Pharmacist's Mate First Class Francis Pierce was attached to the Second Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division during the Iwo Jima campaign. While caught in heavy enemy fire which wounded a corpsman and two of the eight stretcher bearers who were carrying two wounded Marines to a forward aid station on March 15, Pierce quickly took charge of the party, carried the newly wounded men to a sheltered position, and rendered first aid. After directing the evacuation of three of the casualties, he stood in the open to draw the enemy's fire and, with his weapon blasting, enabled t
Pharmacist's Mate First Class Francis Pierce was attached to the Second Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division during the Iwo Jima campaign. While caught in heavy enemy fire which wounded a corpsman and two of the eight stretcher bearers who were carrying two wounded Marines to a forward aid station on March 15, Pierce quickly took charge of the party, carried the newly wounded men to a sheltered position, and rendered first aid. After directing the evacuation of three of the casualties, he stood in the open to draw the enemy's fire and, with his weapon blasting, enabled the litter bearers to reach cover. Turning his attention to the other two casualties he was attempting to stop the profuse bleeding of one man when a Japanese fired from a cave less than 20 yards away and wounded his patient again. Risking his own life to save his patient, Pierce deliberately exposed himself to draw the attacker from the cave and destroyed him with the last of his ammunition Then lifting the wounded man to his back, he advanced unarmed through deadly rifle fire across 200 feet of open terrain. Despite exhaustion and in the face of warnings against such a suicidal mission, he again traversed the same fire-swept path to rescue the remaining Marine. On the following morning, he led a combat patrol to the sniper nest and, while aiding a stricken Marine, was seriously wounded. Refusing aid for himself, he directed treatment for the casualty, at the same time maintaining protective fire for his comrades. Completely fearless, completely devoted to the care of his patients, Pharmacist's Mate First Class Pierce inspired the entire battalion. In 1948, Pierce was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on Iwo Jima.
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Keywords: corps, history, hospital, iwo, jima, medicine, navy, navymedicine
