Feb 06 , 2026

Clarence S. Olszewski, Iwo Jima Marine Who Earned Medal of Honor

Clarence S. Olszewski moved like a ghost through hellfire. The air screamed with bullets, each crack and whistle a promise of death. Lines of men dropped around him. But Olszewski kept moving forward. No hesitation. No fear. Just steel and purpose carved from the smoke of war.

In that fire, a leader was born.

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The Roots of a Warrior

Born in Wisconsin in 1919, Clarence grew up amid harsh winters and harder people. Polish-American, raised on old-school values—honor, sacrifice, faith. The kind that solidifies in Sunday morning church pews and the grit of factory floors.

His mother held tight to Psalm 23: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Clarence carried that in his soul through the darkest nights of war.

Before the war, he worked as a machinist, steady hands and a steady heart. When the world erupted in brutal war, he enlisted—not for glory, but because the fight had to be faced head-on.

“Duty first, always,” he’d say, embodying a warrior’s code etched in humility and courage.

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The Battle That Defined Him

February 19, 1945. The island of Iwo Jima burned beneath a hellish sky. Clarence served with the 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division. The mission: seize Mount Suribachi, a volcanic sentinel fortified deep with enemy fire.

The Japanese defenses were brutal—pillboxes, sniper nests, endless machine gun fire. Marines faltered; the ground was a massacre. The mountain wasn’t just ground—it was a crucible.

Olszewski led his squad into that inferno. He crawled through knee-deep ash and shattered bodies, rallying men broken by fear and fatigue. When his unit was pinned down by machine gun nests, he charged forward alone.

With grenades slung like thunderbolts, he unleashed destruction on enemy bunkers. One by one, he silenced them. His men surged forward, taking the key position.

“Clarence didn’t just carry a rifle; he carried the will of damn near every Marine beside him,” recalled a fellow Marine in Marines in the Battle of Iwo Jima¹.

His ferocity shattered the enemy’s bunker line. With the summit secured, the iconic flag-raising moments soon followed—but it was men like Olszewski who wrestled that position from death’s clutch first.

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Recognition: Medal of Honor

For his conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty, Clarence S. Olszewski earned the Medal of Honor. The citation didn’t just list bullets dodged or enemy bunkers destroyed—it spoke of unwavering courage.

His Medal of Honor citation specifically noted:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty… By his intrepid fighting spirit and determination, he inspired his men to hold the vital position under enemy fire.”

Generals praised him. Fellow Marines revered him. His name became synonymous with grit under fire.

One officer penned, “Olszewski’s actions saved countless lives. His leadership turned battle chaos into ordered victory.”²

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Legacy Etched in Blood and Faith

Clarence never sought the spotlight. After the war, he returned home, working quietly and raising a family. But scars ran deep—both visible and unseen.

The battles taught him the fragile line between life and death, the price of freedom written in sweat and blood. Yet through pain, he found purpose.

“Greater love hath no man than this,” he reflected, “to lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

His story is a testament—real courage isn’t loud or flashy. It’s a quiet commitment in the face of chaos. It’s enduring when the guns go silent. It’s faith made visible in sacrifice and resolve.

For veterans carrying their own nightmares, Olszewski’s example stands as a beacon—scarred, humbled, but unbroken. For civilians tempted to forget the true cost of freedom, his legacy is a solemn reminder: the price is steep, paid by the few so many can breathe free.

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Clarence S. Olszewski’s blood-stained footsteps echo through history. His fight, a chapter in the endless story of sacrifice. His courage, a call to all who bear the weight of battle—to stand firm, endure, and carry forward the light of hope forged in the crucible of war.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Joshua 1:9)

This is the gospel of warriors like Olszewski. Not just men who fought—it’s men who conquered fear itself and left a legacy worth every drop of blood spilled.

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Sources

1. Department of the Navy, Marines in the Battle of Iwo Jima (1994) 2. Medal of Honor Citation, Clarence S. Olszewski, U.S. Marine Corps

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