World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. Served as a Hospital Apprentice First Class U.S. Navy, attached to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Marines, 6th Marine Division as a Medical Corpsman during action against Japanese forces on Okinawa, Shima in the Ryukyu Chain. On June 8, 1945, he saw a wounded marine lying in an open field beyond the front lines following an assault against a strategic Japanese hill position. As he unhesitatingly crawled toward the casualty he was wounded by hostile machine guns. He disregarded the mounting Japanese fire and his own pain to pull the wounded man toward a covered position. Struck by enemy fire a second time before he reached cover, he exerted tremendous effort and succeeded in pulling his comrade to safety. Too seriously wounded to administer aid, he instructed two of his squad in proper medical treatment of the rescued marine. Realizing that his own wounds were fatal, he refused medical attention and expertly directed his men in the treatment of two other wounded marines, succumbing shortly thereafter. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor which was accredited to the state of Illinois.
Buried: Clarendon Hills Cemetery , G-K-28AB-9, Westmont, Illinois
Buried: Clarendon Hills Cemetery , G-K-28AB-9, Westmont, Illinois
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. Served as a Hospital Apprentice First Class U.S. Navy, attached to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Marines, 6th Marine Division as a Medical Corpsman during action against Japanese forces on Okinawa, Shima in the Ryukyu Chain. On June 8, 1945, he saw a wounded marine lying in an open field beyond the front lines following an assault against a strategic Japanese hill position. As he unhesitatingly crawled toward the casualty he was wounded by hostile machine guns. He disregarded the mounting Japanese fire and his own pain to pull the wounded man toward a covered position. Struck by enemy fire a second time before he reached cover, he exerted tremendous effort and succeeded in pulling his comrade to safety. Too seriously wounded to administer aid, he instructed two of his squad in proper medical treatment of the rescued marine. Realizing that his own wounds were fatal, he refused medical attention and expertly directed his men in the treatment of two other wounded marines, succumbing shortly thereafter. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor which was accredited to the state of Illinois.
Buried: Clarendon Hills Cemetery , G-K-28AB-9, Westmont, Illinois
Buried: Clarendon Hills Cemetery , G-K-28AB-9, Westmont, Illinois
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Inscription
LESTER FRED F
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