USMC Medal of Honor recipients
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3rd Bn, 25th Marines |
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The President of the United States takes pleasure in the MEDAL OF HONOR to
COLONEL JUSTICE M. CHAMBERS
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 as Commanding Officer of the Third Assault Battalion Landing Team, Twenty-Fifth Marines, Fourth 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 machine-gun and small-arms fire from the commanding cliffs on the right, Colonel Chambers, then Lieutenant Colonel, 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, machine-gun 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, Colonel 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, Colonel 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 Fifth Amphibious Corps on Iwo Jima, thereby sustaining and enhancing the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
/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
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