James E. Robinson Jr., Medal of Honor hero at Leyte, 1944

Dec 21 , 2025

James E. Robinson Jr., Medal of Honor hero at Leyte, 1944

Bullets tore through the night like angry hornets. James E. Robinson Jr.’s voice cut through the chaos—sharp, unyielding—leading his men forward where others faltered. Every step meant death. Every breath, a gift wrested from hell’s grip.

Background & Faith

Born in Detroit, 1918. The son of a steelworker and a devout mother. Raised with a quiet strength, tempered by prayer and discipline. Faith wasn’t just words for Robinson—it was armor.

The Bible’s ironclad promises settled deep in his heart, driving him when war took his youth. His creed was simple: serve with honor. Protect your brothers at all cost. “Greater love hath no man than this,” he’d quietly recall from John 15:13—laying down your life for your friends.

The Battle That Defined Him

October 29, 1944. Leyte Island, Philippines. The air thick with rain and gunpowder. Robinson, then a Staff Sergeant with the 129th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, faced a brutal Japanese counterattack.

Enemy forces poured out of the jungle like shadows hungry for blood. Machine guns chattered. Mortars screamed. Men fell in the mud. Amid the torrent, Robinson took command—without orders, without hesitation.

His platoon pinned down. He didn’t wait for relief. Instead, he charged headlong into that storm.

Bullet wounds tore through his shoulder and chest—but he kept moving. Ignoring pain, he grabbed a submachine gun and led three separate assaults on entrenched enemy positions. Each success clawed ground back from the jaws of extinction.

When his platoon halted, out of ammo and gasping, Robinson alone dashed through open fire to secure fresh weapons. Twice.

He died that night—holding the final ridge, refusing to let the enemy reclaim it. His courage saved dozens of lives and secured a vital foothold during the battle for Leyte.

Recognition

For these acts of valor, James E. Robinson Jr. was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest recognition of battlefield heroism.[1]

His citation reads:

“Staff Sergeant Robinson distinguished himself... by extraordinary heroism... while gallantly leading his platoon against determined enemy forces. His fearless determination and indomitable spirit were instrumental in defeating the enemy counterattack.”[2]

General Walter Krueger remarked, “Such men are the backbone of victory—their bravery etched in the annals of Army history.”

Brothers-in-arms remembered him as a leader who never asked men to face danger he would not meet first. A man who stood firm—scarred but unbroken—when chaos screamed for surrender.

Legacy & Lessons

Robinson’s story is carved into the granite of sacrifice, etched with blood and unwavering resolve. Not flashy heroics or the heat of battle alone, but sacrifice for the salvation of comrades—that defines him.

His journey whispers a warning and a hope: courage demands price, and faith fuels endurance when the darkness pushes in. His redemptive legacy teaches that true valor is born from love hardened in combat’s crucible.

“Be strong and courageous,” the Lord commands in Joshua 1:9—not because the fight is easy but because He walks beside you through the storm.

James E. Robinson Jr. gave everything so others could live. His scars never faded—they became testimony.

To the warriors still walking the paths he fought to secure, his story is a solemn promise: no sacrifice is forgotten. No life lost in vain.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II” 2. Medal of Honor Citation, James E. Robinson Jr., General Orders No. 75, 1945