John Harlan Willis returned eight live grenades toward Japanese enemy fire – all while aiding a wounded Marine lying in a shell hole during a battle for Hill 362A on Feb. 28, 1945.
Wounded himself, Willis had been ordered by his commanding officers to return to the battle-aid station for medical attention, but, spotting the wounded soldier, he instead ran to his aid. Willis continued to administer blood plasma to his patient under heavy mortar and sniper fire, throwing back the grenades as they came into the shell hole.
The ninth grenade would explode in his hand, killing him instantly.
Willis had enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an apprentice seaman following his high school graduation in November 1940, before the U.S. entered World War II. He rose through the ranks and became a pharmacist’s mate first class in July 1943. He and his battalion were deployed to Japan in December 1944.
He was killed in action at age 23.