Allegiance United States Name Dale Bair | Rank First lieutenant | |
Battles/wars World War II
Battle of Eniwetok
Battle of Okinawa Service/branch United States Marine Corps Awards Navy Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart Battles and wars Battle of Eniwetok, Battle of Okinawa, World War II | ||
Dale W. Bair was a first lieutenant in the 6th Marine Division. He was awarded a Navy Cross and a Purple Heart for his actions in the Battle of Okinawa, during the assault on Sugar Loaf Hill on 13 May 1945. Bair had previously won the Silver Star at Engebi island during the Battle of Eniwetok in February 1944.
Sugar Loaf Hill
In the assault on Sugar Loaf Hill, Bair was part of an infantry assault supported by four tanks. Three of the four tanks were knocked out early on and many Marines were wounded. Despite his own wounds to the left arm, Bair picked up a Browning M1919 machine gun, draped it over his wounded left arm, and began charging towards the hill while firing the machine gun. Reaching the top of the hill, he sustained two more injuries, one to the leg and one to the buttocks, shortly before a retreat was ordered. When he made it back to the tank where the wounded Marines were being placed for the retreat, he refused to stop firing for medical attention and continued directing machine gun fire onto the enemy while receiving medical attention.