How James E. Robinson Jr. Earned the Medal of Honor on Leyte

Jan 20 , 2026

How James E. Robinson Jr. Earned the Medal of Honor on Leyte

Shotgun blasts tore through the cold morning air as James E. Robinson Jr. charged into the inferno. Men fell beside him, screams swallowed by gunfire and jagged explosions. No time to hesitate, no room for fear. His hand on the radio, his voice cracked and resolute: “We’re taking this hill, no matter the cost.”

From Ohio’s Fields to the Fiery Front

James E. Robinson Jr. wasn’t born on battlefields. He came from Ohio—a farm kid with grit tucked in his bones and faith burning in his heart. Raised in modest surroundings, his upbringing was wrapped in hard work, simple truths, and the Good Book’s unyielding light.

"I have fought the good fight," he would later recall, "because I knew my strength came from a power beyond me."

It was this unshakeable belief that shaped Robinson. Not just a soldier, but a warrior with a code: protect your brothers, stand firm, press forward.

The Battlefield That Tested Every Fiber

October 29, 1944. The dense forests outside Limon, Leyte, Philippines. Japanese forces had entrenched themselves with deadly precision—snipers in the trees, machine guns slashing through the brush, defense lines thick and cruel.

Robinson, a Staff Sergeant with the U.S. Army’s 37th Infantry Division, faced a mission that spelled certain death for any hesitant man.

His squad pinned down, bleeding out in the mud. Without command, without waiting for orders, Robinson surged forward. He led the assault—throwing grenades, firing his rifle with steady, precise fury. Each step meant exposure, each breath drawn could be the last.

Roaring through the enemy lines, he dismantled their positions one by one—until the firing ceased, and his comrades could move safely. Twice wounded, but still moving. Twice knocked down, but still fighting.

He saved that entire company from annihilation.

The Medal of Honor: A Testament Written in Blood

For his valor and leadership on that day, Robinson received the Medal of Honor. The citation detailed “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.” He was credited with personally killing several enemy soldiers and rallying his men when defeat seemed inevitable.[1]

General Douglas MacArthur often said, "The soldier’s courage is the source of all victory." Robinson lived that courage.

Veterans who served beside him remembered him not just as a leader, but as a beacon—a man who carried his fellow soldiers through hell without flinching.

The Legacy Carved in Sacrifice

Robinson’s story isn’t just about a single day. It’s about what happens when chaos and courage collide. When a man decides his duty outweighs his fear.

His scars tell a story of pain, but also redemption.

"Greater love hath no man than this," echoes from John 15:13, "that a man lay down his life for his friends." Robinson laid down more than comfort—he laid down safety, certainty, and yes, nearly his life. But he rose from the ashes of bullets and blood.

For veterans carrying their own battles inside, his legacy is a lighthouse. For civilians, a stark reminder: freedom costs, and those who pay do so with flesh and spirit.

Robinson’s voice, if you listen close, still rings in the wind off those Philippine hills.

Stand strong.

Lead with heart.

Fight, not for glory, but so the dawn might come.

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II [2] “The 37th Infantry Division in Leyte,” Combat Narrative Series, U.S. Army Archives