Amidst Iwo Jima's black sand and the wreckage of war, hospital corpsmen struggle to save wounded marines shortly after the initial landings. Life saving plasma flows into two patients while a deceased comrade lies alongside. Few ratings have been more impacted by a single battle than Navy hospital corpsmen at Iwo Jima. Nearly 80 years later the battle for Iwo should be remembered as a memorial to the fallen, to their service, but also the shear grit and resilience of those Navy corpsmen who answered the call.
Amidst Iwo Jima’s black sand and the wreckage of war, hospital corpsmen struggle to save wounded marines shortly after the initial landings. Life saving plasma flows into two patients while a deceased comrade lies alongside. Few ratings have been more impacted by a single battle than Navy hospital corpsmen at Iwo Jima. Nearly 80 years later the battle for Iwo should be remembered as a memorial to the fallen, to their service, but also the shear grit and resilience of those Navy corpsmen who answered the call.
While serving as a hospital corpsman with a Marine Rifle Battalion of the FOURTH Marine Division on Iwo Jima, on February 24, 1945, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Merlin Achor attempted to reach a Marine who had been wounded by enemy machine gun fire. He abandoned his sheltered position and with utter disregard for his personal safety ran directly into the line of enemy fire. After advancing five yards he was hit by the enemy machine gun fire. Despite agonizing pain, he persisted in his attempt to reach the wounded man once again and was himself wounded, this time seriously. Weak from loss of blood and exhausted by his efforts to maintain his footing in the loose volcano sand, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Achor finally reached the wounded Marine and then still under intense fire, administered life-saving first aid. Although he himself required immediate medical attention, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Achor refused to leave the front lines until he had dragged his patient to safety and directed his evacuation to the battalion aid station. Achor was one of 14 hospital corpsmen awarded the Navy Cross for actions on Iwo Jima.
Amidst Iwo Jima’s black sand and the wreckage of war, hospital corpsmen struggle to save wounded marines shortly after the initial landings. Life saving plasma flows into two patients while a deceased comrade lies alongside. Few ratings have been more impacted by a single battle than Navy hospital corpsmen at Iwo Jima. Nearly 80 years later the battle for Iwo should be remembered as a memorial to the fallen, to their service, but also the shear grit and resilience of those Navy corpsmen who answered the call.
While attached to a Marine Rifle platoon of the Second Battalion, Twenty-Eighth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division, on February 21, 1945, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class John Bradley took part in a furious assault on a strongly defended enemy zone at the base of Mt. Suribachi. Bradley observed a Marine infantryman fall wounded in an open area under a pounding barrage by mortars, interlaced with a merciless crossfire from Machine guns. With complete disregard for his own safety, he ran through the intense fire to the side of the fallen Marine, examined his wounds and ascertained that an immediate administration of plasma was necessary to save the man’s life. Unwilling to subject any of his comrades to the danger to which he had so valiantly exposed himself, he signaled would-be assistants to remain where they were. Placing himself in a position to shield the wounded man, he tied a plasma unit to a rifle planted upright in the sand and continued his life saving mission. The Marine’s wounds bandaged and the condition of shock relieved by plasma, Bradley pulled the man thirty yards through intense enemy fire to a position of safety. Bradley was one of 14 hospital corpsmen to receive the Navy Cross for actions on Iwo Jima.
While assigned to the USS SANBORN (APA-193) “Beach Party” during the amphibious landings on Iwo Jima, Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Dary exposed himself time after time to heavy enemy fire while salvaging medical supplies scattered along the beach and in the water. The enemy was well entrenched and kept the beach under constant machine gun as well as heavy artillery and mortar shelling. Dary’s total disregard of his personal safety in performing services not normally expected under conditions facing the “Beach Party” resulted in the saving of much medical equipment and supplies. He continued to render valuable services leaving cover in the area then subjected to heavy bombardment by enemy mortar and artillery fire, to perform emergency treatment of wounded men. He rendered invaluable assistance in such numerous instances that a proper count could not be maintained of individual cases. He continued these individual acts of mercy until mortally wounded while attempting to give emergency treatment to a wounded comrade at arms who was lying in an exposed position. Dary was one of 14 hospital corpsmen to receive the Navy Cross for actions on Iwo Jima.
Pharmacist’s Mate First Class Francis Pierce was attached to the Second Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division during the Iwo Jima campaign. While caught in heavy enemy fire which wounded a corpsman and two of the eight stretcher bearers who were carrying two wounded Marines to a forward aid station on March 15, Pierce quickly took charge of the party, carried the newly wounded men to a sheltered position, and rendered first aid. After directing the evacuation of three of the casualties, he stood in the open to draw the enemy’s fire and, with his weapon blasting, enabled the litter bearers to reach cover. Turning his attention to the other two casualties he was attempting to stop the profuse bleeding of one man when a Japanese fired from a cave less than 20 yards away and wounded his patient again. Risking his own life to save his patient, Pierce deliberately exposed himself to draw the attacker from the cave and destroyed him with the last of his ammunition Then lifting the wounded man to his back, he advanced unarmed through deadly rifle fire across 200 feet of open terrain. Despite exhaustion and in the face of warnings against such a suicidal mission, he again traversed the same fire-swept path to rescue the remaining Marine. On the following morning, he led a combat patrol to the sniper nest and, while aiding a stricken Marine, was seriously wounded. Refusing aid for himself, he directed treatment for the casualty, at the same time maintaining protective fire for his comrades. Completely fearless, completely devoted to the care of his patients, Pharmacist’s Mate First Class Pierce inspired the entire battalion. In 1948, Pierce was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on Iwo Jima.
On February 19, 1945, while taking part in the amphibious assault on Iwo Jima, Hospital Apprentice First Class James Twedt was grievously wounded by an exploding shell. Flying shrapnel and the force of the blast amputated one of his feet and badly mangled the other. However, despite his desperate condition, and, although fully aware of his own peril and immediate need for medical attention, Twedt’s first instinct was to perform his duties and aid other wounded. Dragging himself painfully to the wounded man next to him, he administered first aid. Although Twedt was rapidly losing blood, he continued to bandage this wounded man, calling for additional aid, and not until he had assured himself that another Corpsman was on the way and that he had done his duty to the best of his ability, did he give attention to his own wounds. Hospital Apprentice First Class Twedt died as a result of these wounds, but his outstanding devotion to duty in addition to his resolute courage was exemplary. Twedt was one of 14 hospital corpsmen awarded the Navy Cross for actions on Iwo Jima.
On March 3, 1945, while serving on Iwo Jima, Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Jack Williams faced intense enemy small-arms fire to assist a Marine wounded in a fierce grenade battle,. Williams dragged the man to a shallow depression and was kneeling, using his own body as a screen from the sustained fire as he administered first aid, when struck in the abdomen and groin three times by hostile rifle fire. Momentarily stunned, he quickly recovered and completed his ministration before applying battle dressings to his own multiple wounds. Unmindful of his own urgent need for medical attention, he remained in the perilous fire-swept area to care for another Marine casualty. Heroically completing his task despite pain and profuse bleeding, he then endeavored to make his way to the rear in search of adequate aid for himself when struck down by a Japanese sniper bullet which caused his collapse. Williams was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He is one of four hospital corpsmen to receive the award for actions on Iwo Jima.
Painfully wounded in the bitter action on February 26, 1945, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class George Wahlen remained on the battlefield, advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded Marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon. Wounded again on March 2, he gallantly refused evacuation, moving out with his company the following day in a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and valor, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed vitally to the high morale of his company during critical phases of this strategically important engagement. Wahlen was one of four hospital corpsmen awarded the Medal of Honor for actions on Iwo Jima.
On February 28, 1945, while serving on Iwo Jima, Pharmacist’s Mate First Class John Harlan Willis was constantly imperiled by artillery and mortar fire from strong and mutually supporting pillboxes and caves studding Hill 362 in the enemy’s cross-island defenses. He resolutely administered first aid to the many Marines wounded during the furious close-in fighting until he himself was struck by shrapnel and was ordered back to the battle-aid station. Without waiting for official medical release, he quickly returned to his company and, during a savage hand-to-hand enemy counterattack, daringly advanced to the extreme frontlines under mortar and sniper fire to aid a Marine lying wounded in a shellhole. Completely unmindful of his own danger as the Japanese intensified their attack, Willis calmly continued to administer blood plasma to his patient, promptly returning the first hostile grenade which landed in the shell-hole while he was working and hurling back seven more in quick succession before the ninth one exploded in his hand and instantly killed him. By his great personal valor in saving others at the sacrifice of his own life, Pharmacist’s Mate First Class Willis inspired his companions, although terrifically outnumbered, to launch a fiercely determined attack and repulse the enemy force. Willis was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He is one of four hospital corpsmen to receive the Medal of Honor for actions on Iwo Jima.
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