Leonard F. Mason

He silenced enemy guns despite wounds and freed his platoon.

Leonard Foster Mason, born in Middlesboro, Kentucky, in February 1920, served as a Marine private first class and automatic rifleman in the 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division. On 22 July 1944, at Guam’s Asan-Adelup beachhead, two Japanese machine guns halted his platoon in a narrow gully. Mason climbed out and worked toward the enemy position from the rear. Repeatedly wounded, he continued forward and cleared the emplacement. He returned to report the result before accepting evacuation, enabling his platoon to complete its mission. He died of his wounds aboard a ship offshore on 23 July 1944. His Medal of Honor recognized his courage and determination under fire.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as an automatic rifleman serving with the 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on the Asan-Adelup Beachhead, Guam, Marianas Islands on 22 July 1944. Suddenly taken under fire by two enemy machine guns not more than 15 yards away while clearing out hostile positions holding up the advance of his platoon through a narrow gully, Pfc. Mason, alone and entirely on his own initiative, climbed out of the gully and moved parallel to it toward the rear of the enemy position. Although fired upon immediately by hostile riflemen from a higher position and wounded repeatedly in the arm and shoulder, Pfc. Mason grimly pressed forward and had just reached his objective when hit again by a burst of enemy machine-gun fire, causing a critical wound to which he later succumbed. With valiant disregard for his own peril, he persevered, clearing out the hostile position, killing five Japanese, wounding another, and then rejoining his platoon to report the results of his action before consenting to be evacuated. His exceptionally heroic act in the face of almost certain death enabled his platoon to accomplish its mission and reflects the highest credit upon Pfc. Mason and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.