Three machine guns stopped the platoon cold on Mount Belvedere. One technical sergeant went forward alone and tore the defense apart.
When the attack stalled under crushing fire, he stood up and charged. Tank top, open ground, enemy guns—it made no difference to him.
The water was littered with exploding powder boxes and burning wreckage. He still dove in to reach a helpless survivor who could no longer save himself.
The sea around the wreck was alive with exploding powder boxes. He dove into that chaos to save a man too exhausted to save himself.
Wounded once, then wounded again, he still refused treatment. Every cry for help pulled him back into the fire until he gave his life beside a wounded Marine.
He charged enemy machine guns alone and broke the line ahead. Then, in his final seconds, he chose his men’s lives over his own.
He reached safety, then turned around and went back into the killing zone. Ten times he crossed open ground under machine-gun fire to bring others home.
