Serving as a Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps, Private Joseph William Ozbourn was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on July 28, 1944 at Tinian Island, Marianas Islands during World War II. At the time he was serving with 1st Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division. Ozbourn was 24 years old.
Ozbourn was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded.
Ozbourn was born on October 24, 1919 in Herrin, Williamson County, Illinois. His Medal of Honor is credited to Illinois. He is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Ozbourn is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 210 credited to Illinois.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Browning automatic rifleman serving with the 1st Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division, during the battle for enemy Japanese-held Tinian Island, Marianas Islands, 30 July 1944. As a member of a platoon assigned the mission of clearing the remaining Japanese troops from dugouts and pillboxes along a treeline, Pvt. Ozbourn, flanked by two men on either side, was moving forward to throw an armed hand grenade into a dugout when a terrific blast from the entrance severely wounded the four men and himself. Unable to throw the grenade into the dugout and with no place to hurl it without endangering the other men, Pvt. Ozbourn unhesitatingly grasped it close to his body and fell upon it, sacrificing his own life to absorb the full impact of the explosion, but saving his comrades. His great personal valor and unwavering loyalty reflect the highest credit upon Pvt. Ozbourn and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (July 28, 1944).
- Age at death: 24
- Resting place: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Joseph William Ozbourn received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Battle of Tinian, World War II.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →
Timeline
- October 24, 1919Born in Herrin, Williamson County, Illinois
- July 28, 1944Act of valor — Tinian Island, Marianas IslandsAge 24. 1st Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division Killed in action.
- Resting placeNational Memorial Cemetery of the PacificHonolulu, Hawaii
Biography
Private Joseph William Ozbourn (October 24, 1919 – July 30, 1944) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for sacrificing his life to save his comrades on Tinian in the Marianas on July 30, 1944.
From the Wikipedia article “Joseph W. Ozbourn”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Named in his honor
- USS Ozbourn — destroyer
