List of decorated Marines from 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines

This is a complete list of Marines from the 3rd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment who have been awarded any of the United States's three highest military decorations for valor in combat – the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, or the Silver Star. A † after a recipient's name indicates that the award was given posthumously.

World War II

Further information: World War II

Eight Marines from 3rd Battalion were awarded the Medal of Honor (1) or the Navy Cross (7) during World War II; six of these medals (Navy Crosses) were for actions during the Bougainville campaign and the other two (the Medal of Honor and one Navy Cross) were for actions during the Battle of Guam.

Medal of Honor

Private Luther Skaggs Jr. received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on the beachhead on Guam during World War II. After the section leader became a casualty, Skaggs took over command and led the section through heavy enemy fire. Although wounded by a Japanese grenade that shattered the lower part of his leg, he continued to defend for a further eight hours through the night.

Navy Cross

James Beck: Rank and billet: Private, Rifleman; Organization: Company K; Date and place of action: 1943-11-22, Piva Forks, Bougainville Island; Entered service: Unknown; Birth: Unknown

Ralph Houser: Rank and billet: Lieutenant Colonel, Battalion Commander; Organization: H&S Company; Date and place of action: 1944-07-21 - 1944-07-23, Asan-Adelup Beachead, Guam; Entered service: 1935, Quantico, Virginia; Birth: 1914, Iowa City, Iowa; Death: 2001, Reston, Virginia

John Logan, Jr. †: Rank and billet: Corporal, Squad Leader; Organization: Company L; Date and place of action: 1943-11-24, Piva Forks, Bougainville Island; Entered service: Pittsburgh; Birth: Washington, D.C.; Death: 1943, Bougainville

Vernon Miller: Rank and billet: 1st Lieutenant, Platoon Commander; Organization: Machine Gun Platoon, Company K; Date and place of action: 1944-07-21 - 1944-07-23, Asan-Adelup Beachead, Guam; Entered service:; Birth:; Death:

Paul Torian: Rank and billet: Captain, Company Commander; Organization: Company K; Date and place of action: 1943-11-24, Piva Forks, Bougainville Island; Entered service: Evansville, Indiana; Birth: 1920, Evansville, Indiana; Death: 2004

Robert Turnbull †: Rank and billet: Captain, Company Commander; Organization: Company L; Date and place of action: 1943-11-24, Piva Forks, Bougainville Island; Entered service: Lawrenceville, Virginia; Birth: Lawrenceville, Virginia; Death: 1943, Bougainville campaign

James Luther Lee Jnr †: Citation: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 328 (July 1944); Rank: Pharmacist's Mate Third Class; Company: Corpsman; Date and place of action: 1943-11-21, Piva Forks, Bougainville Island; Entered service: Austin, Texas; Born: September 8, 1924 at Fiskville, Texas; Hometown: Round Rock, Texas; Death: Killed in Action 1943-11-21, Piva Forks, Bougainville Island

Vietnam War

Further information: Vietnam War

Medal of Honor

Ronald L. Coker †: Rank and billet: Private First Class, Rifleman; Organization: Company M; Date and place of action: 1969-03-24, Quảng Trị province, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: 1968-04-16, Denver; Birth: 1947-08-09, Alliance, Nebraska; Death: 1969-03-24, Quảng Trị province

Robert O'Malley: Rank and billet: Corporal, Squad Leader; Organization: Company I; Date and place of action: 1965-08-18, Operation Starlite, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: 1961-10-11, New York City; Birth: 1943-06-03, New York City; Death: N/A

William Prom †: Rank and billet: Lance Corporal, Machine Gunner; Organization: Machine Gun Section, Company I; Date and place of action: 1969-02-09, Near An Hoa, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: 1967-12-27, Pittsburgh; Birth: 1948-11-17, Pittsburgh; Death: 1969-02-09, Near Hội An

Navy Cross

Joseph Muir: Rank and billet: Lieutenant Colonel, Battalion Commander; Organization: H&S Company; Date and place of action: 1965-08-18 to 1965-08-24, Operation Starlite, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Unknown; Birth: 1948-06-08, New York City; Death: 1965-09-11, Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam

Bruce Webb †: Rank and billet: Captain, Company Commander; Organization: Company I; Date and place of action: 1965-08-18, Operation Starlite, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Unknown; Birth: 1933-11-10, Wheaton, Illinois; Death: 1965-08-18, Republic of Vietnam

James Mulloy: Rank and billet: Sergeant, Supply NCO; Organization: H&S Company; Date and place of action: 1965-08-18, Operation Starlite, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Unknown; Birth: Unknown; Death:

Robert Moe: Rank and billet: Staff Sergeant, Platoon Commander; Organization: Company L, 3rd Platoon; Date and place of action: 1965-12-09, Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Unknown; Birth: Unknown; Death:

Grover Dickson †: Rank and billet: Corporal, Squad Leader; Organization: Company K, 2nd Platoon; Date and place of action: 1966-11-11, Operation Prairie, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: New Orleans; Birth: 1938-03-15, Fort Worth, Texas; Death: 1966-11-11, Republic of Vietnam

James Kelly †: Rank and billet: Corporal, Grenadier; Organization: Company I; Date and place of action: 1967-03-24, An Hoa, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Sacramento, California; Birth: 1945-03-12; Death: 1967-03-24, Republic of Vietnam

Louis Pichon †: Rank and billet: Gunnery Sergeant, Company Gunnery Sergeant; Organization: Company I; Date and place of action: 1967-03-24, Cam Lo, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Slidell, Louisiana; Birth: Unknown; Death: 1967-03-24, Republic of Vietnam

Robert Schley †: Rank and billet: Corporal, Machine Gun Team Leader; Organization: Company M; Date and place of action: 1967-04-30, Battle of Hill 881, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Unknown; Birth: 1944-01-21, Oregon, Wisconsin; Death: 1967-04-30, Republic of Vietnam

Terrance Meier †: Rank and billet: Staff Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant; Organization: Company M, 2nd Platoon; Date and place of action: 1967-07-21, Ca Lu, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Portland, Oregon; Birth: Unknown; Death: 1967-07-21, Republic of Vietnam

Robert Lee Quick †: Rank and billet: Private First Class, Rifleman; Organization: Company K; Date and place of action: 1968-02-07, Gio Linh, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Wallaceton, Pennsylvania; Birth: Unknown; Death: 1968-02-07, Republic of Vietnam

Edward Day †: Rank and billet: Lance Corporal, Squad Leader; Organization: Company L; Date and place of action: 1968-08-26, The Rockpile, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Philadelphia; Birth: 1949-07-12; Death: 1968-08-26, Republic of Vietnam

Vernon Yarber †: Rank and billet: Lance Corporal, Squad Leader; Organization: Company L; Date and place of action: 1968-08-26, The Rockpile, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Jacksonville, Florida; Birth:; Death: 1968-08-26, Republic of Vietnam

Robert Dalton: Rank and billet: Corporal, Squad Leader; Organization: Company K; Date and place of action: 1969-05-25, Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Unknown; Birth: Unknown; Death:

Roger Rosenberger †: Rank and billet: Private First Class, Rifleman; Organization: Company M; Date and place of action: 1969-06-17, Dong Ha, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Swartz Creek, Michigan; Birth: 1950-07-29; Death: 1969-06-17, Republic of Vietnam

James McWhorter †: Rank and billet: Lance Corporal, Squad Leader; Organization: Company L, 3rd Platoon; Date and place of action: 1969-08-22, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Beaverton, Oregon; Birth: Unknown; Death: 1969-08-22, Republic of Vietnam

Terrence Kierznowski †: Rank and billet: Hospital Corpsman Second Class; Organization: US Navy, attached to Company K; Date and place of action: 1969-09-12, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam; Entered service: Crete, Illinois; Birth: Unknown; Death: 1969-09-12, Republic of Vietnam

While Hospital Corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, they are
a fully shared resource with the Marine Corps, many serving as battlefield corpsmen with the Marines.
Corpsman Kierznowski saved the life of a wounded Marine from three mortar rounds
by shielding him with his own body.

Silver Star

Lance Corporal David W. Cutshall: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Machine Gun Team Leader with Company M, Third Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine Division. On 6 March 1968, during a company-size operation near Con Thien, Lance Corporal Cutshall's platoon came under intense enemy automatic weapons, mortar and artillery fire from a well entrenched battalion of North Vietnamese Army Regulars. Observing enemy movement through the brush, he marked the area with machine gun tracer rounds which enabled an anti-tank assault team to destroy an enemy bunker with rocket fire. Throughout the five-hour fire fight, he maintained a critical position and directed highly effective machine gun fire upon the enemy. Ordered to withdraw to a more advantageous position, he provided covering fire for his companions as they moved to join their platoon. While preparing to throw a hand grenade, Lance Corporal Cutshall was severely wounded by enemy grenade fragments which caused him to drop his grenade. Without regard for his own safety, he immediately fell upon the activated grenade to shield his companions. Although he was killed when it exploded, he undoubtedly saved the lives of his three companions. By his extraordinary courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty, Lance Corporal Cutshall upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Lance Corporal Dennis Scalici, a fire team leader with Lima Company, received two Silver Stars within a four-month period.

Lance Corporal Timothy Gene Carter †, Mortar Team Leader, was awarded the Silver Star along with 6 other medals posthumously (1969). Carter was the highest decorated Marine from Nevada of the Vietnam War. A mortar range in Hawthorne, Nevada, bears his name.

Sergeant Laurence Eugene Belko, with India Company, was awarded a Silver Star in May 1968 for coordinating a five-hour rescue of his comrades in Dong Ha, while wounded and under enemy fire.

Afghan War

Further information: War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Medal of Honor

As of March 2022, only one Marine from Third Battalion has been awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Afghanistan.

Dakota Meyer: Rank and billet: Corporal; Organization: Embedded Training Team 2-8; Date and place of action: 2008-09-08, Kunar province, Afghanistan; Entered service: Greensburg, Kentucky; Birth: Greensburg, Kentucky

Silver Star

As of March 2022, only one Marine from Third Battalion has been awarded the Silver Star for actions in Afghanistan.

Stephen Boada: Rank and billet: 1st Lieutenant, Forward Air Controller; Organization: Company K, 2nd Platoon; Date and place of action: 2005-05-05 - 2005-05-09, Shatagal Village, Afghanistan; Entered service: Bristol, Connecticut; Birth: Bristol, Connecticut

Statistics

Parentheses indicate number of times award was posthumous.

Conflict	Year	Medal of Honor	Navy Cross	Silver Star
World War II	1943	0	4(2)	????
World War II	1944	1	2	????
Vietnam War	1965	1	4(1)	10(?)
Vietnam War	1966	0	1(1)	6(?)
Vietnam War	1967	0	4(4)	27(?)
Vietnam War	1968	0	3(3)	27(?)
Vietnam War	1969	2(2)	4(3)	32(?)
Afghan War	2005-2009	1	0	1

References

External links

"Military Awards for Valor - Top 3". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- Top 3 are: Medal of Honor; Navy Cross / Distinguished Service Cross / Air Force Cross; Silver Star
- this US DOD source only reports US Navy and US Marine Corps recipients of the Navy Cross
Sterner, Doug (ed.). "Service Cross". homeofheroes.com. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- this long standing private source believes it is "99.9% complete" for all military, civilian and allied recipients of the Top 2 (above Silver Star)
"Kilo 3/3 Personal Awards". dochoppyshelp.homestead.com. Retrieved May 6, 2007.
"Silver Stars 3/3". 33USMC.com. Retrieved May 6, 2007.

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