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Show Lakeside Review South, Wednesday, July 13, 1983 5A TT Medal of Honor Decorates Utah's Only Living Recipient By SHELLEY KANCITIS Review Correspondent ROY Except for its meticulously landscaped yard and 25 foot high flagpole, the brown and yellow split-levhouse in Roy resembles thousands of other suburban el homes. George E. Wahlen, the w St; I three returned uninjured from over a hilltop and seeing a the island. The rest were either wounded Marine at the bottom of the slope. He was a target of killed or wounded. As they left Hawaii for Iwo continuous fire. While looking at the man, Jima, the mood on ship was one of anticipation despite realistic Wahlen made a decision he would repeat so often that his briefings by Marine personnel. Even though we knew it was example inspired others to bad, most of us were anxious to persevere and eventually capgo because we'd been training ture the strategically signific- . I ri ant island. houses owner, is a slight, soft so long," said Wahlen. He called for firepower from Nothing, however, prepared spoken man who works as a the men for their first sight of nearby Marines and was able to staff appraiser for the Vetereach and treat his injured comrans Administration in Salt the island. From a distance, it resembled rade. Lake City. Several days later when his He is also Utahs sole living a large, dark rock. A closer Medal of Honor recipient. An view revealed a barren beach platoon was ordered to take award he won for conspicuous covered with knee deep volcan- another hill, they drew heavy gallantry and intrepidity at the ic ash and bodies of dead machine gun fire. Two men on rist of his life during World Marines. Heavily fortified by Wahlens right flank were killed the Japanese, the island seemed instantly. As he lay on his War II, Awarded to only 3,414 people impossible to penetrate. stomach, Wahlen heard a One major problem was thump. in the nations history, the MedI looked over and saw a al of Honor is the United States Mount Suribachi. It overlooked highest award for valor in the Marines landing area and Japanese grenade a foot or two was covered with enemy em- from my head. While he was ROY POSTMASTER Reed Hill presents portWahlen. The stamp's design features the combat. The Japanese trying to crawl away, it exA small sign on the front yard placements. folio of recently issued commemorative Army, Navy and Air Force Medals of flagpole given to Wahlen by his pretty much had us zeroed in. ploded. At first I thought half Medal of Honor U.S. Honor. stamps honoring family is the only visible evi- When they threw barrages, my head had been blown off. E. resident to Roy recipients George dence inside or outside the there was no chance to look for Suffering from facial wounds, remembers Wahlen. Wahlen wrapped dressings house to indicate Wahlens for- cover, Before leaving Iwo Jima, would have a unique opportuniwar, Wahlen limited his battle We knew we were in a big around his head to stop the midable contributions to the to tour the White House. saw the Wahlen ty recollections to officially reimpossible cause of freedom. About four mess. bleeding. achieved. It was drizzltask President Truman quested military appearances. Harry In the distance, he could hear For several days, Wahlens years ago, the kids gave him a ing rain when we got the news wanted to see him so he could Even now, Wahlen often decommemorative plaque to put platoon was held in reserve. a soldier calling for a on our radio that our flag had present Wahlen and 13 other clines invitations to appear on beside the flagpole, but he They picked up sniper fire, but Corpsman. I looked toward the been raised on Mount Suribachi. men with the Medal of television or at other formal military hasnt found a stone to put it on did not have many casualties. man and realized there were We could see it from a distance Honor. I was impressed, said events. It was a pretty silent time. We four or five Japanese grenades yet, laughed his wife, Melba. Wahlen in his typically underInstead he chooses to answer through the clouds. were all concerned. to lying around him. Instead of She admits occasional A picture of the flag raising stated manner. requests by young people for On the third day, Wahlens retreating, Wahlen crawled frustration over his modesty. I became the subject of a Pulitzer ceremonies and a autographs and reminiscences; After a a noticed made closer and big push Japanese prize winning photograph and parade, Wahlen returned to keep asking him to at least company He also attended a recent write down what happened dur- over open terrain. A platoon emplacement nearby. civilian life. He graduated from ceremony at the Roy Post Ofwas transformed into the famI an to worked was the hit and lost my way up ing the war so our kids will have sergeant ous memorial statue of five men Weber State College and began fice where Postmaster Reed arm, leg and eye. I was the edge and picked up some struggling to erect the Ameri- working for the railway mail Hill a record of what he did. presented him with a newly Wahlen is so quiet about his first one on the scene, said grenade fragments in my legs can flag in the rocky soil of Iwo service. issued commemorative stamp on the way. When Wahlen Jima. award that Melba did not know Wahlen. Still a military man at heart, honoring Medal of Honor reciFor a farm boy who once reached the emplacement, he he received the honor until a a nine month Wahlen missed the closeness of pients. While 12 10 a saw across it and spending of hole feet at the fainted blood, datsight girlfriend told her she was Wahlen admits to infrequent in a California the military community. In ing a war hero. Married in 1946, was a crucial test of courage. feet deep. At the bottom of the recovery period Wahlen reon why he risked his reflections Naval an and hole the in was enlisted soldier he hospital, lived The leader 1948, endenemy Army life so Wahlen credits Melba with platoon times during batU.S. from a many ceived telegram where he spent 20 years of duty ing his nightmares about the Wahlen eventually treated over throwing grenades out one after A lot of it was loyalty to my tle. summonNaval owe of 60 in another. Wahlen service. the medical whom Headquarters war. I used to have terrible Marines, many comrades and caring about doUnarmed except for grenades ing him to Washington. Already retired as a major in 1969. dreams, especially when I was him their lives. crostwo of ing my job. During combat you the Navy to bodies him thrown recipient by Marines, Bandaging mangled recovering in the hospital. After During his stint, dont have time to think about ses for bravery, Wahlen figured I got married, I never had was only a minor test of Wahlen reached for one and disWahlen returned to a combat Wahlens fortitude compared to covered the pin was bent. After they wanted him to participate zone in Asia. He served as a patriotism. You just do what another one. to do. straightening it, he pulled the in a patriotic program. There personnel officer in Vietnam youre trainedWahlen decided to. Compared to the real and im- a medics most critical chalLong of ago, a lot inwas patriotic activity and pin and counted to three. Then agined nightmares of Wahlens lenge: whether to treat an occasionally went on visits focus on life as it is now. I wartime experience, his boyjured comrade despite personal he threw it into the hole and going on in the capital then, he to the field. It didnt bother me wanted to get on with life. I crawled back to the injured explained. hood years in Ogden were unedanger. to be there," said Wahlen who wasnt going to make the past, I All was concerned Marine. ventful. The oldest of three Wahlen arrived in Washingnot my reason for living. I had to make a lot of deciabout was getting him out of ton D.C. on October 3, 1945, two feels Vietnam veterans have boys, Wahlen was born in 1924. received adequate recognition sions during the time on Iwo. there. This attitude and his strong Although his father worked in) One thing I remember is that days before he was officially from many Americans. faith have helped him religious the city, Wahlens family lived As a civilian, Wahlens major avoid problems such as the alsaid our job was to take Despite suffering a head expected. I checked into the nobody on a small farm. From the age care of the men tie with his heroic past is mem- coholism and high divorce rates only if it was wound and losing a hunk of YMCA and did some sightseof 12, George was responsible safe. Each of us had to decide on meat out of his shoulder, eing. Meanwhile, Navy brass bership in the Medal of Honor experienced by some medal refor daily chores on the farm. His our own if we wanted to take the Wahlen refused to be evacuated were frantically trying to conSociety which meets every two cipients. He is also a sense of self reliance was furtha until serious detact their missing hero. ever leg finally I injury risk. cant remember incurable optimist. Afyears. He has also attended severed by his favorite sport heroimmobilized His him. last Naval into walked he who When to someone not eral presidential inaugurations ter surviving Iwo, I knew nohelp ciding ic act was to crawl to the aid of a Headquarters, the startled boxing. was injured. along with other recipients. thing could happen that I A neighbor who had been a Wahlen recalls crawling up comrade. corpsman was told he For many years following the couldnt handle. professional fighter gave Wahlen extra coaching and he developed into a first rate high 20-ye- ar self-describ- school boxer. I really liked boxing, Wahlen. It was sort of a said status thing and gave me the feeling I could take care of myself, but my Dad didnt like the sport because he thought hurt. Id JULY20-23&2- 5 IN THE OGDEN STADIUM get Stropgwilled by nature, learned how to circumvent his father. Rather than ask Dad if I could do something, I went ahead and did it. If he got mad, I just said that he never told me not to. Wahlens well used strategy was unsuccessful when. he first tried to enter military service. I was under age and wanted to join the Army. Dad wouldnt sign the required papers. Instead Wahlen became an aircraft mechanic at Hill Field. Inspired by the patriotism of returning veterans, he decided to volunteer for the draft. I Wahlen quickly over-protecti- wanted to be an aircraft mechanic. Instead they put me into training for the medical corps. After four Wahlens stubborn streak I thought, Sister, youre not sending me anyHe promptly volunwhere. teered for the Fleet Marine Force, a duty viewed as suicidal for medical corpsmen. The enemy had a reputation for shooting corpsmen first because it hurt U.S. morale. officially became a , Wahlen member of the Fifth Marine Division of the Fleet Marine Force in January 1944. I really enjoyed the camaraderie. We were close and the Marines were very supportive of medics because they knew it was our job to take care of them. July 1944, Wahlens diviboarded ship for Guam. Instead they stopped in Hawaii where the men trained for six more months. Then Wahlens In sion . company was notified they were being deployed to Iwo Jima, an eight square mile island in the Pacific that' was held by the Japanese. 668 17 th Street 6:30 p.m. Warm tip Events -- 7:30 p.m. Main Show THIS IS REAL RODEO IN THE WESTS MOST SPECTACULAR OUTDOOR GREAT FAMILY SETTING ENTERTAINMENT distasteful months working at Balboa Naval Hospital in California, a military nurse threatened to have him shipped to the Pacific if he did not follow her orders, more efficiently. took over. Ogden Pioneer Days Duty on Iwo was like shaking hands with death. Out of the 240 men in Wahlens company, only FAMILY DISCOUNT NIGHTS July 20 & 21 $12. for a family of 6 (reg. $18) Call 399 8295 for ticket information -- RAMPAGE BONUS Present rodeo ticket stub from any night and $1 and ride the Rampage Slide at Lorin Farr Park all day! |