William J Bordelon Jr
William was born in San Antonio, Texas on the 25th of December, 1920, and he went to Central Catholic Marianist High School. Before graduating in 1938, he was the battalion major in the school's JROTC program and two and half years after graduating, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps. After recruit training in San Diego he was assigned to the 2ndEngineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division also in San Diego. Within five months William was promoted from Private First Class to Sergeant before deploying to the South Pacific. It was his actions on the 20th of November, 1943 that would earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:
For valorous and gallant conduct above and beyond the call of duty as a member of an Assault Engineer Platoon of the First Battalion, Eighteenth Marines, tactically attached to the Second Marines, Second Marine Division, in action against the Japanese-held Atoll of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands on November 20, 1943. Landing in the assault waves under withering enemy fire which killed all but four of the men in his tractor, Staff Sergeant Bordelon hurriedly made demolition charges and personally put two pill boxes out of action. Hit by enemy machine-gun fire just as a charge exploded in his hand while assaulting a third position, he courageously remained in action and, although out of demolition, provided himself with a rifle and furnished fire coverage for a group of men scaling the seawall. Disregarding his own serious condition, he unhesitatingly went to the aid of one of his demolition men, wounded and calling for help in the water, rescuing this man and another who had been hit by enemy fire while attempting to make the rescue. Still refusing first aid for himself, he again made up demolition charges and single-handedly assaulted a fourth Japanese machine-gun position but was instantly killed when caught in a final burst of fire from the enemy. Staff Sergeant Bordelon's great personal valor during a critical phase of securing the limited beachhead was a contributing factor in the ultimate occupation of the island and his heroic determination reflects the highest credit upon the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
When William was killed in action, he was 23 years old and was one of three graduates of his high school to die in the Battle of Tarawa. He was the first Marine from Texas to receive the Medal of Honor during World War 2 and his Medal was one of four to be awarded for actions on Tarawa. Two years later, a destroyer was named in his honor and in 1994, a Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center in San Antonio was named after him. His high school dedicated a memorial to him and the other two Marines in the main foyer and they named their JROTC rifle team the Bordelon Rifles. Originally buried at Tarawa and then at Honolulu, William Jennings Bordelon Jr was buried in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas on the 52nd anniversary of his death in 1995: Section AI, Grave 558.
