Herbert Joseph Thomas

What would you do if a grenade landed among your comrades and there was no time to escape? On November 7, 1943, Sergeant Herbert Joseph Thomas faced that terrifying choice in the jungles of Bougainville. His decision, made in a fraction of a second, saved the lives of his fellow Marines and earned him the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration.

Born on February 8, 1918, in Columbus, Ohio, Herbert Joseph Thomas grew up in South Charleston, West Virginia, where he became an outstanding football player. At Virginia Tech, he distinguished himself as a talented athlete and respected teammate, demonstrating the determination and leadership that would later define his military service. After briefly serving in the Army Air Corps in 1941, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on March 3, 1942. By 1943, he was serving as a sergeant with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, fighting Japanese forces in the Pacific during World War II.

On November 7, 1943, during the Battle of the Koromokina River on Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands, Thomas led his squad through dense jungle undergrowth against heavily defended Japanese machine-gun positions. Despite intense enemy fire and casualties among his men, he pressed forward, helping destroy two machine-gun crews with rifle fire and grenades.

A third enemy machine gun presented an even greater challenge. Thomas carefully positioned his Marines for an assault and threw a grenade toward the emplacement. But the grenade struck overhead vines and fell back among his squad. Realizing that his men had no time to escape, Thomas deliberately threw himself upon the grenade, absorbing the explosion and sacrificing his life to protect them.

His extraordinary courage inspired the surviving Marines to charge the enemy position and eliminate its defenders. Thomas was just 25 years old.

For this remarkable act of self-sacrifice, Sergeant Herbert Joseph Thomas was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His official citation recognized his "extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty," honoring his fearless leadership, determination under fire, and deliberate decision to give his life for his fellow Marines.

Thomas's ultimate sacrifice also established his entitlement to the Purple Heart. His service in the Bougainville campaign is commemorated by the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze service star and the World War II Victory Medal. His regiment, the 3rd Marines, also received the Navy Unit Commendation for its distinguished service in defending the Empress Augusta Bay beachhead between November 1 and December 22, 1943, a period that included Thomas's final battle.

His legacy endured far beyond the jungles of Bougainville. In 1945, the United States Navy launched the destroyer USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833) in his honor, with his sister Audrey serving as sponsor. A hospital in South Charleston was also named in his memory. Originally buried on Bougainville, his remains were later returned to West Virginia and laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Park.

Sergeant Herbert Joseph Thomas never lived to see the honors bestowed upon him. Yet his story remains one of the most powerful examples of courage and selflessness in Marine Corps history. He did not hesitate when the lives of his men depended upon him. In his final moment, he chose their survival over his own, leaving a legacy of sacrifice that continues to inspire generations.

Medal of Honor citation

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the battle at the Koromokina River, Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands, on 7 November 1943. Although several of his men were struck by enemy bullets as he led his squad through dense jungle undergrowth in the face of severe hostile machine-gun fire, Sgt. Thomas and his group fearlessly pressed forward into the center of the Japanese position and destroyed the crews of two machine guns by accurate rifle fire and grenades. Discovering a third gun more difficult to approach, he carefully placed his men closely around him in strategic positions from which they were to charge after he had thrown a grenade into the emplacement. When the grenade struck vines and fell back into the midst of the group, Sgt. Thomas deliberately flung himself upon it to smother the explosion, valiantly sacrificing his life for his comrades. Inspired by his selfless action, his men unhesitatingly charged the enemy machine gun and, with fierce determination, killed the crew and several other nearby-defenders. The splendid initiative and extremely heroic conduct of Sgt. Thomas in carrying out his prompt decision with full knowledge of his fate reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.