Robert M. McTureous Jr.

He charged enemy caves to save wounded comrades from gunfire

Robert Miller McTureous Jr. was born at Altoona, Florida, on 26 March 1924. He completed school at Umatilla and attended Brewton-Parker Institute. Initially medically unfit for military service, he underwent corrective operations and entered the Marine Corps on 31 August 1944. After training at Parris Island and Camp Lejeune, he sailed from the United States on 11 March 1945. He trained on Guam before reaching Okinawa as a replacement on 15 May.

On 7 June 1945, he was serving with Company H, 3rd Battalion, 29th Marines, on Okinawa. After his company captured a hill, Japanese fire from nearby caves endangered stretcher-bearers trying to evacuate wounded Marines. McTureous gathered grenades and attacked the positions alone, moving between caves and returning for more ammunition. His attack drew fire away from the evacuation parties and disrupted the defenders.

Badly wounded, he crawled back into cover before asking for medical help, sparing others the danger of rescuing him in the open. He died aboard the hospital ship USS Relief on 11 June 1945. The Medal of Honor was presented to his parents in August 1946. His remains were eventually returned to Florida for burial at Umatilla.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 3d Battalion, 29th Marines, 6th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 June 1945. Alert and ready for any hostile counteraction following his company’s seizure of an important hill objective, Pvt. 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 newly won position. Determined to prevent further casualties, he quickly filled his jacket 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 200 yards to a sheltered position within friendly lines before calling for aid. By his fearless initiative and bold tactics, Pvt. McTureous had succeeded in neutralizing the enemy fire, killing six Japanese troops, and effectively disorganizing the remainder of the savagely defended garrison. His outstanding valor and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice during a critical stage of operations reflect the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service.