Aquilla James Dyess
January 11, 1909 – February 2, 1944
Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth:	Andersonville, Georgia
Place of death:	KIA at Kwajalein Atoll
Allegiance:	USMC
Years of service:	1931–1944
Rank:	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands:	1st Battalion 24th Marines
Battles/wars:	World War II
Awards:	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

United States Marine Corps Portal

Lieutenant Colonel Aquilla James Dyess, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life" at the head of his troops during the Battle of Kwajalein, on Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 2 February 1944. KIA is a three-letter abbreviation for killed in action, a term often used in military histories and narratives to count the number of casualties in a conflict, or the status of an individual. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead:17 million Civilian dead:33 million Total dead:50 million Military dead:8 million Civilian dead:4 million Total dead:12 million World War II... Three different versions of the Medal of Honor are awarded: one each for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. ... The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the name of the President of the United States to those who have been wounded or killed while serving in, or with, the U.S. military after April 5, 1917. ... Source: http://www. ... Three different versions of the Medal of Honor are awarded: one each for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. ... Battle of Kwajalein Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date 31 January 1944 – 3 February 1944 Place Kwajalein Atoll, United States Japan Commanders Chester Nimitz Masashi Kobayashi Strength 2 divisions plus 2 battalions About 9,000 Casualties 334 killed, 1,392 wounded 8,410 dead, 130 Japanese captured, 167 Korean... Roi-Namur is an island in the northern part of the Kwajalein atoll in the Marshall Islands. ... Infantry inspect a hole in the devasted Kwajalein Atoll Kwajalein Atoll is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), 2,100 nautical miles (3900 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, at 8. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ...

Dyess was born on 11 January 1909 in Andersonville, Georgia. As a youth, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout, highest in the Boy Scouts. Dyess is one of only four known Eagle Scouts who also received the Medal of Honor. The others are Robert Edward Femoyer, Eugene B. Fluckey, and Mitchell Paige. Dyess graduated from Clemson College, Clemson, South Carolina, in 1932 with a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture. At Clemson, he served as a cadet major in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and was appointed a second lieutenant in the Army Infantry Reserve in 1931. In civilian life, he was a general contractor. He also served as assistant director of a summer camp for boys. January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Andersonville is a city located in Sumter County, Georgia. ... Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable by a Scout in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and is also used as a title of a Scout who has achieved this honor. ... This article is about the national organization. ... Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable by a Scout in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and is also used as a title of a Scout who has achieved this honor. ... Three different versions of the Medal of Honor are awarded: one each for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. ... Robert Edward Femoyer (October 31, 1921 – November 2, 1944) is one of only three known Eagle Scouts who also received the Medal of Honor. ... Rear Admiral Eugene Bennett Fluckey (born 1913), was a submarine commander of the United States Navy who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. Fluckey was born in Washington, DC in 1913. ... Mitchell Paige (August 31, 1918-November 15, 2003) was a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor from World War II. He received this most prestigious military honor awarded by the United States of America for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on October 26... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Clemson is a city located in South Carolina, a state of the United States of America. ... The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program of the United States armed forces present on college campuses to recruit and educate commissioned officers. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ...

Dyess was appointed a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in November 1936.

In 1937, 1stLt Dyess was awarded the Bronze Medal as a shooting member of the Marine Corps Rifle Team which won the Hilton trophy in the National matches, and was given the same award in 1938 as an alternate member of the team that captured the Rattlesnake trophy in the matches.

Lieutenant Colonel Dyess was killed on 2 February 1944 by a burst of enemy machine gun fire while standing on the parapet of an anti-tank trench directing a group of infantry in a flanking attack against the last Japanese position in the northern part of Namur island. In this final assault, LtCol Dyess posted himself between the opposing lines and, exposed to fire from heavy automatic weapons, led his troops in the advance. Wherever the attack was slowed by heavier enemy fire, he quickly appeared and placed himself at the head of his men and inspired them to push forward. February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ...

Lieutenant Colonel Dyess was initially buried in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Roi-Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Later, in 1948, he was reinterred in Westover Memorial Park Cemetery, Augusta, Georgia.

In 1945, the destroyer USS Dyess (DD-880) was named in his honor. USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ... USS Dyess (DD/DDR-880), a Gearing-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Aquilla James Dyess (1909–1944). ...

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to The presidential seal was used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ...

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the First Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, Reinforced, Fourth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February and 2, 1944. Undaunted by severe fire from automatic Japanese weapons, Lieutenant Colonel Dyess launched a powerful final attack on the second day of the assault, unhesitatingly posting himself between the opposing lines to point out objectives and avenues of approach and personally leading the advancing troops. Alert, and determined to quicken the pace of the offensive against increased enemy fire, he was constantly at the head of advance units, inspiring his men to push forward until the Japanese had been driven back to a small center of resistance and victory assured. While standing on the parapet of an antitank trench directing a group of infantry in a flanking attack against the last enemy position, Lieutenant Colonel Dyess was killed by a burst of enemy machine-gun fire. His daring and forceful leadership and his valiant fighting spirit in the face of terrific opposition were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. Medal of Honor, US Navy (and USMC) version; Cropped from en:Image:Medalsofhonor. ... The 24th Marine Regiment (24th Marines) is one of three infantry regiments in the 4th Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps. ... The U.S. 4th Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations around the globe. ...

/S/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945) was an American politican from the U.S. state of New York. ...

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.

• Official Marine Corps biography
• Medal of Honor citation