Bisbee Sergeant Awarded Decoration for Heroism

The Bisbee Daily Review Volume 48, No. 109, 8 May 1945, Page 1

Transcribed by Jean Walker

Marine Technical Sergeant James J. Quill, 27, of 319 Tombstone Canyon has been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medal for heroism in action on Guam, the Marine Corps announced yesterday.

The award was made at Camp Pendleton, California, where he now is assistant bandmaster.

A citation accompanying the medal reads, in part:

“For heroism as a non-commissioned officer of a band section functioning as stretcher-bearers with an infantry battalion during action against the enemy on Guam, Marianas Islands from July 25 to July 29, 1944.” “During a critical phase of the battle, Quill received a painful head wound, but he refused evacuation until he had made five trips from the front lines to the battalion aid station, a distance of about 200 yards, to bring back casualties.”

Aids Wounded Buddy

In two of these trips, he and three assistants were forced to crawl for a distance of about 75 yards through heavy fire, dragging the stretchers to bring safely two wounded Marines down a steep incline to another aid station. “He continued his assiduous supervision of casualty evacuation until July 29 when he was stricken with an attack of malaria, and, at the point of complete exhaustion, was ordered to the rear. His actions were directly responsible for saving the lives of two wounded Marines, and instrumental in saving the lives of an indefinite number of wounded personnel.”

In addition to the Guam campaign, Sergeant Quill fought on Bougainville.

He taught music at the Arizona State Industrial School at Fort Grant before enlisting April 12, 1941.

He was graduated from Bisbee high school, and attended Arizona State Teachers College. He played guard on the college freshman football team and also was active in high school sports.

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