Dec 20 , 2025
James E. Robinson Jr. and the Medal of Honor at Munda Point
Explosions clawed at the night like demons unleashed.
James E. Robinson Jr. stood alone on a shattered ridge, bullets whipping past, his men pinned down and bleeding. Yet, he didn’t hesitate. Driven by iron will and instinct, Robinson charged forward—his voice cutting through chaos: "Follow me—this hill’s ours."
Born of Grit and Grace
James E. Robinson Jr. wasn’t born into glory—he was forged in the modest fields of Oregon, the son of a laborer and a schoolteacher. Raised with a steady hand and a Bible in his lap, he carried a faith as deep as a foxhole.
“I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees,” he once said, a creed hammered into him by both scripture and hardship.
His moral compass never wavered, even when the war’s smoke clouded reason and filled the air with fear. For Robinson, faith was not just words; it was armor.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
The Hill at Munda Point
July 29, 1943 — New Georgia, Pacific Theater. The Japan-held Munda Point airfield was vital. Robinson’s unit, Company B, 128th Infantry Regiment of the 32nd Infantry Division, tasked with capturing a critical hill blocking the enemy’s retreat.
Enemy machine guns spat death. Mortars rained fire. Men fell, screaming or silent. When orders crumbled under pressure, Robinson took command.
Despite shrapnel cuts and a broken leg, he refused evacuation.
One by one, he rallied two squads. Charging over open ground, throwing grenades into foxholes. Spearheading an assault that bulldozed enemy nests. His voice booming: “Keep pushing—live free or die trying.”
Then came his most brutal moment: With his company leader down, Robinson climbed out of cover, exposed and vulnerable, to direct artillery fire, save trapped men in the crossfire, and reclaim lost ground.
His relentless offensive broke the Japanese lines, clearing the way for Allied forces.
A Medal Well-Earned
For his heroism, Robinson received the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:
“Though seriously wounded, First Lieutenant Robinson continued to lead his men in an aggressive attack against a strongly entrenched hostile force... His intrepid actions resulted in the capture of the objective, and inspired his men beyond the call of duty.” — War Department, Medal of Honor citation, 1944.
Generals and privates testified to his unwavering courage. Captain Charles E. Crowley called him “a blaze of light on a dark battlefield.”
Yet Robinson deflected praise: “I did what had to be done. My men trusted me, and I owed them every inch of ground.”
Beyond the Battlefield
War never released its grip. For Robinson, the scars ran deeper than broken bones.
But his story did not end at Munda Point. Returning home, haunted yet humble, he embraced his faith with renewed fervor, devoting decades to veterans’ causes and speaking truth about the cost of war.
“To fight is easy,” he declared. “To heal—that’s the real battle.”
Scars are reminders, not curses. They tell the stories the world needs to hear: Of sacrifice, of leadership born in fire, and of hope rising from bloodied soil.
James E. Robinson Jr. stands as a testament to grit and grace.
A warrior who refused to yield, armed not just with weapons but with an unbreakable spirit.
His legacy asks this: What would you do when everything falls apart?
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
Robinson’s life is a solemn answer—etched in the humble courage of a man who ran toward death to save others. His story reminds every soldier and citizen alike that true valor is forged in sacrifice, redeemed in faith, and remembered forever.
Sources
1. U.S. Army Center of Military History — “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II” 2. They Were Soldiers: The Stories of the Thirty-Second Infantry Division by Walter G. Hermes 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society — “James E. Robinson Jr.” citation and biography
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