Luther Skaggs , Jr . Luther Skaggs , Jr . ( March 3 , 1923 – April 6 , 1976 ) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on the beachhead on Guam during World War II . Biography . Luther Skaggs , Jr . was born on March 3 , 1923 in Henderson , Kentucky . He entered the Marine Corps on October 6 , 1942 , and received recruit training at Parris Island , South Carolina , and Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . He was deployed overseas on March 1 , 1943 . Private First Class Skaggs , a squad leader with a weapon section in the 3rd Marine Division , was critically wounded when a Japanese grenade exploded in his foxhole during the night of 21 - July 22 , 1944 on the Asan - Adelup beachhead on Guam . But instead of calling a corpsman and revealing his outfit ' s position , he calmly applied a tourniquet to his shattered leg and for eight hours continued to return the enemy ' s fire with his rifle and hand grenade s . In his Medal of Honor citation , Skaggs is commended for being uncomplaining and calm through this critical period and serving as " a heroic example of courage and fortitude to other wounded men . " When his section leader became a casualty shortly after landing on the beachhead , PFC Skaggs promptly took over and led the section through intense fire for a distance of 200 yards to a strategic position . It was while defending this vital position that he was wounded , and after fighting throughout the night propped up in his foxhole , he crawled unassisted to the rear where he continued the attack . Only when the Japanese in the area had been annihilated did he seek medical attention . He lost his leg as the result of the wound . Private First Class Skaggs was referred to as a " tough little guy " by his buddies , who did not know that he had been hit until the battle was over . He was promoted to corporal upon being honorably discharged from active service in the Marine Corps on April 4 , 1946 . The Medal of Honor was presented to him by President Harry S . Truman at a White House ceremony on June 15 , 1945 . Luther Skaggs , Jr . died on April 6 , 1976 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors . Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS LUTHER SKAGGS , JR . 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 as Squad Leader with a Mortar Section of a Rifle Company in the Third Battalion , Third Marines , Third Marine Division , during action against enemy Japanese forces on the Asan - Adelup Beachhead , Guam , Marianas Islands , on 21 – 22 July 1944 . When the section leader became a casualty under a heavy mortar barrage shortly after landing , Private First Class Skaggs promptly assumed command and led the section through intense fire for a distance of 200 yards to a position from which to deliver effective coverage of the assault on a strategic cliff . Valiantly defending this vital position against strong enemy counterattacks during the night , Private First Class Skaggs was critically wounded when a Japanese grenade lodged in his foxhole and exploded , shattering the lower part of one leg . Quick to act , he applied an improvised tourniquet and , while propped up in his foxhole , gallantly returned the enemy ' s fire with his rifle and hand grenades for a period of eight hours , later crawling unassisted to the rear to continue to fight until the Japanese had been annihilated . Uncomplaining and calm throughout this critical period , Private First Class Skaggs served as a heroic example of courage and fortitude to other wounded men and , by his courageous leadership and inspiring devotion to duty , upheld the highest traditions for the United States Naval Service . / S / FRANKLIN D . ROOSEVELT