BRONZE STAR TO JOURNAL WRITER
Award for Part in Guam Invasion Made to Lt, Dick Sullivan
Second Lt. Richard J. ("Dick") Sullivan, former Journal reporter, has been awarded the bronze star for heroic achievement on Guam where he refused to leave his post despite a "painful" wound.
The award was presented at a review and parade at Camp Lejeune, N. C., where Lt. Sullivan is in the final week of an officer’s application course for marines.
According to a citation accompanying the medal, Lt. Sullivan was "wounded by machinegun fire while relaying a message over the rear telephone of a tank under intense enemy fire, Although painfully wounded he, refused to be evacuated until the next day when he was again wounded by mortar fire.
Tank Shot 13 Times
The action occurred last July 24 in the midst of the marine battle to wrest Guam from the Japanese.
Lt. Sullivan’s tank was punctured 13 times by Japanese gun fire. He was wounded first in the shoulder and the next day in the arm.
The citation said the medal was for "heroic achievement as chief of a liaison and reconnaissance section of a tank company in action against the enemy on Guam." It praised Lt. Sullivan for "displaying outstanding courage and intrepidity in his devotion to duty in maintaining good contact and teamwork between tank and infantry."
Up to Traditions
"His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service”, read the citation, which was signed by Lt. Gen. H. M. Smith of the marines.
At the time of the action, Lt. Sullivan was a private first class. He later was selected for officers' candidate training and was commissioned last March 28 at Quantico, Va.
He enlisted April 14, 1943, at Des Moines and took his boot training at San Diego, Cal. He attended radio school at San Diego, radio maintenance school at Oceanside, Cal. and artillery communications school at Camp Pendleton, Cal. He was sent overseas January 23, 1944.
In Initial Attacks
Lt Sullivan hit the beaches of Guam with the first wave of the 22d marine regiment tank company.
Lt. Sullivan is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed R. Miller of Climbing Hill. His wife is the former Arlene Rasmussen, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence R. Rasmussen, reside at 2440 Shields Avenue.
Lt. Sullivan was graduated from Central high school in June 1940 and attended Morningside college from 1940 to 1942. He was affiliated with Alpha Tau Delta fraternity.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, May 21, 1945
