ROBERT M. MCTUREOUS, JR. MEDAL OF HONOR WAR MEMORIAL CLOSE-UP

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company H, Third Battalion, Twenty-ninth Marines, Sixth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa in the Ryūkyū Chain, June 7, 1945. Alert and ready for any hostile counteraction following his company’s seizure of an important hill-objective Private McTureous was quick to observe the plight of company stretcher-bearers who were suddenly assailed by slashing machine-gun fire as they attempted to evacuate wounded at the rear of the nearby won position. Determined to prevent further casualties, he quickly filled his shirt with hand grenades and charged the enemy-occupied caves from which the concentrated barrage was emanating. Coolly disregarding all personal danger as he waged his furious one-man assault, he smashed grenades into the cave entrances, thereby diverting the heaviest fire from the stretcher-bearers to his own person and, resolutely returning to his own lines under a blanketing hail of rifle and Machine-gun fire to replenish his supply of grenades, dauntlessly continued his systematic reduction of Japanese strength until he himself sustained serious wounds after silencing a large number of the hostile guns. Aware of his own critical condition and unwilling to further endanger the lives of his comrades, he stoically crawled a distance of two hundred yards to a sheltered position within friendly lines before calling for aid. By his fearless initiative and bold tactics, Private McTureous had succeeded in neutralizing the enemy fire, killing six of the Japanese and effectively disorganizing the remainder of the savagely defending garrison. His outstanding valor and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice during a critical stage of operations reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

SEE ALSO-ROBERT M. MCTUREOUS, JR. MEDAL OF HONOR WAR MEMORIAL