Silver Star or Medal of Honor?

USMC 2nd Lt. Howard Frederick Chambers was 1st Platoon leader of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Marines, 3rd Marine Division. An athletically talented, college-educated Pennsylvanian, Chambers distinguished himself in college as a football linebacker and team captain, as well as a fraternity and Student Union president. He brought these leadership skills with him when he enlisted in the Marines following graduation in 1943 and graduated from Officer’s Training School in the top quarter of his class. He served in action on Guam in July 1944 and trained as 1st Platoon commander in Charlie Company for six months before Iwo Jima. He landed on Iwo Jima on 21 February 1945 with a platoon of 60 men. On 23 February, his platoon was down to only 20 men, but with this depleted force, he was able to destroy more than 30 enemy bunkers/pillboxes and probably took out over 150 Japanese enemy soldiers. He was in the thick of it shouting commands, organizing responses and killing—while in a ravine, suddenly two Japanese materialized to attack him and his men and Chambers shot both dead with his pistol “neatly between the eyes,” as a correspondent later reported.

He received a Silver Star for his heroics and his citation read in part:

“Chambers’ skillful leadership, which often took him forward to the front lines, supervising tank and demolitions personnel…were [heroic and] in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.” Some Marine Corps authorities have been puzzled why Chambers did not receive the Medal of Honor—it seems like he should have. For the next two weeks, Chambers continued to lead his men bravely from the front. On 8 March 1945, he was blown up and removed from combat, almost having lost both legs. After a year of recovery, he returned home to his wife, although he struggled with PTSD. He had four children and was a loving father and a successful businessman. To learn more about Howard Chambers and Charlie Company, see: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08666CNSH/ref=sr_1_2...