operations. It is an established fact that had it not been done, it would have constituted a most serious threat to the subsequent operations of the 5th Amphibious Corps".
The 3d Battalion lost more than half its officers and nearly one-half its enlisted strength on D-Day. But by "fearless disregard for his own life" and leading his depleted battalion "by example rather than command," the colonel won the key heights and anchored the right flank of the Marines' position.
On the fourth day, directing the Marines' first rocket barrage and exposed to the enemy's main line of resistance, Colonel Chambers fell under enemy machine-gun fire. His wounds were so serious that he was medically retired and, because he had been specially commended for performance of duty in combat, he was promoted to colonel.
Colonel Chambers was born 2 February 1908, at Huntington, West Virginia. He went to school there and completed three years at Marshall College in Huntington. He attended George Washington University two years, and National University, both in Washington, D.C., where he obtained his law degree.
Following the completion of two years enlistment in the naval reserve in 1930, the colonel joined the Marine Corps Reserve as a private. He was commissioned in 1932 and continued his studies toward promotion. He was a major, attending summer camp, when Washington's 5th Battalion was called up in 1940. He was well known for the enthusiasm and energy with which he trained his men.
Colonel Chambers received the Silver Star Medal for evacuating the wounded and directing the night defense of a battalion aid station on Tulagi, where he was a patient already seriously wounded. He commanded the 3d Battalion, 25th Marines in the Roi-Namur campaign. On Saipan he suffered blast concussion, but returned to lead his command there and on Tinian. He had trained his command so thoroughly and his leadership was so conspicuous that he was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat "V".
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Silver Star Medal and Legion of Merit with Combat "V", Colonel Chambers' decorations and medals include the Purple Heart Medal with two gold stars, Presidential Unit Citation with three bronze stars, Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal with two stars, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver star (denoting five campaigns), and the World War II Victory Medal. Nickname "Jumping Joe"
CITATION:
Rank and organization: Colonel. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3rd Assault Battalion Landing Team. 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division. Place and date: On Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. from 19 to 22 February 1945. Entered service at: Washington, D.C. Born: 2 February 1908, Huntington, W. Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 3d Assault Battalion Landing Team, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 to 22 February 1945. Under a furious barrage of enemy machinegun and small-arms fire from the commanding cliffs on the right, Col. Chambers (then Lt. Col.) landed immediately after the initial assault waves of his battalion on D-day to find the momentum of the assault threatened by heavy casualties from withering Japanese artillery, mortar rocket, machinegun, and rifle fire. Exposed to relentless hostile fire, he coolly reorganized his battle-weary men, inspiring them to heroic efforts by his own valor and leading them in an attack on the critical, impregnable high ground from which the enemy was pouring an increasing volume of fire directly onto troops ashore as well as amphibious craft in succeeding waves. Constantly in the front lines encouraging his men to push forward against the enemy's savage resistance, Col. Chambers led the 8-hour battle to carry the flanking ridge top and reduce the enemy's fields of aimed fire, thus protecting the vital foothold gained. In constant defiance of hostile fire while reconnoitering the entire regimental combat team zone of action, he maintained contact with adjacent units and forwarded vital information to the regimental commander. His zealous fighting spirit undiminished despite terrific casualties and the loss of most of his key officers, he again reorganized his troops for renewed attack against the enemy's main line of resistance and was directing the fire of the rocket platoon when he fell, critically wounded. Evacuated under heavy Japanese fire, Col. Chambers, by forceful leadership, courage, and fortitude in the face of staggering odds, was directly instrumental in insuring the success of subsequent operations of the 5th Amphibious Corps on Iwo Jima, thereby sustaining and enhancing the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
President Harry S. Truman fastening the Congressional Medal of Honor onto Colonel Justice Marion Chambers.
Courtesy of Find A Grave
|
|
|
|
|
Articles & Briefings
