World War II Honoree

Waldo Decker Humphrey

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Kansas City, Kansas

Honored By

James Humphrey

Relationship

Son

HE ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS ON DECEMBER 8, 1941. HE WAS ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FIRST 'SCOUT AND SNIPER' PLATOONS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE HEADQUARTERS COMPANY OF THE 9TH MARINE REGIMENT OF THE 3RD DIVISION AND REMAINED IN SERVICE IN THE PACIFIC UNTIL MID-1945. DURING HIS TIME IN THE PACIFIC, HE PERFORMED BEHIND ENEMY LINES RECONNAISSANCE ON JAPANESE HELD ISLANDS IN THE SOLOMONS, WHERE HE RECEIVED A SILVER STAR, FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY IN ACTION AGAINST THE ENEMY. VOLUNTARILY, AND WITH UTTER DISREGARD OF PERSONAL SAFETY, WHERE DISCOVERY BY THE JAPANESE TROOPS WOULD HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY RESULTED IN HIS CAPTURE OR DEATH. HE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ACTION ON BOUGAINVILLE, GUADALCANAL, THE LIBERATION OF GUAM AND IWO JIMA. ON IWO JIMA AS A PLATOON SERGEANT HE WAS AWARDED A GOLD STAR IN LIEU OF A SECOND SILVER STAR. AFTER JAPANESE TROOPS PENNED INSIDE A HILL EXPLODED A TREMENDOUS STORE OF EXPLOSIVES, HE, WITH UTTER DISREGARD FOR HIS OWN SAFETY, MOVED QUICKLY THROUGH THE FLAMES AND SMOKE TO THE EDGE OF CRUMBLING CLIFF AND RETURNED WITH TWO WOUNDED MEN, ONE OF WHOM COULD NOT MOVE AND ONE WHO HAD BEEN BURIED BY DEBRIS. HE THEN PERSONALLY LED BADLY SHAKEN MEN TO NEW POSITIONS WHILE UNDER SMALL ARMS FIRE FROM THE ENEMY, REORGANIZED THE PERIMETER DEFENSE OF THE REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS AND PREVENTED THE ENEMY FROM ENTERING THE PERIMETER. IN 1945 HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO MARINE HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON D.C. DURING THIS TIME IN WASHINGTON HE WAS SELECTED TO BE FEATURED IN THE FIRST EDITION OF 'THE GUIDEBOOK FOR MARINES' LATER PUBLISHED IN 1946. THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIM GIVING HAND AND ARM SIGNALS, THROWING GRENADES AND DEMONSTRATING OTHER SKILLS, REMAINED IN FUTURE EDITIONS OF THE HANDBOOK.