James E. Robinson Jr., Medal of Honor Hero of Hurtgen Forest

Jan 17 , 2026

James E. Robinson Jr., Medal of Honor Hero of Hurtgen Forest

He charged through a hail of bullets with nothing but guts and iron will. His voice wasn’t loud, but every word cut through the chaos: “Follow me, we’re taking that hill.”

James E. Robinson Jr. was no stranger to the knife edge of war. When the curtain fell on the fields of Normandy, his story was writ in blood and grit—etched forever in a soldier’s honor forged under fire.

The Soldier Born from Oklahoma Soil

Born in Oklahoma in 1918, James E. Robinson Jr. carried the quiet strength of the heartland with him into the war. Raised in a small town, he was a son of hard work and humble faith.

Faith was his anchor. He had that biblical grit that doesn’t bend under pressure or fear. Romans 8:31 echoed in his soul: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Drafted into the U.S. Army, he joined Company E, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division—a unit baptized in the fire of Europe’s darkest hours. Robinson learned quickly that war wasn’t about glory. It was about survival. About saving the guys beside you.

The Battle That Defined Him: The Hurtgen Forest

November 1944. Hurtgen Forest—one of the most brutal, unforgiving battles of WWII. Bone-chilling cold, dense forest cover, the enemy dug deep into bunkers and trenches.

The 9th Infantry Division was tasked with breaking through. But the Germans were entrenched, waiting with mines and machine guns.

Robinson’s unit stumbled into a deadly crossfire. Men fell like wheat under the sickle. Confusion reigned. The line wavered.

That’s when Robinson did the impossible.

Without orders, without hesitation, he grabbed rifle and grenades and sprinted headlong into fire. His Medal of Honor citation recounts it plainly: “Courageous and determined, Robinson led assaults on several enemy machinegun nests… destroyed multiple positions, and rescued his men trapped in a deadly kill zone.”

Under relentless fire, he systematically silenced enemy emplacements. When two machine guns pinned down the platoon, Robinson didn’t falter. He charged forward alone, blew the nests to hell, and turned the tide.

All told, he single-handedly neutralized nests blocking the advance, relayed vital information despite wounds, and inspired his comrades to press forward.

Recognition Carved in Bronze and Citation

On September 13, 1945, President Harry S. Truman awarded Sgt. Robinson the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration.

The citation read, “By his indomitable courage and exemplary leadership, Sergeant Robinson enabled his company to accomplish its mission against formidable enemy resistance.”

His platoon leader said it best:

“Robinson didn’t just fight for victory. He fought for every man in that forest. He knew fear, but he didn’t let it command him.”

Robinson’s actions embody what the Medal of Honor represents. Not just bravery, but sacrifice—the willingness to walk into Hell to save others.

Legacy – A Testament to Courage and Redemption

James E. Robinson Jr. passed away in 1945, just months after the war ended. His story is a stark reminder that heroes don’t always live to see peace. Their sacrifice etches an eternal charge on our hearts.

His bravery reminds us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the refusal to be ruled by it.

In the end, Robinson’s fight was more than combat. It was a spiritual battle against despair and death. His legacy whispers still—between gunfire and silence—that true valor means stepping forward when all else screams retreat.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

In honoring James E. Robinson Jr., we remember the scars that define us and the faith that redeems us all. His blood-stained footsteps mark a path of sacrifice where redemption waits. And that path? It leads home.

SOURCES

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. Truman Library, Medal of Honor Presentation Ceremony 3. The National WWII Museum, The Battle of Hurtgen Forest 4. Infantry Journal, “Heroic Actions of Sgt. James E. Robinson Jr.”