World War II Honoree

Francis Junior Pierce

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Earlville, Iowa

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. PHARMACIST'S MATE 1ST CLASS, U.S. NAVY SERVING WITH 2ND BATTALION, 24TH MARINES, 4TH MARINE DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: IWO JIMA, MARCH 15 AND 16, 1945. ENTERED SERVICE AT IOWA. CITATION: 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY WHILE ATTACHED TO THE 2ND BATTALION, 24TH MARINES, 4TH MARINE DIVISION, DURING THE IWO JIMA CAMPAIGN, MARCH 15 AND 16, 1945. ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY UNDER FIRE WHILE CARRYING OUT THE MOST DANGEROUS VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENTS, HE GAINED VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TERRAIN AND DISPOSITION OF TROOPS. CAUGHT IN HEAVY ENEMY RIFLE AND MACHINE GUN FIRE WHICH WOUNDED A CORPSMAN AND 2 OF THE 8 STRETCHER BEARERS WHO WERE CARRYING 2 WOUNDED MARINES TO A FORWARD AID STATION ON MARCH 15TH, HE QUICKLY TOOK CHARGE OF THE PARTY, CARRIED THE NEWLY WOUNDED MEN TO A SHELTERED POSITION, AND RENDERED FIRST AID. AFTER DIRECTING THE EVACUATION OF 3 OF THE CASUALTIES, HE STOOD IN THE OPEN TO DRAW THE ENEMY'S FIRE AND, WITH HIS WEAPON BLASTING, ENABLED THE LITTER BEARERS TO REACH COVER. TURNING HIS ATTENTION TO THE OTHER 2 CASUALTIES HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE PROFUSE BLEEDING OF 1 MAN WHEN A JAPANESE FIRED FROM A CAVE LESS THAN 20 YARDS AWAY AND WOUNDED HIS PATIENT AGAIN. RISKING HIS OWN LIFE TO SAVE HIS PATIENT, HE DELIBERATELY EXPOSED HIMSELF TO DRAW THE ATTACKER FROM THE CAVE AND DESTROYED HIM WITH THE LAST OF HIS AMMUNITION THEN LIFTING THE WOUNDED MAN TO HIS BACK, HE ADVANCED UNARMED THROUGH DEADLY RIFLE FIRE ACROSS 200 FEET OF OPEN TERRAIN. DESPITE EXHAUSTION AND IN THE FACE OF WARNINGS AGAINST SUCH A SUICIDAL MISSION, HE AGAIN TRAVERSED THE SAME FIRE-SWEPT PATH TO RESCUE THE REMAINING MARINE. ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING, HE LED A COMBAT PATROL TO THE SNIPER NEST AND, WHILE AIDING A STRICKEN MARINE, WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. REFUSING AID FOR HIMSELF, HE DIRECTED TREATMENT FOR THE CASUALTY, AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAINING PROTECTIVE FIRE FOR HIS COMRADES. COMPLETELY FEARLESS, COMPLETELY DEVOTED TO THE CARE OF HIS PATIENTS, HE INSPIRED THE ENTIRE BATTALION. HIS VALOR IN THE FACE OF EXTREME PERIL SUSTAINS AND ENHANCES THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.'