USMC Medal of Honor recipients
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3rd Bn, 26th Marines
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The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS WILLIAM R. CADDY
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifleman
with Company I, Third Battalion, Twenty-sixth Marines, Fifth Marine Division,
in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima
in the Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Consistently aggressive, Private
First Class Caddy boldly defied shattering Japanese machine-gun and small-arms
fire to move forward with his platoon leader and another Marine during
a determined advance of his company through an isolated sector and, gaining
the comparative safety of a shell hole, took temporary cover with his comrades.
Immediately pinned down by deadly sniper fire from a well-concealed position,
he made several unsuccessful attempts to again move forward and then, joined
by his platoon leader, engaged the enemy in a fierce exchange of hand grenades
until a Japanese grenade fell in the shell hole. Fearlessly disregarding
all personal danger, Private First Class Caddy instantly threw himself
upon the deadly missile, absorbing the exploding charge in his own body
and protecting the others from serious injury. Stouthearted and indomitable,
he unhesitatingly yielded his own life that his fellow Marines might carry
on the relentless battle against a fanatic enemy. His dauntless courage
and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflects
the highest credit upon Private First Class Caddy and the United States
Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN
3rd Marine Division
4th Marine Division
5th Marine Division
Berry
Caddy
Chambers
Cole
Dunlap
Gray
Harrell
Herring
Jacobson
Julian
Labelle
Leims
Lucas
Lummus
Martin
McCarthy
Phillips
Pierce
Ruhl
Sigler
Stein
Walsh
Watson
Wahlen
Williams
Williams USN
Willis
Marine Corps University Books online, Revolutionary War through Afghanistan
3rd MarDiv on Iwo Jima
4th MarDiv on Iwo Jima
5th MarDiv on Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima Medals of Honor recipients
Interactive map Northern Iwo Jima
Interactive map Southern Iwo Jima
Books and Iwo Jima related links
2025 Raymond C Backstrom All Rights reserved
Pages updated 28 March 2025
E-mail
rbackstr2000@yahoo.com