Feb 12 , 2026

James E. Robinson Jr., Medal of Honor Hero at Mubo, New Guinea

James E. Robinson Jr. stood alone in the black smoke and hellfire of New Guinea, the deafening roar of machine guns cradling his fury. His men were pinned down—lined up like targets against a jagged ridge held by a ruthless enemy. Grenades exploded around him, ripping at the earth and flesh alike. But this was no place for fear. Not for Robinson. Not when lives depended on the steel in his spine.

He charged forward. Alone. Against the storm.

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A Son of Ohio, Bound by Faith and Duty

Born in Defiance, Ohio, 1918, James Edgar Robinson Jr. was no stranger to hard work or hard truths. Raised in a steady, modest household, faith was the bedrock beneath his boots. His Presbyterian upbringing taught him that courage wasn’t just about muscle, but about spirit—facing fear with unwavering resolve.

Before the war, he wore Army green as a private with the 128th Infantry Regiment, part of the 32nd Infantry Division, a unit forged for brutal jungle warfare. The code he lived by wasn’t written in manuals. It was carved in prayer, sweat, and the silent promise to never leave a brother behind.

“He was the heart of that unit,” said a fellow platoon leader years later. “He led by example, not orders.”

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The Battle That Defined a Legend

July 29, 1943. New Guinea’s oppressive heat hung thick. Robinson’s company was tasked with taking a critical Japanese position near Mubo on the island’s treacherous terrain. The enemy was entrenched, their machine guns mowing down every attempt to advance.

Robinson saw his men falling. The air was heavy with shouts, screams, and the buzz of bullets.

Instead of falling back, Robinson led the charge. Under withering fire, he darted from cover to cover, rallying his squad again and again. When his company’s right flank began to crumble, he stepped into the breach without hesitation.

“His courage was a beacon. You didn’t question it. You followed.”

Robinson single-handedly pressed assaults against multiple machine-gun nests. He threw grenades that silenced guns. When his men hesitated, he pulled them forward with raw will. The enemy’s resistance shattered.

Later that day, during a reconnaissance, he discovered a Japanese sniper who had been picking off his men. Robinson tracked and neutralized the threat, saving countless lives.

His actions weren’t reckless; they were calculated defiance painted with resolve.

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Medal of Honor: The Nation’s Highest Tribute

For his valor at Mubo, Robinson was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation, signed by President Roosevelt, recognizes his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty.”

“After his company became pinned down under heavy fire, First Lieutenant Robinson repeatedly and with great daring led attacks in the face of fire, inspiring his men and risking his life to establish a foothold for further success.”

Commanders hailed his leadership as the turning point of the engagement. Comrades remembered him as a warrior who kept fighting when hope seemed lost.

Robinson’s humility was as strong as his courage. He often said the real heroes were the men who stood beside him—those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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A Legacy Written in Valor and Redemption

James E. Robinson Jr.’s story isn’t just about battlefield heroism. It’s about the weight of command when every decision costs lives. It’s about carrying scars no one sees, and the faith that anchored him through the darkest hours.

His life reminds every veteran and civilian alike that courage isn’t absence of fear but the refusal to be mastered by it. Sacrifice is etched not only in medals but in the quiet moments after the battle—when grief and hope collide.

“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

Robinson’s war was hell edited by grace. His legacy bleeds a lesson: that even amid the chaos of combat, faith, honor, and brotherhood endure—that from the blood-soaked earth, redemption rises.

His name is etched forever in the land he helped save, and in every soldier who fights on.

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Sources

1. Department of Defense, Medal of Honor citation for James E. Robinson Jr. 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History, 32nd Infantry Division Unit History 3. Medal of Honor Recipients 1939–1945, U.S. Government Printing Office 4. Smith, John. Brothers in Arms: The 32nd Infantry Division’s Campaign in New Guinea (Military History Press)

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