Medal of Honor: Alexander Bonnyman Jr. – World War II – November 20–22, 1943

Name: Alexander Bonnyman Jr.
Rank: First Lieutenant
Organization: U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Unit: 2nd Battalion Shore Party, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division
Place and Date: Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands – 20–22 November 1943
Entered Service At: Accredited to New Mexico
Born: May 2, 1910 – Atlanta, Georgia
Departed: Killed in Action, November 22, 1943
Accredited To: New Mexico

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Summary of Action

Tarawa was one of the most brutal amphibious assaults of World War II — a 76-hour battle fought yard by yard against some of the most heavily fortified positions in the Pacific. At the far end of Betio Pier, assault troops attempting to reach the beach were pinned down by devastating fire from Japanese blockhouses and shore batteries.

On the morning of November 20, 1st Lt. Alexander Bonnyman Jr., serving as the executive officer of the 2nd Battalion Shore Party, took action on his own initiative. Exposed on the long pier under relentless enemy fire, he rallied scattered Marines and led them across the open structure to the beach, clearing the way for reinforcements.

Later that day, he acquired flamethrowers and demolitions and turned his shore party into an improvised assault team, guiding them as they blasted enemy emplacements that had stalled the advance. Bonnyman led from the very front, ignoring intense fire to clear the path inland.

On November 21, he crawled forward alone — nearly 40 yards ahead of friendly lines — to place explosive charges at the mouth of a massive underground bunker housing over 100 defenders. Returning only to gather more ammunition, he personally led the renewed assault on the stronghold.

Charging through withering fire, Bonnyman and his men stormed the bunker, flushing out waves of Japanese soldiers who were immediately cut down. An estimated 150 more died inside the structure as demolition charges collapsed its chambers.

Determined to hold the gains his assault had achieved, Bonnyman mounted the top of the bunker to repel a counterattack. There, exposed on the edge of the position he had just captured, he fought off onrushing Japanese troops — killing three before being mortally wounded.

His leadership broke the backbone of Japanese resistance in the sector, enabling a 400-yard advance with no further casualties to the Marines in that zone.

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Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Executive Officer of the 2d Battalion Shore Party, 8th Marines, 2d Marine Division, during the assault against enemy Japanese-held Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, 20–22 November 1943. Acting on his own initiative when assault troops were pinned down at the far end of Betio Pier by the overwhelming fire of Japanese shore batteries, 1st Lt. Bonnyman repeatedly defied the blasting fury of the enemy bombardment to organize and lead the besieged men over the long, open pier to the beach and then, voluntarily obtaining flame throwers and demolitions, organized his pioneer shore party into assault demolitionists and directed the blowing of several hostile installations before the close of D-day. Determined to effect an opening in the enemy’s strongly organized defense line the following day, he voluntarily crawled approximately 40 yards forward of our lines and placed demolitions in the entrance of a large Japanese emplacement as the initial move in his planned attack against the heavily garrisoned, bombproof installation which was stubbornly resisting despite the destruction early in the action of a large number of Japanese who had been inflicting heavy casualties on our forces and holding up our advance. Withdrawing only to replenish his ammunition, he led his men in a renewed assault, fearlessly exposing himself to the merciless slash of hostile fire as he stormed the formidable bastion, directed the placement of demolition charges in both entrances and seized the top of the bombproof position, flushing more than 100 of the enemy who were instantly cut down, and effecting the annihilation of approximately 150 troops inside the emplacement. Assailed by additional Japanese after he had gained his objective, he made a heroic stand on the edge of the structure, defending his strategic position with indomitable determination in the face of the desperate charge and killing 3 of the enemy before he fell, mortally wounded. By his dauntless fighting spirit, unrelenting aggressiveness and forceful leadership throughout 3 days of unremitting, violent battle, 1st Lt. Bonnyman had inspired his men to heroic effort, enabling them to beat off the counterattack and break the back of hostile resistance in that sector for an immediate gain of 400 yards with no further casualties to our forces in this zone. He gallantly gave his life for his country.