World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Joseph L. 'Joe' Artman
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
Norman, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
VOLUNTEERED FOR AND WAS SELECTED FOR UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAM (UDT) TRAINING. GRADUATED AND QUALIFIED TO WEAR THE UDT INSIGNIA. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AS A 'FROGMAN' WITH UDT-12. PARTICIPATED IN SURVEYING LANDING BEACHES AND CLEARING THE SHORE AREAS OF MINES AND OBSTACLES ON THE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA PRIOR TO INITIAL LANDINGS BY THE MARINES ON FEBRUARY 19, 1945. HE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE UNDERWATER TEAMS CAME UNDER HEAVY FIRE FROM JAPANESE DEFENDERS AND SUFFERED A HIGH NUMBER OF CASUALTIES. AWARDED THE SILVER STAR FOR HIS PERSONAL HEROISM AND GALLANTRY IN ACTION AT IWO JIMA. ALSO TOOK PART IN THE INVASION OF OKINAWA BY CLEARING THE LANDING BEACHES FOR AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS WHICH BEGAN ON EASTER MORNING, APRIL 1, 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.