USMC Medal of Honor recipients
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1st Bn, 9th Marines |
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The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
SECOND LIEUTENANT JOHN H. LEIMS
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 Company B, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, on 7 March 1945. Launching a surprise attack against the rock-imbedded fortifications of a dominating Japanese hill position, Second Lieutenant Leims spurred his company forward with indomitable determination and, skillfully directing his assault platoons against the cave-emplaced enemy troops and heavily fortified pillboxes, succeeded in capturing the objective in the late afternoon. When it became apparent that his assault platoons were cut off in this newly won position, approximately four hundred yards forward of adjacent units and lacked all communication with the command post, he personally advanced and laid telephone lines across the isolating expanse of open, fire-swept terrain. Ordered to withdraw his command after he had joined his forward platoons, he immediately complied, adroitly effecting the withdrawal of his troops without incident. Upon arriving at the rear, he was informed that several casualties had been left at the abandoned ridge position beyond the front lines. Although suffering acutely from strain and exhaustion of battle, he instantly went forward despite darkness and the slashing fury of hostile machine-gun fire, located and carried to safety one seriously wounded Marine and then, running the gauntlet of enemy fire for the third time that night, again made his tortuous wayinto the bullet-riddled deathtrap and rescued another of his wounded men. A dauntless leader, concerned at all times for the welfare of his men, Second Lieutenant Leims soundly maintained the coordinated strength of his battle-wearied company under extremely difficult conditions and, by his bold tactics, sustained aggressiveness and heroic disregard of all personal danger, contributed essentially to the success of his division's operations against this vital Japanese base. His valiant conduct in the face of fanatic opposition sustained and enhanced the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps.
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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