Douglas T . Jacobson Major Douglas Thomas Jacobson ( 1925 – 2000 ) was a United States Marine who earned the United States ' highest military honor — the Medal of Honor — for his heroic actions on Iwo Jima during World War II . " Private First Class Jacobson destroyed a total of sixteen enemy positions and annihilated approximately seventy - five Japanese , thereby contributing essentially to the success of his division ' s operations . " He was presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry S . Truman on October 5 , 1945 . Early years . Douglas Jacobson was born in Rochester , New York on November 25 , 1925 . He attended elementary and high school in Port Washington , New York . He worked for his father as a draftsman , and was a lifeguard and swimming instructor before enlisting in the Marine Corps Reserve on January 28 , 1943 , at the age of 17 . Marine Corps service . Following recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island , South Carolina , he was transferred to the 23rd Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune , New River , North Carolina , and was promoted in July 1943 to private first class . As a member of the 3rd Battalion , 23rd Marines , 4th Marine Division , he was sent overseas in December 1943 , and participated in the campaigns for Tinian , Marianas Islands , Marshall Islands , and Iwo Jima . He was commended in division orders of the 4th Marine Division " … for excellent performance of duties as a Browning automatic rifleman while serving with a rifle company during action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan , Marianas Island from June 15 , to June 28 , 1944 … " On February 26 , 1945 , during the Battle of Iwo Jima , he destroyed multiple enemy positions during fierce combat . For his actions on that day , he was awarded the Medal of Honor . Promoted to corporal in April 1945 , he returned to the United States that September , reporting to Headquarters Battalion , Headquarters Marine Corps , Washington , D . C . , and was subsequently transferred to the Naval Shipyard , New York , New York , until discharged as a corporal in December 1945 . In October 1945 , he received the Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman . He then reenlisted in the United States Marine Corps on April 22 , 1946 , and was retained at District Headquarters Recruiting Station , Washington , D . C . , as a recruiting sergeant . Reappointed a line corporal in September 1946 , he was ordered to a replacement battalion at Oceanside , California , embarking in November aboard the USS General William Mitchell as a replacement for the 1st Marine Division , Fleet Marine Force . He joined the 1st Engineer Battalion in December 1946 , and served with the 1st Marine Division in Peiping and Tsingtao , China . He was promoted to sergeant in May 1947 . Returning from overseas in December 1948 , he reported to the Marine Air Detachment , U . S . Naval Air Station , Columbus , Ohio , and was subsequently returned to the Naval Base , New York , New York , for discharge as a sergeant on April 21 , 1949 . He later served 8 months in the Florida National Guard before being discharged to reenlist in the Marine Corps Reserve as a technical sergeant in September 1953 as a member of the 2d 155 mm Gun Battalion , at Miami , Florida . Shortly thereafter , he was ordered to active duty to attend the 9th Officer Candidate Course , at Quantico , Virginia . Discharged from the Reserve in December 1953 , he was immediately reappointed a technical sergeant in the regular Marine Corps , and subsequently commissioned a second lieutenant in March 1954 , with date of rank from June 5 , 1953 . Following graduation from the 1st Basic Course at Quantico in June 1954 , he served briefly as a detachment officer until transferred to the 3rd Marine Division , at Camp Pendleton . As a member of the 3d Marine Division , Lieutenant Jacobson left the United States in December 1954 , arriving in Japan the next month . During this tour of duty he served as executive officer and later commanding officer of Company A , 1st Battalion , 9th Marines , 3rd Marine Division , and was promoted to first lieutenant with date of rank from December 5 , 1954 . Returning from overseas in June 1955 , Lt Jacobson reported to the Marine Barracks , U . S . Naval Base , Brooklyn , New York , and served as a guard officer until July 1956 , when he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion , 2nd Marines , 2nd Marine Division , Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . At Camp Lejeune , he served as a company officer in Company D and later as commanding officer of Headquarters & Service Company . In August 1957 , he became a range officer at the Rifle Range Battalion , Marine Corps Base , Camp Lejeune , and was promoted to captain in November . In January 1958 , he was reassigned to the General Supply Service Company , 2nd Service Regiment , 2nd Marine Division , Camp Lejeune , to attend Supply Officer Course # 2 - 58 . Upon completion of the school in April 1958 , he was assigned duties as a supply officer with Sub Unit # 1 , Headquarters Company , Headquarters Battalion , Marine Corps Base , at Camp Lejeune . In October 1958 , he became officer in charge of Self - Service Center , Base Material Battalion , 2nd Force Service Regiment at Camp Lejeune , and then served in various other supply duty capacities with the battalion until July 1960 , when he was ordered to duty with the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa . Captain Jacobson served as Regimental Supply Officer of the 3rd Marine Regiment with the division until December 1960 , when he returned to the Base Material Battalion , at Camp Lejeune . There , he served as assistant warehouse officer and officer in charge , Subsistence Branch and Storage Division until April 1962 , when he was assigned as Commanding Officer , H & S Company , 2d Pioneer Battalion , 2d Marine Division , Camp Lejeune . He was promoted to major on July 1 , 1964 and retired in 1967 . Major Jacobson died on August 20 , 2000 in Port Charlotte , Florida of congestive heart failure and pneumonia . The veterans home in Port Charlotte is named in his honor . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery Arlington , Virginia . His grave can be found in Court 5 , Section H , Stack 17 , Nich 3 , of the columbarium map grid NN 19 . 5 . Awards and decorations . In addition to the Medal of Honor , Maj Jacobson ' s medals and decorations include : the Letter of Commendation , Presidential Unit Citation with two bronze stars , the Good Conduct Medal , the Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze stars , the American Campaign Medal , the World War II Victory Medal , the China Service Medal , and the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star . Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS DOUGLAS T . JACOBSON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE for service as set forth in the following CITATION : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Third Battalion , Twenty - Third Marines , Fourth Marine Division , in combat against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands , February 26 , 1945 . Promptly destroying a stubborn 20 - mm . antiaircraft gun and its crew after assuming the duties of a bazooka man who had been killed , Private First Class Jacobson waged a relentless battle as his unit fought desperately toward the summit of Hill 382 in an effort to penetrate the heart of Japanese cross - island defenses . Employing his weapon with ready accuracy when his platoon was halted by overwhelming enemy fire on February 26 , he first destroyed two hostile machine - gun positions , then attacked a large blockhouse , completely neutralizing the fortification before dispatching the five - man crew of a pillbox and exploding the installation with a terrific demolitions blast . Moving steadily forward , he wiped out an earth - covered rifle emplacement and , confronted by a cluster of similar emplacements which constituted the perimeter of enemy defenses in his assigned sector , fearlessly advanced , quickly reduced all six positions to a shambles , killed ten of the enemy and enabled our forces to occupy the strong point . Determined to widen the breach thus forced , he volunteered his services to an adjacent assault company , neutralized a pillbox holding up its advance , opened fire on a Japanese tank pouring a steady stream of bullets on one of our supporting tanks and smashed the enemy tank ' s gun turret in a brief but furious action culminating in a single - handed assault against still another blockhouse and the subsequent neutralization of its firepower . By his dauntless skill and valor , Private First Class Jacobson destroyed a total of sixteen enemy positions and annihilated approximately seventy - five Japanese , thereby contributing essentially to the success of his division ' s operations against the fanatically defended outpost of the Japanese Empire . His gallant conduct in the face of tremendous odds enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service . / S / HARRY S . TRUMAN