James D . La Belle Private First Class James Dennis La Belle ( November 22 , 1925 – March 8 , 1945 ) enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on November 18 , 1943 . Fifteen months later , in his first and last battle , he heroically sacrificed his life at Iwo Jima and was posthumous ly awarded the Medal of Honor , the highest military honor awarded by the United States . Early years . James La Belle was born in Columbia Heights , Minnesota on November 22 , 1925 . He attended grammar school in his neighborhood in Minneapolis and , in his spare time , played basketball and baseball . His spare time favorite was the raising of homing pigeon s . At Columbia Heights High School he starred on the basketball , baseball and boxing teams , while following a vocational course in woodwork and metalwork . During summer vacations he worked as an apprentice acetylene welder for a local air conditioning corporation . Marine Corps service . At age 17 , with his mother ' s permission , La Belle enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in Minneapolis . Recruit training at the MCRD San Diego , California , followed . After completing boot camp , he went to Camp Pendleton , California , where he qualified in the intensive combat training course before embarking for overseas . On June 30 , 1944 , he joined the regimental Weapons Company , 27th Marines , 5th Marine Division . The following August he sailed on board the , bound for Hilo , Hawaii , and eventually the lava ash shores of Iwo Jima . At Camp Tarawa , a Marine camp in Hawaii near Hilo , the regimental Weapons Company engaged in more training preparatory to actual combat . On February 19 , 1945 , after aerial and naval forces had pounded its desolate surface for many days , the island of Iwo Jima felt the sting of the invading Marine amphibious forces . One of thousands , PFC La Belle fought continuously from the initial landing until March 8 , 1945 when he gallantly gave his life and earned the highest military honor his nation could bestow . His mother was presented the Medal of Honor by BGen William E . Riley , then Director of Marine Corps Public Information , in ceremonies on July 21 , 1946 in Minneapolis . Private First Class La Belle ' s remains were returned to the United States in late 1948 , and were reinterred in the cemetery in Fort Snelling , Minnesota . His can be found in section 81 , grave 422 - Sgrave . Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JAMES D . LA BELLE 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 Weapons Company , Twentyseventh Marines , Fifth Marine Division , in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands , 8 March 1945 . Filling a gap in the front lines during a critical phase of the battle , Private First Class LaBelle had dug into a foxhole with two other Marines and grimly aware of the enemy ' s persistent attempts to blast a way through our lines with hand grenade s , applied himself with steady concentration to maintaining a sharply vigilant watch during the hazardous night hours . Suddenly a hostile grenade landed beyond reach in his foxhole . Quickly estimating the situation , he determined to save the others if possible , shouted a warning and instantly dived on the missile , absorbing the exploding charge in his own body and thereby protecting his comrades from serious injury . Stouthearted and indomitable , he had unhesitatingly relinquished his own chance of survival that his fellow Marines might carry on the relentless fight against a fanatic enemy and , his dauntless courage , cool decision and valiant spirit of self - sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class LaBelle and the United States Naval Service . He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country . / S / HARRY S . TRUMAN Memorial . James D . La Belle is one of three Minnesota Medal of Honor recipients from the Northeast Twin Cities who are named on the Anoka County Veteran ' s memorial at Bunker Hills Anoka County Park in Coon Rapids , Minnesota . The other two are Richard E . Kraus and Richard K . Sorenson .