Medal of Honor: Lewis Kenneth Bausell, World War II, Peleliu, 15 September 1944

Lewis Kenneth Bausell
World War II – Peleliu, 15 September 1944

The beaches of Peleliu were a furnace of fire, swept by machine guns and mortars as Marines of the 1st Division stormed ashore in one of the Pacific’s bloodiest battles. Among the men of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Corporal Lewis K. Bausell, just 20 years old, placed himself at the head of his squad as they advanced against a heavily fortified Japanese pillbox dominating the landing sector.

Charging forward through the blistering fire, Bausell reached the emplacement first. Without hesitation, he thrust the muzzle of his automatic weapon into its opening, blasting away while his men closed in. For a moment, it seemed the strongpoint might fall. But then a Japanese grenade came arcing out, dropping into the midst of the squad.

There was no time to think, only to act. With an instinct born of loyalty to his comrades, Corporal Bausell hurled himself onto the grenade, smothering its detonation with his own body. The explosion tore into him, but his squad was spared. His final act of sacrifice gave his men the chance to live and continue the fight.

Bausell’s name joined those few Marines whose devotion was absolute, his loyalty and courage etched forever in the history of the Corps. He did not live to see Peleliu taken, but his gallantry on the sands of that hellish island stands as one of the purest examples of the Marine spirit — to give everything for the man next to you.

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 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu Island, Palau Group, 15 September 1944. Valiantly placing himself at the head of his squad, Cpl. Bausell led the charge forward against a hostile pillbox which was covering a vital sector of the beach and, as the first to reach the emplacement, immediately started firing his automatic into the aperture while the remainder of his men closed in on the enemy. Swift to act, as a Japanese grenade was hurled into their midst, Cpl. Bausell threw himself on the deadly weapon, taking the full blast of the explosion and sacrificing his own life to save his men. His unwavering loyalty and inspiring courage reflect the highest credit upon Cpl. Bausell and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.