World War II Honoree

Robert J. Emert

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Jackson County, Missouri

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 17TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 7TH INFANTRY ’BAYONET’ DIVISION. PARTICIPATED IN THE RYUKYUS CAMPAIGN. RECEIVED A BATTLEFIELD COMMISSION TO THE RANK OF SECOND LIEUTENANT. ASSAULTED OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS ON APRIL 1, 1945. HIS REGIMENT REACHED THE EAST COAST, SEVERING THE ISLAND AND REACHED THE NORTHERN END OF THE YONABARU AIRFIELD ON APRIL 2, 1945. AFTER HEAVY COMBAT ACTION, HIS REGIMENT SEIZED THE MILITARY CREST OF SKYLINE RIDGE AND SEALED THE CAVES THERE BY APRIL 23, 1945. IT THEN TOOK THE ROCKY CRAGS AREA. KILLED IN ACTION ON APRIL 30, 1945 DURING THE BATTLE FOR OKINAWA. HE DIED WHILE LEADING HIS PLATOON IN AN ATTACK AGAINST AN ENEMY POSITION. HIS PLATOON WAS ATTACKING AN IMPORTANT TERRAIN FEATURE WHEN IT CAME UNDER WITHERING RIFLE AND AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE. HE LED ONE OF HIS MANEUVERING ELEMENTS IN AN ATTEMPT TO FLANK THE POSITION AND ORDERED ANOTHER ELEMENT TO ATTACK FROM THE OTHER FLANK. WHEN HIS ELEMENT CLOSED TO WITHIN SOME 25 YARDS OF THE ENEMY, IT CAME UNDER INTENSE MACHINE GUN FIRE. ORDERING HIS MEN TO TAKE COVER, HE SINGLEHANDEDLY RUSHED THE JAPANESE POSITION AND DESTROYED IT WITH GRENADE AND RIFLE FIRE. MOMENTS LATER, AFTER HIS COURAGEOUS ASSAULT, A SECOND ENEMY MACHINE GUN TARGETED HIM AND HE FELL MORTALLY WOUNDED. AS HE LAY DYING, HE CONTINUED TO GIVE ORDERS TO HIS SUBORDINATE LEADERS THAT ENABLED THEM TO SEIZE THEIR OBJECTIVE. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, SILVER STAR FOR GALLANTRY IN BATTLE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE SERVICE STAR AND BRONZE ARROWHEAD DEVICE, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.