William J. Bordelon
Encyclopedia
William James Bordelon was a United States Marine
who served in combat during World War II
. During the Battle of Tarawa
, he was killed in action while he led the assault on the enemy and rescued fellow Marines. For his acts of gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military honor — the Medal of Honor
. He was the first U.S. Marine from Texas to be awarded the Medal of Honor for action in World War II.
. He graduated from Central Catholic Marianist High School
in San Antonio in 1938, where he was the JROTC
battalion major in 1937-1938. He was one of three of the high school's graduates who died on Tarawa.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps on December 10, 1941, and completed his recruit training at to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. He joined the 2nd Engineer Battalion
, 2nd Marine Division, in San Diego. He was rapidly promoted — to private first class on February 5, 1942; to corporal on March 14, 1942; and to sergeant on July 10, 1942.
He was killed in action, at age 22, while serving as a member of an assault engineer
platoon of the First Battalion, Eighteenth Marines
, tactically attached to the 2nd Marine Division against the Japan
ese in the Battle of Tarawa
, in the Islands
on November 20, 1943. He single-handedly destroyed four enemy pillboxes before he was fatally wounded.
Bordelon was awarded the Medal of Honor for his "valorous and gallant conduct above and beyond the call of duty" in leading his men while seriously wounded. He was the first U.S. Marine from Texas to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in World War II. Four Medals of Honor were awarded for actions on Tarawa, three were posthumous awards, and the fourth was awarded to then-Colonel David M. Shoup
, who became the 22nd Commandant of the Marine Corps
.
He was originally buried in the Lone Palm Cemetery on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, then later interred in Honolulu, Hawaii
at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
. At the request of his brother, Bordelon's body was moved from Hawaii to Texas in 1995. After lying in state at the Alamo
, Bordelon's body was re-interred in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
, San Antonio, Texas
, on the 52nd anniversary of his death.
STAFF SERGEANT WILLIAM J. BORDELON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
/S/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
was named in his honor in 1945, and in April 1994, the Navy named San Antonio's Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center after him. Also named for Bordelon is a Marine Corps and Navy VFW
post and a section of Interstate 37
which runs through San Antonio, between I-35
and I-10
.
Bordelon's alma mater, Central Catholic Marianist High School in San Antonio, has memorialized him in several ways. Central Catholic's junior ROTC
rifle team is called the Bordelon Rifles in his honor. On November 3, 2007, the "William J. Bordelon Memorial" in the school's main foyer was dedicated. The memorial also remembers fellow high school graduates and Marines who died on Tarawa — Gene Seng, Jr. and Charles Montague.
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...
who served in combat during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the Battle of Tarawa
Battle of Tarawa
The Battle of Tarawa, code named Operation Galvanic, was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II, largely fought from November 20 to November 23, 1943. It was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region....
, he was killed in action while he led the assault on the enemy and rescued fellow Marines. For his acts of gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military honor — 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...
. He was the first U.S. Marine from Texas to be awarded the Medal of Honor for action in World War II.
Biography
William Bordelon was born on December 25, 1920 in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. He graduated from Central Catholic Marianist High School
Central Catholic Marianist High School
Central Catholic High School, is a Catholic, all-male, non-boarding college preparatory school located in downtown San Antonio, Texas, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio.-History:...
in San Antonio in 1938, where he was the JROTC
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States...
battalion major in 1937-1938. He was one of three of the high school's graduates who died on Tarawa.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps on December 10, 1941, and completed his recruit training at to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. He joined the 2nd Engineer Battalion
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force....
, 2nd Marine Division, in San Diego. He was rapidly promoted — to private first class on February 5, 1942; to corporal on March 14, 1942; and to sergeant on July 10, 1942.
He was killed in action, at age 22, while serving as a member of an assault engineer
Combat engineering
A combat engineer, also called pioneer or sapper in many armies, is a soldier who performs a variety of construction and demolition tasks under combat conditions...
platoon of the First Battalion, Eighteenth Marines
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion
2nd Combat Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force....
, tactically attached to the 2nd Marine Division against the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese in the Battle of Tarawa
Battle of Tarawa
The Battle of Tarawa, code named Operation Galvanic, was a battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II, largely fought from November 20 to November 23, 1943. It was the first American offensive in the critical central Pacific region....
, in the Islands
Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign
In the Pacific Theater of World War II, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, from November 1943 through February 1944, were key strategic operations of the United States Pacific Fleet and Marine Corps in the Central Pacific. The campaign was preceded by a raid on Makin Island by U.S...
on November 20, 1943. He single-handedly destroyed four enemy pillboxes before he was fatally wounded.
Bordelon was awarded the Medal of Honor for his "valorous and gallant conduct above and beyond the call of duty" in leading his men while seriously wounded. He was the first U.S. Marine from Texas to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in World War II. Four Medals of Honor were awarded for actions on Tarawa, three were posthumous awards, and the fourth was awarded to then-Colonel David M. Shoup
David M. Shoup
General David Monroe Shoup, Hon. DSO was a World War II Medal of Honor recipient and the twenty-second Commandant of the United States Marine Corps . After his retirement, he was a vocal critic of the Vietnam War.-Early years:David Monroe Shoup was born on December 30, 1904 in Battle Ground, Indiana...
, who became the 22nd Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
.
He was originally buried in the Lone Palm Cemetery on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, then later interred in Honolulu, 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...
at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is a cemetery located in Honolulu, Hawaii that serves a memorial to those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces...
. At the request of his brother, Bordelon's body was moved from Hawaii to Texas in 1995. After lying in state at the Alamo
Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo was a battle fought during the Texas Revolution.Alamo may also refer to:-Places:*Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas*Alamo, California*Alamo, Georgia*Alamo Township, Michigan*Alamo, Nevada*Alamo, New Mexico...
, Bordelon's body was re-interred in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2008, had 120,982 interments.- History :...
, San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, on the 52nd anniversary of his death.
Awards and decorations
| 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... |
Purple Heart Purple Heart The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York... |
||||
| Navy Presidential Unit Citation | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... |
World War II Victory Medal | |||
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously toSTAFF SERGEANT WILLIAM J. BORDELON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
- For valorous and gallant conduct above and beyond the call of duty as a member of an Assault Engineer Platoon of the First Battalion, Eighteenth Marines, tactically attached to the Second Marines, Second Marine Division, in action against the Japanese-held Atoll of TarawaTarawa AtollTarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa...
in the Gilbert IslandsGilbert IslandsThe Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
on November 20, 1943. Landing in the assault waves under withering enemy fire which killed all but four of the men in his tractor, Staff Sergeant Bordelon hurriedly made demolition charges and personally put two pill boxes out of action. Hit by enemy machine-gun fire just as a charge exploded in his hand while assaulting a third position, he courageously remained in action and, although out of demolition, provided himself with a rifle and furnished fire coverage for a group of men scaling the seawallSeawallA seawall is a form of coastal defence constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation and leisure activities from the action of tides and waves...
. Disregarding his own serious condition, he unhesitatingly went to the aid of one of his demolition men, wounded and calling for help in the water, rescuing this man and another who had been hit by enemy fire while attempting to make the rescue. Still refusing first aid for himself, he again made up demolition charges and single-handedly assaulted a fourth Japanese machine-gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
position but was instantly killed when caught in a final burst of fire from the enemy. Staff Sergeant Bordelon's great personal valor during a critical phase of securing the limited beachhead was a contributing factor in the ultimate occupation of the island and his heroic determination reflects the highest credit upon the United States Naval ServiceUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
/S/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
Honors
The destroyerDestroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
was named in his honor in 1945, and in April 1994, the Navy named San Antonio's Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center after him. Also named for Bordelon is a Marine Corps and Navy VFW
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
post and a section of Interstate 37
Interstate 37
Interstate 37 is a intrastate Interstate Highway located within the U.S. state of Texas. The highway was first designated in 1959 as a route between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Construction in the urban areas of Corpus Christi and San Antonio began in the 1960s and the segments of the...
which runs through San Antonio, between I-35
Interstate 35 in Texas
Interstate 35 in Texas is a major north–south Interstate Highway running from Laredo near the United States-Mexico border to the Red River north of Gainesville where it crosses into Oklahoma. Along its route, it passes through the cities of San Antonio, Austin, and Waco before it splits into two...
and I-10
Interstate 10 in Texas
Interstate 10 is the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. In the U.S. state of Texas, it runs east from El Paso, near the border with New Mexico, through San Antonio and Houston to the border with Louisiana in Orange, Texas....
.
Bordelon's alma mater, Central Catholic Marianist High School in San Antonio, has memorialized him in several ways. Central Catholic's junior ROTC
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States...
rifle team is called the Bordelon Rifles in his honor. On November 3, 2007, the "William J. Bordelon Memorial" in the school's main foyer was dedicated. The memorial also remembers fellow high school graduates and Marines who died on Tarawa — Gene Seng, Jr. and Charles Montague.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II