William R. Caddy

William Robert Caddy (August 8, 1925 – March 3, 1945) was a United States Marine who sacrificed his life to save the lives of his platoon leader and platoon sergeant during the Battle of Iwo Jima. For his bravery, Caddy posthumously received his nation's highest military decoration – the Medal of Honor. He was the 72nd Marine of World War II to receive this honor.

Caddy dropped out of high school after two years and worked. He gave most of his earnings to his mother before being drafted in the Marine Corps in 1943. Caddy attended training and was sent overseas to the Pacific Theatre of World War II aboard the . After the Middleton, Caddy went to Hawaii for training and then went to Iwo Jima aboard the . For the next 12 days, he fought with his unit on the island until getting killed March 3, 1945, when an enemy grenade landed near him and Caddy sacrificed himself by smothering the blast with his body.

Early years William Robert Caddy was born on August 8, 1925, in Quincy, Massachusetts, and attended the schools of Quincy until high school. In high school, he was selected to the schools varsity baseball team, but he left school after his second year. Caddy worked as a helper on a milkman's truck for a while and gave most of his $25 a week pay over to his mother.

Marine Corps service Caddy was inducted into the United States Marine Corps through the Selective Service system on October 27, 1943, and was put on inactive duty until November 10, when he was ordered to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, for recruit training. While attending recruit training, Caddy received training on several weapons in use at the time including the M50 Reising submachine gun, Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), M1 carbine, bayonet and hand grenade. When it came time to qualify with the service rifle, he fired a score of 305, qualifying him as a sharpshooter.

Medal of Honor citation The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

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 a Rifleman with Company I, Third Battalion, Twenty-sixth Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Consistently aggressive, Private First Class Caddy boldly defied shattering Japanese machine-gun and small-arms fire to move forward with his platoon leader and another Marine during a determined advance of his company through an isolated sector and, gaining the comparative safety of a shell hole, took temporary cover with his comrades. Immediately pinned down by deadly sniper fire from a well-concealed position, he made several unsuccessful attempts to again move forward and then, joined by his platoon leader, engaged the enemy in a fierce exchange of hand grenades until a Japanese grenade fell in the shell hole. Fearlessly disregarding all personal danger, Private First Class Caddy instantly threw himself upon the deadly missile, absorbing the exploding charge in his own body and protecting the others from serious injury. Stouthearted and indomitable, he unhesitatingly yielded his own life that his fellow Marines might carry on the relentless battle against a fanatic enemy. His dauntless courage and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflects the highest credit upon Private First Class Caddy and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

/S/ HARRY S TRUMAN

Awards and decorations

Posthumous honors The Marine Corps League's detachment #124, the William R. Caddy Detachment (Quincy, Massachusetts), was named in honor of the Marine Corps' Medal of Honor recipient in 1946.

In October 1963, Treasure Island Park in Quincy was renamed "P.F.C. William R. Caddy Memorial Park."