WW2 Navy Cross Recipient
Last Rank
Private 1st Class
Last Primary MOS
1375-Demolition Man
Last MOSGroup
Engineer, Construction And Equipment
Last Unit
1944-1945, 1375, Fleet Marine Force Pacific/5th Marine Division
Home State
New York
Home Town
Witherbee, New York
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casualty Date
March 20, 1945
Cause
Hostile, Died Reason
Unknown, Not Reported
Location
Japan Conflict
World War II */World War II
1944 - 1945
Citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to John B. Babich (873272), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company C, Fifth Engineer Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division, during action against the enemy on Japanese-held Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 22 February 1945. When heavy fire from an enemy cave at the base of Mount Suribachi disrupted the advance of his company and harassed our men in the rear areas, Private First Class Babich volunteered to go ahead of the Infantry lines and try to silence the emplacement. Undaunted by the fact that the cave was in the walls of a cliff forty feet high and that he was exposed to heavy hostile fire from all directions, he approached the base of the cliff and cautiously climbed to the top. Despite the extreme danger, he carefully placed a heavy demolition charge over the cave and returned to his original position. Discovering that the charge had a defective fuse, he repeated his first daring mission, setting off a second charge which sealed the mouth of the cave and trapped the Japanese inside. His outstanding courage, daring initiative and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Babich and the United States Naval Service.
Commander in Chief, Pacific Forces:
Serial 35303 (October 25, 1945)
Home Town: Witherbee, New York
John B. Babich
Born 20 May 1925
Died 20 March 1945
Private First Class
5th Marine Division, Engineer Bat. Co. C
State New York
Buried Mineville Cemetery, Port Henry N.Y.
Last Rank
Private 1st Class
Last Primary MOS
1375-Demolition Man
Last MOSGroup
Engineer, Construction And Equipment
Last Unit
1944-1945, 1375, Fleet Marine Force Pacific/5th Marine Division
Home State
New York
Home Town
Witherbee, New York
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casualty Date
March 20, 1945
Cause
Hostile, Died Reason
Unknown, Not Reported
Location
Japan Conflict
World War II */World War II
1944 - 1945
Citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to John B. Babich (873272), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company C, Fifth Engineer Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division, during action against the enemy on Japanese-held Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 22 February 1945. When heavy fire from an enemy cave at the base of Mount Suribachi disrupted the advance of his company and harassed our men in the rear areas, Private First Class Babich volunteered to go ahead of the Infantry lines and try to silence the emplacement. Undaunted by the fact that the cave was in the walls of a cliff forty feet high and that he was exposed to heavy hostile fire from all directions, he approached the base of the cliff and cautiously climbed to the top. Despite the extreme danger, he carefully placed a heavy demolition charge over the cave and returned to his original position. Discovering that the charge had a defective fuse, he repeated his first daring mission, setting off a second charge which sealed the mouth of the cave and trapped the Japanese inside. His outstanding courage, daring initiative and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Babich and the United States Naval Service.
Commander in Chief, Pacific Forces:
Serial 35303 (October 25, 1945)
Home Town: Witherbee, New York
John B. Babich
Born 20 May 1925
Died 20 March 1945
Private First Class
5th Marine Division, Engineer Bat. Co. C
State New York
Buried Mineville Cemetery, Port Henry N.Y.
WW2 Navy Cross Recipient
Last Rank
Private 1st Class
Last Primary MOS
1375-Demolition Man
Last MOSGroup
Engineer, Construction And Equipment
Last Unit
1944-1945, 1375, Fleet Marine Force Pacific/5th Marine Division
Home State
New York
Home Town
Witherbee, New York
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casualty Date
March 20, 1945
Cause
Hostile, Died Reason
Unknown, Not Reported
Location
Japan Conflict
World War II */World War II
1944 - 1945
Citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to John B. Babich (873272), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company C, Fifth Engineer Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division, during action against the enemy on Japanese-held Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 22 February 1945. When heavy fire from an enemy cave at the base of Mount Suribachi disrupted the advance of his company and harassed our men in the rear areas, Private First Class Babich volunteered to go ahead of the Infantry lines and try to silence the emplacement. Undaunted by the fact that the cave was in the walls of a cliff forty feet high and that he was exposed to heavy hostile fire from all directions, he approached the base of the cliff and cautiously climbed to the top. Despite the extreme danger, he carefully placed a heavy demolition charge over the cave and returned to his original position. Discovering that the charge had a defective fuse, he repeated his first daring mission, setting off a second charge which sealed the mouth of the cave and trapped the Japanese inside. His outstanding courage, daring initiative and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Babich and the United States Naval Service.
Commander in Chief, Pacific Forces:
Serial 35303 (October 25, 1945)
Home Town: Witherbee, New York
John B. Babich
Born 20 May 1925
Died 20 March 1945
Private First Class
5th Marine Division, Engineer Bat. Co. C
State New York
Buried Mineville Cemetery, Port Henry N.Y.
Last Rank
Private 1st Class
Last Primary MOS
1375-Demolition Man
Last MOSGroup
Engineer, Construction And Equipment
Last Unit
1944-1945, 1375, Fleet Marine Force Pacific/5th Marine Division
Home State
New York
Home Town
Witherbee, New York
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Casualty Date
March 20, 1945
Cause
Hostile, Died Reason
Unknown, Not Reported
Location
Japan Conflict
World War II */World War II
1944 - 1945
Citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to John B. Babich (873272), Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company C, Fifth Engineer Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division, during action against the enemy on Japanese-held Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 22 February 1945. When heavy fire from an enemy cave at the base of Mount Suribachi disrupted the advance of his company and harassed our men in the rear areas, Private First Class Babich volunteered to go ahead of the Infantry lines and try to silence the emplacement. Undaunted by the fact that the cave was in the walls of a cliff forty feet high and that he was exposed to heavy hostile fire from all directions, he approached the base of the cliff and cautiously climbed to the top. Despite the extreme danger, he carefully placed a heavy demolition charge over the cave and returned to his original position. Discovering that the charge had a defective fuse, he repeated his first daring mission, setting off a second charge which sealed the mouth of the cave and trapped the Japanese inside. His outstanding courage, daring initiative and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Babich and the United States Naval Service.
Commander in Chief, Pacific Forces:
Serial 35303 (October 25, 1945)
Home Town: Witherbee, New York
John B. Babich
Born 20 May 1925
Died 20 March 1945
Private First Class
5th Marine Division, Engineer Bat. Co. C
State New York
Buried Mineville Cemetery, Port Henry N.Y.
