| 83k | Robert Howard McCard, born at Syracuse, N.Y., 25 November 1918, enlisted in the Marine Corps 18 December 1939. He was subsequently assigned to Parris Island, S.C.; Norfolk Navy Yard; Tuscaloosa (CA-37), New York Navy Yard; U.S. Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I.; and Central Recruiting Division, Chicago, Ill. With the outbreak of war with Japan, he was assigned to the Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Ill.; then the Training Center, Quantico, Va.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; and Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was in the field from 31 January 1944 until he was killed in action 16 June 1944 on Saipan. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Platoon Sergeant of a company of a tank battalion during the battle for Saipan. When his tank was put out of action by a battery of enemy 77 mm. guns, Gunnery Sergeant McCard carried on resolutely, bringing all the tank's weapons to bear on the enemy, until the severity of hostile fire caused him to order his crew out the escape hatch. Meanwhile, he courageously exposed himself to enemy guns by hurling hand grenades to cover the evacuation of his men. Seriously wounded during this action and with his supply of grenades exhausted, Gunnery Sergeant McCard then dismantled one of the tank's machine guns and delivered vigorous fire into Japanese positions, destroying 16 of the enemy. Photo from the USMC History Division. | Bill Gonyo |