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Rank and organization: Colonel. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3rd Assault
Battalion Landing Team. 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division.
Place and Date:
On Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. from 19 to 22 February 1945.
Entered service at:
Washington, D.C. Birth: 2 February 1908, Huntington, W. Va. Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above
and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 3d Assault Battalion
Landing Team, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, in action against enemy
Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 to 22 February 1945.
Under a furious barrage of enemy machinegun and small-arms fire from the
commanding cliffs on the right, Col. Chambers (then Lt. Col.) landed immediately
after the initial assault waves of his battalion on D-day to find the momentum
of the assault threatened by heavy casualties from withering Japanese artillery,
mortar rocket, machinegun, and rifle fire. Exposed to relentless hostile
fire, he coolly reorganized his battle-weary men, inspiring them to heroic
efforts by his own valor and leading them in an attack on the critical,
impregnable high ground from which the enemy was pouring an increasing
volume of fire directly onto troops ashore as well as amphibious craft
in succeeding waves. Constantly in the front lines encouraging his men
to push forward against the enemy's savage resistance, Col. Chambers led
the 8-hour battle to carry the flanking ridge top and reduce the enemy's
fields of aimed fire, thus protecting the vital foothold gained. In constant
defiance of hostile fire while reconnoitering the entire regimental combat
team zone of action, he maintained contact with adjacent units and forwarded
vital information to the regimental commander. His zealous fighting spirit
undiminished despite terrific casualties and the loss of most of his key
officers, he again reorganized his troops for renewed attack against the
enemy's main line of resistance and was directing the fire of the rocket
platoon when he fell, critically wounded. Evacuated under heavy Japanese
fire, Col. Chambers, by forceful leadership, courage, and fortitude in
the face of staggering odds, was directly instrumental in insuring the
success of subsequent operations of the 5th Amphibious Corps on Iwo Jima,
thereby sustaining and enhancing the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval
Service.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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