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

Dec 15 , 2025

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

The roar of artillery drowned every prayer, every breath. Shells tore the earth apart, ripping gaping wounds into the dirt where men fell and bled. Yet one figure pressed forward, a flicker of steel defiance amid chaos and death. This man didn’t just lead — he dragged hope across the razor’s edge, inch by bloody inch.

Roots of Resolve

James E. Robinson Jr. grew from Midwestern soil—Ohio’s quiet heartland, a place where hard work and faith built character, not just houses. Born in 1918, his childhood carved a backbone from struggle and steely faith. Raised Methodist, he clung to scripture like 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

Robinson carried that verse in battle—more than words, a lifeline. Before the war, he was a stadium groundskeeper and part-time boxer. Every bruise, every callus etched into him a warrior’s discipline long before he donned his uniform. When war came, he didn’t shrink. He chose to stand and fight.

The Battle That Defined Him

It was October 29, 1944. Leyte Island, Philippines — thick jungle choking vision and range. Japanese defenders entrenched like ghosts inside every tree and rock. Robinson served with Company M, 128th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. His mission: dismantle enemy bunkers holding his company back under withering fire.

The firefight staggered forward, but so did Robinson—alone at times—leading multiple assaults against fortified pillboxes. Twice wounded, he refused to falter. Under a deadly hail of bullets and grenades, he charged, dragging wounded comrades to safety. When his squad began to withdraw, Robinson stayed with the last line, silencing enemy nests one by one with relentless fire and sheer will.

His Medal of Honor citation describes the day in brutal clarity:

“With complete disregard for his personal safety, [Robinson] repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire to lead and direct the assaults. When two members were wounded and unable to move, he went back through the enemy fire to lead them to safety.”[1]

The battlefield recorded it in blood and grit: an act of selfless valor that saved his unit and turned the tide.

The Honors That Speak Volumes

The U.S. Army awarded James E. Robinson Jr. the Medal of Honor for that day. President Harry S. Truman himself presented the solemn decoration—a recognition reserved for those whose sacrifice transcends duty.

His citation remains a testament, an eternal ledger entry etched in honor and courage. Fellow soldiers remembered him not as a hero framed by medals but a man who bore scars for the men beside him.

Staff Sergeant John K. Reilly, who fought alongside Robinson, said:

“Jim wasn’t looking for glory. He carried us forward like a shield, no matter the cost. That day, we were lucky to have him.”

Robinson’s decorations also included the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, each medal another chapter in a story of sacrifice.

Lessons Written in Blood

James E. Robinson Jr.’s legacy is carved into more than military archives. It’s a reminder—the kind of courage that floods through the heart when every ounce of fear is drowned by purpose. War didn’t just forge him; it forged a code still relevant for warriors in any battle today:

Lead from the front. Protect the vulnerable. Sacrifice personal safety for the greater good. Never quit.

The scars he carried—both seen and hidden—remain invisible medals of true valor. In the crucible of combat, raw humanity and unyielding faith merge. Robinson’s story insists that courage is not absence of fear but action despite it.

Redemption in the Aftermath

War steals pieces of men, but it can also transform. James E. Robinson Jr. returned to Ohio, carrying the burden of survival and the memory of brothers lost. His later life was quieter but no less significant—an example of humility and service beyond medals.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13

Robinson embodied this truth, living the sacrifice long after battlefields went silent.

His story is not just steel and blood; it’s a call to everyone who hears it—veteran or civilian—to recognize that true honor endures in everyday courage, redemption, and the unbreakable bonds forged in fire.

He stands as a sentinel over every fight still to come, reminding us: valor isn’t just an act. It’s a life laid bare for others, lasting well beyond the war.

# Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II [2] The 32nd Infantry Division in WWII, Center of Military History archives [3] Truman Presidential Library, Medal of Honor Awards Records