Carlton Robert Rouh

A grenade landed among three Marines on Peleliu. Two survived uninjured because a severely wounded officer placed himself between them and the explosion. That officer was Carlton Robert Rouh, a United States Marine Corps hero whose extraordinary courage during World War II earned him the Medal of Honor. Against almost impossible odds, he survived an act of sacrifice that would forever define his place in American military history.

Born on 11 May 1919 in Lindenwold, New Jersey, Carlton Robert Rouh enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 1942, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Assigned to the 5th Marines of the 1st Marine Division, he entered the fierce Pacific war against Japanese forces and quickly distinguished himself during the Battle of Guadalcanal.

On 9 October 1942, while serving as a Private First Class with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, Rouh repeatedly volunteered to carry wounded Marines from exposed positions to safety. Despite intense enemy fire, he continued evacuating casualties until he was wounded himself. His courage earned him the Silver Star, with the official citation recognizing his conspicuous gallantry, disregard for personal safety and devotion to wounded comrades.

His battlefield leadership led to a commission as a Second Lieutenant while the division was resting in Australia. Rouh subsequently commanded a machine-gun platoon during the New Britain campaign before returning to combat with the 5th Marines for the invasion of Peleliu.

On 15 September 1944, First Lieutenant Rouh was leading a mortar platoon near the crest of a coral ridge on Peleliu Island. Before allowing his Marines to establish an 81-millimeter mortar observation post inside an apparently abandoned Japanese dugout, he entered the position himself to ensure it was safe.

Suddenly, a concealed Japanese soldier opened fire, severely wounding Rouh. He managed to emerge from the dugout, where two fellow Marines helped him reach a less exposed position and began administering first aid. Moments later, an enemy grenade landed among them.

Although already badly wounded, Rouh pushed both Marines away and placed himself between them and the exploding grenade. The blast tore through his chest and abdomen, sending shrapnel into his body, including a fragment that passed through his lung and lodged near his heart. Both men he protected escaped injury.

Rouh survived. Still conscious after the explosion, he was eventually evacuated while Japanese artillery and mortar fire continued around him. His actions demonstrated extraordinary courage, loyalty and self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death.

For his heroism on Peleliu, Rouh received the Medal of Honor, presented by President Harry S. Truman at the White House on 15 June 1945. His official citation recognized his willingness to risk his own life to save two fellow Marines. His combat wounds at Guadalcanal and Peleliu also reflected the sacrifice represented by his Purple Heart awards.

Across Guadalcanal, New Britain and Peleliu, Rouh served with the distinguished 1st Marine Division, whose extraordinary performance in the Pacific earned Presidential Unit Citations. After recovering from his severe injuries, he retired honorably from active duty and received promotion to Captain in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Carlton Robert Rouh died on 8 December 1977 and was buried in Berlin Cemetery, New Jersey. His legacy lives on through the lives he saved, the Marines he led and the remarkable courage he displayed when survival seemed almost impossible. His story stands as an enduring example of Marine Corps valor, battlefield brotherhood and the willingness to place others above oneself.