# 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

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
### 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
### 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 |