Franklin E. Sigler - Military Career

Military Career

On March 23, 1943, he joined the Marines and was sent to recruit training at Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon graduating was sent to the Guard Company, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 1943. In April 1944, he joined Company F, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, and in July, embarked aboard the USS Clay for Hilo, Hawaii. Sigler and his unit were only in Hawaii for a short time before they were sent to the south Pacific to participate in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

The unit saw heavy combat on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands and Sigler's squad leaders were injured in the fighting. He took command of his squad and lead them against a Japanese gun position that had been holding up the advance of his company for several days. He was the first to reach the gun position and personally annihilated the gun crew with grenades. When the Japanese began firing from tunnels and caves leading to the gun position, he scaled the rocks leading up to the position and single-handedly assaulted them, completely surprising them. Although wounded, he refused to be evacuated and, crawling back to his squad, directed machine-gun and rocket fire on the cave entrances. In the ensuing fight three of his men were wounded and Sigler, disregarding the pain from his wound and the heavy enemy fire, carried them to safety behind the lines. Returning to his squad he remained with his men directing their fire until ordered to retire and seek medical aid. For his actions during this battle he received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest decoration for bravery in action. The medal was presented to him by President Truman at a White House ceremony October 5, 1945.