Medal of Honor: David M. Shoup – World War II – November 20–22, 1943

Name: David Monroe Shoup
Rank: Colonel
Organization: U.S. Marine Corps
Command: All Marine Corps forces on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll
Place and Date: Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands – 20–22 November 1943
Entered Service At: Indiana
Born: December 30, 1904 – Tippecanoe, Indiana
Departed: January 13, 1983
Accredited To: Indiana
Other Award: Later served as Commandant of the Marine Corps

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Summary of Action

The battle for Tarawa was one of the most brutal amphibious actions in Marine Corps history — a 76-hour struggle fought yard by yard against some of the strongest defenses in the Pacific. When the first waves landed on November 20, 1943, they were met with devastating fire that tore units apart before they reached the seawall.

Colonel David M. Shoup, the senior Marine officer to reach the beach on D-Day, was wounded almost immediately by an exploding shell. His leg injury quickly became infected, but he refused evacuation and remained fully exposed to constant artillery, machine-gun, and rifle fire.

Pushing through the tide of chaos, Shoup rallied broken units and personally led Marines across the reefs and open water to the island’s burning shoreline. Once ashore, he assumed command of all landed forces, many of which were pinned down or leaderless.

For the next two days and nights, Shoup operated without rest — moving continuously under fire, directing assaults on fortified blockhouses, redistributing ammunition, coordinating reinforcements, and stabilizing collapsing sections of the line. His presence on the front was constant: bent with pain, clothes torn, still pressing forward, still commanding.

Through his leadership and sheer force of will, the Marines held their tenuous foothold and pushed inland. By November 22, the Japanese garrison had been crushed. The island was secured — and Shoup’s command had endured one of the most savage fights of the war.

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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 commanding officer of all Marine Corps troops in action against enemy Japanese forces on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, from 20 to 22 November 1943. Although severely shocked by an exploding enemy shell soon after landing at the pier and suffering from a serious, painful leg wound which had become infected, Col. Shoup fearlessly exposed himself to the terrific and relentless artillery, machinegun, and rifle fire from hostile shore emplacements. Rallying his hesitant troops by his own inspiring heroism, he gallantly led them across the fringing reefs to charge the heavily fortified island and reinforce our hard-pressed, thinly held lines. Upon arrival on shore, he assumed command of all landed troops and, working without rest under constant, withering enemy fire during the next 2 days, conducted smashing attacks against unbelievably strong and fanatically defended Japanese positions despite innumerable obstacles and heavy casualties. By his brilliant leadership, daring tactics, and selfless devotion to duty, Col. Shoup was largely responsible for the final decisive defeat of the enemy, and his indomitable fighting spirit reflects great credit upon the U.S. Naval Service.