James D. La Belle
Encyclopedia
Private First Class James Dennis La Belle (November 22, 1925-March 8, 1945) enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve
on November 18, 1943. Fifteen months later, in his first and last battle, he heroically sacrificed his life at Iwo Jima
and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
, the highest military honor awarded by the United States
.
s. At Columbia Heights High School he starred on the basketball, baseball and boxing teams, while following a vocational course in woodwork and metalwork. During summer vacations he worked as an apprentice acetylene welder for a local air conditioning corporation.
, California, followed. After completing boot camp, he went to Camp Pendleton
, California, where he qualified in the intensive combat training course before embarking for overseas. On June 30, 1944, he joined the regimental Weapons Company, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division. The following August he sailed on board the , bound for Hilo, Hawaii, and eventually the lava ash shores of Iwo Jima
.
At Camp Tarawa
, a Marine camp in Hawaii
near Hilo, the regimental Weapons Company engaged in more training preparatory to actual combat.
On February 19, 1945, after aerial and naval forces had pounded its desolate surface for many days, the island of Iwo Jima
felt the sting of the invading Marine amphibious forces. One of thousands, PFC La Belle fought continuously from the initial landing until March 8, 1945 when he gallantly gave his life and earned the highest military honor his nation could bestow.
His mother was presented the Medal of Honor by BGen William E. Riley, then Director of Marine Corps Public Information, in ceremonies on July 21, 1946 in Minneapolis.
Private First Class La Belle's remains were returned to the United States in late 1948, and were reinterred in the cemetery in Fort Snelling, Minnesota. His can be found in section 81, grave 422-Sgrave.
takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JAMES D. LA BELLE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN
who are named on the Anoka County Veteran's memorial at Bunker Hills Anoka County Park in Coon Rapids, Minnesota
. The other two are Richard E. Kraus
and Richard K. Sorenson
.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
on November 18, 1943. Fifteen months later, in his first and last battle, he heroically sacrificed his life at Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, the highest military honor awarded by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early years
James La Belle was born in Columbia Heights, Minnesota on November 22, 1925. He attended grammar school in his neighborhood in Minneapolis and, in his spare time, played basketball and baseball. His spare time favorite was the raising of homing pigeonHoming pigeon
The homing pigeon is a variety of domestic pigeon derived from the Rock Pigeon selectively bred to find its way home over extremely long distances. The wild rock pigeon has an innate homing ability, meaning that it will generally return to its own nest and its own mate...
s. At Columbia Heights High School he starred on the basketball, baseball and boxing teams, while following a vocational course in woodwork and metalwork. During summer vacations he worked as an apprentice acetylene welder for a local air conditioning corporation.
Marine Corps service
At age 17, with his mother's permission, La Belle enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in Minneapolis. Recruit training at the MCRD San DiegoMarine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego is a United States Marine Corps military installation in San Diego, California. It lies between San Diego Bay and Interstate 5, adjacent to San Diego International Airport and the former Naval Training Center San Diego...
, California, followed. After completing boot camp, he went to Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, California, where he qualified in the intensive combat training course before embarking for overseas. On June 30, 1944, he joined the regimental Weapons Company, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division. The following August he sailed on board the , bound for Hilo, Hawaii, and eventually the lava ash shores of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
.
At Camp Tarawa
Camp Tarawa
Camp Tarawa was a training camp located on the big island of Hawaii constructed and used by the 2nd Marine Division during World War II. The grounds of the camp were situated between the volcanic peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Marines were sent straight from the bloodly Battle of Tarawa to the...
, a Marine camp in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
near Hilo, the regimental Weapons Company engaged in more training preparatory to actual combat.
On February 19, 1945, after aerial and naval forces had pounded its desolate surface for many days, the island of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
felt the sting of the invading Marine amphibious forces. One of thousands, PFC La Belle fought continuously from the initial landing until March 8, 1945 when he gallantly gave his life and earned the highest military honor his nation could bestow.
His mother was presented the Medal of Honor by BGen William E. Riley, then Director of Marine Corps Public Information, in ceremonies on July 21, 1946 in Minneapolis.
Private First Class La Belle's remains were returned to the United States in late 1948, and were reinterred in the cemetery in Fort Snelling, Minnesota. His can be found in section 81, grave 422-Sgrave.
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JAMES D. LA BELLE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Weapons Company, Twentyseventh Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano IslandsVolcano IslandsThe Volcano Islands is a group of three Japanese islands south of the Bonin Islands that belong to the municipality of Ogasawara...
, 8 March 1945. Filling a gap in the front lines during a critical phase of the battle, Private First Class LaBelle had dug into a foxhole with two other Marines and grimly aware of the enemy's persistent attempts to blast a way through our lines with hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s, applied himself with steady concentration to maintaining a sharply vigilant watch during the hazardous night hours. Suddenly a hostile grenade landed beyond reach in his foxhole. Quickly estimating the situation, he determined to save the others if possible, shouted a warning and instantly dived on the missile, absorbing the exploding charge in his own body and thereby protecting his comrades from serious injury. Stouthearted and indomitable, he had unhesitatingly relinquished his own chance of survival that his fellow Marines might carry on the relentless fight against a fanatic enemy and, his dauntless courage, cool decision and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class LaBelle and the United States Naval ServiceUnited States Department of the NavyThe Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
Memorial
James D. La Belle is one of three Minnesota Medal of Honor recipients from the Northeast Twin CitiesTwin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
who are named on the Anoka County Veteran's memorial at Bunker Hills Anoka County Park in Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,627 people, 22,578 households, and 16,572 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,718.1 people per square mile . There were 22,828 housing units at an average density of 1,007.2 per square mile...
. The other two are Richard E. Kraus
Richard E. Kraus
Private First Class Richard Edward Kraus was a United States Marine killed in action during the World War II campaign on Peleliu Island on October 3, 1944. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor, the highest military tribute awarded in the United States.-Biography:Richard E...
and Richard K. Sorenson
Richard K. Sorenson
Richard Keith Sorenson was a United States Marine who, as a private, received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his heroism during the Marine landing on Kwajalein Atoll on the night of February 1,-February 2, 1944. He threw himself on an exploding Japanese grenade to save the lives of...
.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Iwo Jima
Further reading
- Alexander, Col Joseph H., USMC (Ret). Closing In: Marines in the Seizure of Iwo Jima, Marines in World War II Commemorative Series,History and Museums Division, United States Marine Corps, 1994.
- James La Belle's personal papers are available at the Minnesota Historical Society.