On May 7, 1945, amid the brutal fighting of the Battle of Okinawa, three United States Marines—Corporal John Peter Fardy of Chicago, Illinois; Private Dale Merlin Hansen of Wisner, Nebraska; and Private First Class Albert Earnest Schwab of Washington, D.C.—performed acts of unimaginable bravery that would cost them their lives but earn them the nation’s highest military decoration: the Medal of Honor.
As the Pacific war neared its final, most savage chapter, the island of Okinawa became a deadly crucible where courage was tested beyond limits. These three young men, drawn from different corners of America, were united by their commitment to duty, their love of country, and their willingness to lay down their lives for their fellow Marines.
Corporal John P. Fardy, serving with the 1st Marine Division, threw himself into the heart of battle to protect his comrades from an onslaught of enemy fire. His actions helped save countless lives and inspire his unit in one of the most grueling confrontations of the Pacific campaign.
Private Dale M. Hansen displayed fearless initiative under withering fire. Charging Japanese positions head-on, he single-handedly neutralized several enemy emplacements, making it possible for his unit to advance. His selfless valor turned the tide in a critical moment of the fight.
Private First Class Albert E. Schwab was part of an assault force struggling to gain ground on the heavily defended Oroku Peninsula. Despite intense enemy resistance, he advanced with determination, silencing a pair of machine gun nests that threatened his fellow Marines. His final act of bravery enabled his unit to continue the offensive and ultimately prevail in their mission.
All three Marines paid the ultimate price on that fateful day—but their courage, sacrifice, and devotion to their fellow servicemen left a legacy that endures in the annals of Marine Corps history. For their extraordinary heroism, they were each posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Though they came from different states, backgrounds, and walks of life, Fardy, Hansen, and Schwab stood together in defense of freedom, embodying the highest ideals of the U.S. Marine Corps. Their names are etched into the story of America’s fight for peace, and their memory lives on in every Marine who follows in their footsteps.