Charles J. Berry
Encyclopedia
Charles Joseph Berry was a Corporal in the Marine Corps
who posthumously received the Medal of Honor
for his actions during World War II
.
After graduating high school Berry enlisted in the Marine Corps and upon graduating recruit training in South Carolina was staioned in Quantico Virginia and then North Carolina before being sent with 1st Parachute Battalion to fight in the Solomon Islands
. After leaving the solomons he went on to fight in France at Bougainville
and then went to Guadalcanal
for a short time before being sent to San Diego, California
. While stationed at Camp Elliott in San Diego he was attached to the 5th Marine Division before being sent to the hawaiian islands and receiving the rank of corporal.
He landed on Iwo Jima
on D-Day
, February 19, 1945, and was killed in action on March 3, 1945, during the action which earned him the Medal of Honor. Initially buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, he was reinterred in Elmwood Cemetery, Lorain, Ohio, in 1948.
, on July 10, 1923 and graduated from Clearview High School (Lorain, Ohio)
in 1941. After graduation he went to work as a truck driver for a moving concern.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps in Cleveland, Ohio
, on October 1, 1941 when he was 18 years of age and was ordered to Parris Island, South Carolina, where he received his recruit training
. Following the completion of recruit training, he was transferred for duty to the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, but shortly afterwards was ordered to the Marine Barracks, New River, North Carolina, where he entered parachute training. After qualifying as a parachutist, he was promoted to private first class
on June 2, 1942.
He sailed from San Diego, California, on March 11, 1943, and arrived in New Caledonia
later that month with the 1st Parachute Battalion, he left New Caledonia in September 1943. He arrived in the Solomon Islands
a few weeks after his departure, and in October 1943, went to Vella La Vella, where he remained for one month. In November 1943, he landed at Bougainville
, and during that campaign, took part in the raid at Koairi Beach and in the Empress Augusta Bay action. Prior to returning to the United States in February 1944, he spent a short time at Guadalcanal
. Following his arrival at Camp Elliott, San Diego, he joined the newly organized 5th Marine Division in early 1944. In July he departed for the Hawaiian Islands with that division. He was advanced to corporal on July 22, 1944.
He landed on Iwo Jima
on D-Day
, February 19, 1945, and was killed in action on March 3, 1945, during the action which earned him the Medal of Honor. Initially buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, he was reinterred in Elmwood Cemetery, Lorain, Ohio, in 1948.
CORPORAL CHARLES J. BERRY
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
/S/HARRY S. TRUMAN
was renamed in 1988 to the Charles Berry Bridge
in honor of Cpl Berry, a native son of the city.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
who posthumously received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After graduating high school Berry enlisted in the Marine Corps and upon graduating recruit training in South Carolina was staioned in Quantico Virginia and then North Carolina before being sent with 1st Parachute Battalion to fight in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
. After leaving the solomons he went on to fight in France at Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
and then went to Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
for a short time before being sent to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. While stationed at Camp Elliott in San Diego he was attached to the 5th Marine Division before being sent to the hawaiian islands and receiving the rank of corporal.
He landed on Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, February 19, 1945, and was killed in action on March 3, 1945, during the action which earned him the Medal of Honor. Initially buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, he was reinterred in Elmwood Cemetery, Lorain, Ohio, in 1948.
Biography
Charles Joseph Berry was born in Lorain, OhioLorain, Ohio
Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....
, on July 10, 1923 and graduated from Clearview High School (Lorain, Ohio)
Clearview High School (Lorain, Ohio)
Clearview High School is a public high school located in Lorain, Ohio. It is part of the Clearview Local School District, one of five school districts serving the city of Lorain and all of Sheffield Township, Ohio. Clearview High School houses students in grades 9-12. Formerly, it was named...
in 1941. After graduation he went to work as a truck driver for a moving concern.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, on October 1, 1941 when he was 18 years of age and was ordered to Parris Island, South Carolina, where he received his recruit training
Recruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
. Following the completion of recruit training, he was transferred for duty to the Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, but shortly afterwards was ordered to the Marine Barracks, New River, North Carolina, where he entered parachute training. After qualifying as a parachutist, he was promoted to private first class
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
on June 2, 1942.
He sailed from San Diego, California, on March 11, 1943, and arrived in New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
later that month with the 1st Parachute Battalion, he left New Caledonia in September 1943. He arrived in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
a few weeks after his departure, and in October 1943, went to Vella La Vella, where he remained for one month. In November 1943, he landed at Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
, and during that campaign, took part in the raid at Koairi Beach and in the Empress Augusta Bay action. Prior to returning to the United States in February 1944, he spent a short time at Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
. Following his arrival at Camp Elliott, San Diego, he joined the newly organized 5th Marine Division in early 1944. In July he departed for the Hawaiian Islands with that division. He was advanced to corporal on July 22, 1944.
He landed on Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, February 19, 1945, and was killed in action on March 3, 1945, during the action which earned him the Medal of Honor. Initially buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, he was reinterred in Elmwood Cemetery, Lorain, Ohio, in 1948.
Awards and decorations
In addition to posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor, Cpl Berry was also awarded several other military decorations.| Medal of Honor Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... |
||
| Purple Heart Purple Heart The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York... |
Presidential Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation (US) The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941... |
American Defense Service Medal American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:... |
| American Campaign Medal American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt... |
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... with two bronze stars |
World War II Victory Medal |
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously toCORPORAL CHARLES J. BERRY
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
- For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a member of a Machine-gun Crew, serving with the First Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in action enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo JimaThe Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
in the Volcano Islands, on 3 March 1945. Stationed in the front lines, Corporal Berry manned his weapon with alert readiness as he maintained a constant vigil with other members of his gun crew during the hazardous night hours. When infiltrating Japanese soldiers launched a surprise attack shortly after midnight in an attempt to overrun his position, he engaged in a pitched hand grenade duel, returning the dangerous weapons with prompt and deadly accuracy until an enemy grenade landed in the foxhole. Determined to save his comrades, he unhesitatingly chose to sacrifice himself and immediately dived on the deadly missile, absorbing the shattering violence of the exploding charge in his own body and protecting the others from serious injury. Stouthhearted[sic] and indomitable, Corporal Berry fearlessly yielded his own life that his fellow Marines might carry on the relentless battle against a ruthless enemy and his superb valor and unfaltering devotion to duty in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon himself and upon the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
/S/HARRY S. TRUMAN
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
Posthumous Honors
The Erie Avenue Bridge in Lorain, OhioLorain, Ohio
Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....
was renamed in 1988 to the Charles Berry Bridge
Charles Berry Bridge
The Charles Berry Bridge, in Lorain, Ohio along U.S. Route 6, is the second-largest bascule bridge in the world. It was dedicated on Veterans Day in 1988. The bridge had been built in the late 1930s and in use for roughly 48 years before extensive rehabilitation was finished and the bridge was...
in honor of Cpl Berry, a native son of the city.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Iwo Jima