George Edward Wahlen George E . Wahlen ( August 8 , 1924 – June 5 , 2009 ) was a United States Army major who previously served with the United States Navy and was awarded the U . S . military ' s highest decoration , the Medal of Honor , for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II . Biography . At age 17 Wahlen trained as an aircraft mechanic and served at Hill Field in Utah , leading five other mechanics as crew chief for the United States Army Air Corps . He volunteered for the draft , hoping to work on aircraft , but became a Navy Corpsman . He volunteered for combat duty with the United States Marine Corps , was attached to Fox Company , 2nd Battalion , 26th Marines , 5th Marine Division , and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945 . He received the Medal of Honor by President Harry S . Truman on October 5 , 1945 . Wahlen spent nine months recovering from his wounds before being discharged in December 1945 . He later re - enlisted in the United States Army , where he served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War . He retired in 1968 with the rank of Major after being awarded a Purple Heart . As a civilian he worked for over a decade with the Veteran ' s Administration , where he retired at the age of 59 . He is the subject of the book " The Quiet Hero : The Untold Medal of Honor Story of George E . Wahlen at the Battle for Iwo Jima " by Gary W . Toyn . He died at age 84 and was buried on June 12 , 2009 . A large memorial service was held on June 18 , 2009 , attended by veterans of all ranges . The main entrance to the George E . Wahlen Medical Center was draped in black banners in his memory . Before his death , he was Utah ' s last living Medal of Honor recipient . Honors and legacy . In 2004 , President George W . Bush signed legislation authorizing the naming of the George E . Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City . Since federal buildings cannot bear the name of a living person , Congress approved special legislation allowing for an exemption in the case of Wahlen . A veterans ' nursing home in Ogden , Utah , which opened in January 2010 , was named in his honor . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Pharmacist ' s Mate Second Class , U . S . Navy , serving with 2d Battalion , 26th Marines , 5th Marine Division . Place and date : Iwo Jima , Volcano Islands group , March 3 , 1945 . Entered service at : Utah . Born : August 8 , 1924 , Ogden , Utah . Citation : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 2d Battalion , 26th Marines , 5th Marine Division , during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano group on 3 March 1945 . Painfully wounded in the bitter action on 26 February , Wahlen remained on the battlefield , advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific concentration of fire . Tireless in his ministrations , he consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets , and rendered prompt assistance to various elements of his combat group as required . When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties , he defied the continuous pounding of heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the wounded , working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon . Wounded again on 2 March , he gallantly refused evacuation , moving out with his company the following day in a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of powerful Japanese guns . Stouthearted and indomitable , he persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce battle and , unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing wound , resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen fighter . By his dauntless fortitude and valor , Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed vitally to the high morale of his company during critical phases of this strategically important engagement . His heroic spirit of self - sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire upheld the highest traditions of the U . S . Naval Service .