Robert Leyshon Williams

Enlisted at Philadelphia, PA on 18 June 1942; boot camp at Parris Island with Second Recruit Battalion. Outposted to base headquarters company for duty as drill instructor through November 1942.

Joined Able Company, First Separate Battalion (Reinforced) at New River, NC, on 20 November 1942.

Outfit: A/1/24th Marines
Rank: Private First Class
MOS: 746 (Automatic Rifleman)

Campaign Narrative

Outfit: A/1/24th Marines
Rank: Corporal
MOS: 653 (Team Leader)
Important Events: 
July 5, 1944 – wounded in action (shrapnel, right hand); not evacuated.

Doug [Footit] was on my right, I was on the left, and this guy started shooting and hit right between us. The bullets exploded, and Doug got hit in the left hand, and I got shot in the right hand. They sent Doug back to the battalion aid station to get patched up, and the corpsman came over and patched me up and said, “Okay, you have to go back to the aid station.” I said, “What for? I’m not going back, I’m staying here.” He says, “You have to go back; if you don’t go back, you won’t get your Purple Heart.” I said, “I’ll tell you what you can do with your Purple Heart.” He said, “It wouldn’t fit.” He bandaged me up, and I stayed there.

July 6, 1944 – wounded in action (grenade shrapnel, left arm); evacuated to unknown vessel.

I was going down towards where I wanted to be, and this enemy soldier jumped up and he’s throwing a hand grenade. So right away I started shooting at him and then I hit the deck, I turned around to look and the hand grenade is laying right next to my leg.

They used to tell us there were two things you could do. You could run and try to hide, or you could pick up the grenade and try to throw it back. I thought, “No way am I picking up that grenade.” I saw there was a bomb crater right alongside of me, so I got up just enough and made a dive for the bomb crater. Just as I hit the edge of the bomb crater the grenade went off. I don’t know how it hit me, I didn’t even know I was hit until I got down in the bottom of that crater. “Whoa, if he’s throwing any more grenades, this is no place to be. I’ve gotta get out of here.” I grab my rifle and get up and start running out of the bomb crater, and I look down—uh oh, what’s going on? Looked like a rope was flopping around. Oh my God, that’s my arm. I have no feeling, no nothing, no pain.

I thought, “I’m wounded, I’d better start heading back,” and so I started heading back to behind the lines. The corpsman starts yelling “Stay there! Stay there! Get down!” I said “No way, I’m coming” and he finally got me to sit down. That’s when they cut my jacket off me, put my arm in a sling, and gave me my morphine. So it took two times, but I got my Purple Heart.

Campaign Narrative

Admitted to US Fleet Hospital #105 (New Caledonia) on 21 July 1944. Discharged 22 September 1944 for hospitalization in the United States. Under treatment at US Naval Hospital San Diego, December 1944 through June 1945.

Declared unfit for further service on 29 June 1945; honorably discharged from First Separation Company, MCB San Diego on 7 July 1945.