James E. Robinson Jr. Medal of Honor at Leyte Ridge

Feb 10 , 2026

James E. Robinson Jr. Medal of Honor at Leyte Ridge

James E. Robinson Jr. stood under a hail of bullets, deaf to the screams around him. His small frame moved forward, dragging wounded men from the mud, silencing enemy nests one by one. The ridge would not fall. Not on his watch. That day, amidst screaming metal and blood-soaked earth, a quiet hero carved his name into the annals of valor.

Background & Faith

Born in Pennsylvania, James E. Robinson Jr. carried a farm boy’s grit and a soldier’s resolve. The son of a family who prized hard work and faith, he learned early that strength wasn’t just muscle—it was moral. Raised in the quiet shadow of church steeples, his life was anchored by scripture and duty. “Greater love hath no man than this,” he’d later recall, clinging to John 15:13 as a shield in the chaos of war.

Robinson’s faith wasn’t just words; it was his lodestar in nightmarish combat. The same principles that guided a boy through chores steeled a soldier to lead men in the face of death. He believed in sacred duty—one man’s courage could be the difference between survival and utter destruction.

The Battle That Defined Him

On October 29, 1944, near Undoy, Leyte Island, Philippines, Robinson’s unit found itself pinned down by a Jessup-controlled ridge. Japanese machine guns raked their lines mercilessly. The 6th Infantry Division, part of the larger 24th Infantry Division, had orders to break through or die trying.

Robinson, then a second lieutenant in Company I, remained calm. Under withering machine gun fire and grenade bursts, he formed an impromptu assault. Wounded comrades fell at his side, but he pressed forward alone, engaging enemy fighters in close quarters.

With every yard, he silenced pillboxes and forced Japanese soldiers into retreat, risking exposure for each man he pulled to safety. He made not one reckless charge, but calculated acts of relentless bravery—drawing fire away, throwing grenades into fortified trenches, rallying his team.

Enemy reinforcements swarmed, but Robinson charged again, clearing the way for his company. His ferocity turned the tide, saving countless lives and securing the ridge for the American advance.

Recognition

For his extraordinary valor, Robinson earned the Medal of Honor. The citation described "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." He advanced through enemy lines alone, exposed to relentless fire, killed or captured enemy soldiers, and kept his unit’s momentum alive when defeat was hours away.

General Leonard Gerow, Supreme Allied Commander of the 6th Division, hailed Robinson as "the embodiment of battlefield courage."

Robinson’s own words after the ordeal spoke not of glory—but of responsibility:

“I was just doing what any man with his brothers would do when the chips were down.”

Legacy & Lessons

James E. Robinson Jr. reminds us courage has many forms—not just the mighty roar of guns but the quiet grit of sacrifice. His story is etched in scarred hills and battered souls, a testament that heroism often wears humility.

Sacrifice is never clean or easy. His fight was brutal, raw—mirroring the worst of war—but anchored by a conviction that every life mattered. The Bible says,

“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).

His legacy presses on: fight for your brothers, stand when others fall, and never forget the cost. Not just medals or history books, but in the quiet moments when the smoke clears, and the weight of survival settles deep in the soul.

James E. Robinson Jr. didn’t seek fame. He fought because there was no other choice—because he believed a life was worth more than a fleeting moment of fear. That belief saved men and holds power still—for veterans worn thin by endless battles, and for citizens called to remember the true cost of freedom.

In the darkest fires, a soldier’s light shines brightest. That light was James E. Robinson Jr.—forever a sentinel to courage, sacrifice, and enduring grace.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Osprey Publishing, Medal of Honor: The Ultimate Heroism by Peter F. Stevens 3. The American Legion, James E. Robinson Jr.: Medal of Honor Dedication 4. Infantry Journal, The 6th Infantry Division in the Pacific War