Two Medals Of Honor Earned, One Posthumously

SAT 3 MAR 1945
Pacific
Army troops land on Masbate, Burias and Ticao Islands, P.I., supported by naval gunfire and USMC planes. Only small Japanese garrisons are found, requiring only minimal naval forces for support.

Attack transport Bolivar (APA-34) is damaged by shore battery off Iwo Jima, 24°46'N, 141°19'E.

On Iwo Jima, Pharmacist's Mate Second Class George E. Wahlen, USNR, wounded in the back the day before and having already performed heroic acts treating casualties on 26 and 28 February, is wounded a third time as he treats fallen shipmates. Unable to walk, he crawls 50 yards to render aid to a wounded marine. For this and previous acts of valor, Wahlen will be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Elsewhere on Iwo, Pharmacist's Mate Third Class Jack Williams, USNR, while serving as an aid man with a marine rifle company, is thrice wounded as he goes to treat a casualty. Although in a partial state of shock from his wounds, the corpsman shields the marine with his own body as he administers medical care first to the wounded man and then to himself. Instead of going to the rear, Williams remains at the front and tends a second wounded marine. As he finally struggles to the rear to have his own hurts treated, the corpsman is hit a fourth time, and killed. For his unwavering determination to carry out his mission, Williams is awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously.

Submarine Sea Robin (SS-407) sinks Japanese transport Suiten Maru off Malang, Java, 06°34'S, 113°01'E.

Submarine Trepang (SS-412) sinks Japanese gunboat No.2 Nissho Maru off southern Honshu, near Mijake Jima, 34°05'N, 139°54'E.

Submarine Tuna (SS-203) lands supplies on northeast coast of Borneo.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese cargo vessel No.1 Yaei Maru in Tonkin Gulf, 20°10'N, 109°31'E.

RAAF planes lay mines (70% U.S.-made, 30% British) in Yulinakin Bay, Hainan Island; Japanese oiler Hario hits one and sinks off Cape Bastian, 18°10'N, 109°40'E.

Japanese merchant tanker No.1 Iyasaka Maru is sunk by aircraft off Hainan Island.