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withdrawal upon discovering that the squad was partly cut off from their company as a result of their rapid advance along an exposed ridge during an aggressive attack on the strongly entrenched enemy, Private First Class Roan and his companions were suddenly engaged in a furious exchange of hand grenades with
Japanese forces emplaced in a cave on higher ground and the rear of the squad. Seeking protection with four other Marines in a depression the rocky, broken terrain, Private First Class Roan was wounded by an enemy grenade which fell close to their position and, immediately realizing the imminent peril to his comrades when another grenade landed in the midst of the group, unhesitatingly flung himself upon it, covering it with his body and absorbing the full impact of the explosion. By his prompt action and selfless conduct in the face of almost certain death, he saved the lives of four men. His great personal valor reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his comrades.
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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Second
Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese Forces on Peleliu, Palau Islands, 18 September 1944. Shortly after his leader ordered a
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The youth enlisted in the Marine Corps
Reserve in December 1942. A rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, he was already a veteran of bitter fighting when he threw himself upon a Japanese
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PFC Roan's name is inscribed on the Wall of the
Missing at the American Battlefield Monuments Commission Cemetery outside the city of Manila, Philippines.
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On July 21, 1945, in a simple presentation ceremony on the
Armstrong County Courthouse lawn, Mrs. Lillabel Roan, of
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Private First Class
Charles Howard Roan, United States Marine Corps, World War II Medal of Honor recipient
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The Texas State
Veterans Home in Amarillo, opened in 2007, bears the name of Charles H. Roan.
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A memorial marker in honor of Roan is located in the Claude
Cemetery, Armstrong County, Texas
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Memorial services for PFC Roan took place in the
Methodist Church in Claude on April 8, 1945.
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in 1944 the Medal of Honor was awarded to Roan with the following citation:
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who sacrificed his life to save those of four fellow
Marines in the
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takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to
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United States Marine Corps personnel killed in World War II
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United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients
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for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
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16:US Marine and Medal of Honor recipient (1923–1944)
242:Charles Howard Roan was born August 16, 1923, in
403:"Private First Class Charles Howard Roan, USMCR"
540:World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor
198:(August 16, 1923 – September 18, 1944) was a
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555:Burials at the Manila American Cemetery
560:United States Marine Corps reservists
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301:PRIVATE FIRST CLASS CHARLES H. ROAN
392:from websites or documents of the
303:UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
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407:Who's Who in Marine Corps History
372:List of Medal of Honor recipients
388: This article incorporates
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296:President of the United States
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565:Military personnel from Texas
218:highest military honor – the
525:People from Amarillo, Texas
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394:United States Marine Corps
134:2nd Battalion, 7th Marines
106:United States Marine Corps
545:People from Claude, Texas
496:at Claude Cemetery, Texas
431:"Medal of Honor citation"
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337:was named in his honor.
85:Manila American Cemetery
282:Medal of Honor citation
210:. For his heroism, he
550:Deaths by hand grenade
390:public domain material
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530:United States Marines
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112:Years of service
250:Marine Corps service
200:United States Marine
194:Private First Class
417:on February 5, 2012
286:For his actions at
196:Charles Howard Roan
158:Operation Cartwheel
153:New Guinea campaign
138:1st Marine Division
124:Private First Class
23:Charles Howard Roan
327:United States Navy
204:landing on Peleliu
63:September 18, 1944
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187:Purple Heart
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148:World War II
144:Battles/wars
65:(1944-09-18)
515:1944 deaths
510:1923 births
238:Early years
504:Categories
378:References
265:New Guinea
92:Allegiance
47:1923-08-16
450:(DD-853)"
331:USS
321:Namesakes
233:Biography
214:received
115:1942–1944
494:cenotaph
350:See also
100:Service/
288:Peleliu
259:in the
206:during
169:†
70:Peleliu
179:Awards
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462:2010
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
