Fleet Admiral Nimitz said these words while the fighting still raged: “Among the Americans who served on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue,” a sentiment now chiseled in granite at the base of Felix de Weldon’s gigantic bronze sculpture of the Suribachi flag-raising. Twenty-two Marines, four Navy corpsmen, and one LCI skipper were awarded the Medal of Honor for utmost bravery during the battle of Iwo Jima. Half were posthumous awards. General Erskine placed these sacrifices in perspective in remarks made during the dedication of the 3d Marine Division cemetery on the embattled island: Victory was never in doubt. Its cost was. What was in doubt, in all our minds, was whether there would be any of us left to dedicate our cemetery at the end, or whether the last Marine would die knocking out the last Japanese gunner. [Sidebar (page 50): Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Twenty-seven men received the Congressional Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity during the battle of Iwo Jima: 22 Marines, four Navy corpsmen, and one Navy landing craft commander. Exactly half of the awards issued to Marines and corpsmen of the V Amphibious Corps were posthumous. Within a larger institutional context, Iwo Jima represented more than one-fourth of the 80 Medals of Honor awarded Marines during the Second World War. This was Iwo Jima’s Roll of Honor: Cpl Charles J. Berry, 1/26, 3 March 1945[A] PFC William R. Caddy, 3/26, 3 March[A] LtCol Justice M. Chambers, 3/25, 19-22 February Sgt Darrell S. Cole, 1/23, 19 February[A] Capt Robert Dunlap, 1/26, 20-21 February Sgt Ross F. Gray, 1/25, 21 February Sgt William G. Harrell, 1/28, 3 March Lt Rufus G. Herring, USNR, LCI 449, 17 February PFC Douglas T. Jacobson, 3/23, 26 February PltSgt Joseph J. Julian, 1/27, 9 March[A] PFC James D. LaBelle, 1/27, 8 March[A] 2dLt John H. Leims, 1/9, 7 March PFC Jacklyn H. Lucas, 1/26, 20 February 1stLt Jack Lummus, 2/27, 8 March[A] Capt Joseph J. McCarthy, 2/24, 21 February 1stLt Harry L. Martin, 5th Pioneer Battalion, 26 March[A] Pvt George Phillips, 2/28, 14 March[A] PhM 1/c Francis J. Pierce, USN, 2/24, 15-16 March PFC Donald J. Ruhl, 2/28, 19-21 February[A] Pvt Franklin E. Sigler, 2/26, 14 March Cpl Tony Stein, 1/28, 19 February[A] PhM 2/c George Wahlen, USN, 2/26, 3 March GySgt William G. Walsh, 3/27, 27 February[A] Pvt Wilson D. Watson, 2/9, 26-27 February Cpl Hershel W. Williams, 1/21, 23 February PhM 3/c Jack Williams, USN, 3/28, 3 March[A] PhM 1/c John H. Willis, USN, 3/27, 28 February[A] [A] Posthumous [Illustration] ] [Sidebar (page 52): Assault Divisions’ Command Structures As the 3d, 4th, and 5th Marine Divisions conducted their final preparations for Operation Detachment, these were the infantry commanders who would lead the way at the beginning of the battle: 3d Marine Division