{{Infobox Military Person |name= John Harold Leims |lived= June 8, 1921 - June 28, 1985 |placeofbirth= Chicago, Illinois |placeofdeath= |image= [[Image:Leims JH USMC.jpg]]  [[Image:MoH.jpg|75px]] |caption= Medal of Honor recipient |nickname= |allegiance= [[United States Marine Corps|USMC]] |serviceyears= 1942-1962 |rank= Captain |commands= |unit= [[1st Battalion 9th Marines]] |battles= [[Battle of Iwo Jima]] |awards= [[Medal of Honor]]
[[Purple Heart]] |laterwork= }} {{portal|United States Marine Corps|USMC_logo.svg}} Captain '''John Harold Leims''' (1921-1985) was a [[United States Marine]] who earned the [[Medal of Honor]] as a second lieutenant on [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima]] for his heroic actions on [[7 March]] [[1945]]. ==Early years== John Harold Leims was born in [[Chicago, Illinois]] on [[8 June]] [[1921]]. He attended St. Hilary Parochial School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary, and graduated from Saint George High School in [[Evanston, Illinois]], in 1939. At Saint George's, he played varsity football and track, was sports editor of the school paper, and was an [[Scouting in Illinois|Assistant Scoutmaster]] in the [[Boy Scouts of America]]. After high school, he attended [[Northwestern University]] for two and a half years, and worked part-time at the Commonwealth Edison Company. He left college in 1941 following his marriage, and worked subsequently for the [[Standard Oil]] Company; the Paschen Construction Company; the Naval Station at Great Lakes, Illinois, and the Austin Construction Company. ==Marine Corps service== Enlisting in the [[USMCR|Marine Corps Reserve]] on [[27 November]] [[1942]], he completed [[recruit training]] at [[Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego]] and was assigned to the 3rd Service Battalion, [[3rd Marine Division]]. He left for overseas duty with that unit, on [[23 February]] [[1943]]. After four months in [[New Zealand]] and two months at [[Guadalcanal]], he was selected for officer training and returned to the United States in September 1943. He was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant on [[1 March]] [[1944]], at Quantico, Virginia. On [[29 June]] [[1944]], 2dLt Leims went overseas again and rejoined the 3rd Marine Division. This time, he was a company officer in a rifle company of the [[1st Battalion, 9th Marines]]. In October and November, he was actively engaged in patrolling against Japanese holdouts on [[Guam]]. Landing on [[Iwo Jima]] on [[24 February]] [[1945]], he was slightly wounded by a shell fragment on [[27 February]], but returned to duty on the same day. On [[3 March]], due to heavy casualties, he became company commander, a position usually filled by a captain. On [[7 March]], he led his company in a surprise attack against a strongly fortified enemy hill position, succeeded in capturing the objective, and in spite of withering fire returned forward to rescue two of his wounded men. Promoted to first lieutenant on [[1 June]] [[1945]], he returned to the United States that November and was detached from active duty on [[25 January]] [[1946]]. On [[14 June]] [[1946|of that year]], he was temporarily recalled to active duty to receive the Medal of Honor, presented to him by President [[Harry S. Truman]] in a [[White House]] ceremony.[http://www.trumanlibrary.org/calendar/main.php?currYear=1946&currMonth=6&currDay=14 Friday, June 14, 1946], Daily Presidential Appointments, the Truman Library. (URL accessed April 26, 2006) A member of the 9th Reserve District, he was subsequently promoted to captain in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1956, and retired on [[1 July]] [[1962]]. He died in June 28, 1985 at the age of 64. Captain Leims was buried in Section 2, Grave 1133 of [[Arlington National Cemetery]]. [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jleims.htm John Harold Leims profile], Arlington National Cemetery. (URL accessed April 26, 2006). ==Medal of Honor citation== The [[President of the United States]] takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
'''SECOND LIEUTENANT JOHN H. LEIMS'''
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
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 Company B, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the [[Volcano Islands]], on [[7 March]] [[1945]]. Launching a surprise attack against the rock-imbedded fortifications of a dominating Japanese hill position, Second Lieutenant Leims spurred his company forward with indomitable determination and, skillfully directing his assault platoons against the cave-emplaced enemy troops and heavily fortified [[pillbox]]es, succeeded in capturing the objective in the late afternoon. When it became apparent that his assault platoons were cut off in this newly won position, approximately four hundred yards forward of adjacent units and lacked all communication with the command post, he personally advanced and laid telephone lines across the isolating expanse of open, fire-swept terrain. Ordered to withdraw his command after he had joined his forward platoons, he immediately complied, adroitly effecting the withdrawal of his troops without incident. Upon arriving at the rear, he was informed that several casualties had been left at the abandoned ridge position beyond the front lines. Although suffering acutely from strain and exhaustion of battle, he instantly went forward despite darkness and the slashing fury of hostile [[machine gun|machine-gun]] fire, located and carried to safety one seriously wounded Marine and then, running the gauntlet of enemy fire for the third time that night, again made his tortuous way into the bullet-riddled deathtrap and rescued another of his wounded men. A dauntless leader, concerned at all times for the welfare of his men, Second Lieutenant Leims soundly maintained the coordinated strength of his battle-wearied company under extremely difficult conditions and, by his bold tactics, sustained aggressiveness and heroic disregard of all personal danger, contributed essentially to the success of his division's operations against this vital Japanese base. His valiant conduct in the face of fanatic opposition sustained and enhanced the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps.
/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN ==References== :''This article incorporates text in the [[public domain]] from the [[United States Marine Corps]].'' *[http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/HD/Historical/Whos_Who/Leims_JH.htm Captain John Harold Leims, USMCR], ''Who's Who in Marine Corps History'', History Division, United States Marine Corps. *[http://www.usmc.mil/moh.nsf/000003c919889c0385255f980058f5b6/0000033ba9f47a7385255fa4004aee79?OpenDocument Medal of Honor citation], United States Marine Corps. ==External links== * [http://www.medalofhonor.com/JohnLeims.htm John H. Leims profile], at ''Medal of Honor.com''. [[Category:1921 births|Leims, John H.]] [[Category:1985 deaths|Leims, John H.]] [[Category:American World War II veterans|Leims, John H.]] [[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery|Leims, John H.]] [[Category:Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients|Leims, John H.]] [[Category:People from Illinois|Leims, John H.]] [[Category:Recipients of the Purple Heart medal|Leims, John H.]] [[Category:United States Marine Corps officers|Leims, John H.]]