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WORLD WAR II GYRENE PHOTO ALBUM page 11 Sergeant Robert A. Montgomery
After inprocessing, Sgt Montgomery was assigned to Headquarters Co, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines as a bazooka man. His first combat operation with The Old Breed was the assault on Peleliu from 15 September–26 October 1944. On 26 September 1944, 1/5 was given the mission of attacking to the northern tip of Peleliu from their positions near the radio station on the West Road. The assault kicked off early in the morning, but immediately ran into intense and accurate Japanese fire from the Amiangol Ridge complex, dominating terrain on northern Peleliu. This position was held in strength by the enemy, and had been prepared with interlocking cave positions. The Marines of 1/5 only gained a few yards. All forward movement was halted by heavy fire from Japanese artillery pieces employed in direct fire-mode from Hill 1 of the Amiangol Ridges. Meanwhile, enemy positions on Ngesebus Island poured heavy automatic weapons fire into the stalled Marines. During this desperate fight, Sgt Montgomery, then a Pfc, was cut-off from his unit. Sgt Montgomery observed a Japanese 75mm field piece being positioned to open fire on his exposed comrades. He closed to within 50 yards and began loading and firing his bazooka at the gun. He engaged with nine rounds, destroying the gun and crew. For his heroic actions that day, Sgt Montgomery was later awarded the Bronze Star with "V" device.
After rebuilding on Pavuvu, The Old Breed took part in the assault and capture of Okinawa. This campaign, from 1 April–30 June 1945, was the largest of the Pacific war. Sgt Montgomery was assigned as the platoon leader for the Assault Platoon, HQ Co, 1/5. During the bitter fighting to reduce the Japanese defensive pocket in the Awacha Draw, his platoon was heavily engaged in the elimination of enemy fortifications. On 5 May 1945, supported by a company of Sherman tanks and a section of flame tanks, Marines of 1/5 captured the high ground on the west side of the Awacha Draw. Further advance was stopped by heavy fire from enemy positions on the battalion's left and right flanks. The next day, the attack continued in an effort to reduce enemy assembly areas on the borders of the pocket. Using flamethrowers and demoliton charges, Sgt Montgomery's platoon blasted and burned one enemy position after another. Under heavy fire, they leapfrogged forward against fierce resistance. Sgt Montgomery led his Marines from the front throughout the day. He exposed himself to almost certain death again and again to seal up Japanese-held caves and rescue wounded comrades. For his heroism on 6 May 1945, Sgt Montgomery was later awarded the Silver Star. On 7 May, the reduction of the Awacha Pocket continued under heavy Japanese artillery and mortar fire. As 1/5, attacked across low ground, the lead company came under withering fire from Japanese positions on Awacha Ridge. One of Sgt Montgomery's Marines, Pfc Albert Schwab, was a flamethrower operator supporting the attack. Pfc Schwab scaled the Japanese-held cliff and destroyed two enemy positions with his flamethrower. During his selfless act of heroism, Pfc Schwab was killed by enemy machine gun fire. He was later awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor.
Near the end of the campaign for Okinawa, 1/5 was assigned to capture the Japanese defenses on Hill 79. On 20 June 1945, in a driving rain storm, the Marines advanced against one of the last enemy pockets. Organized resistance collapsed as darkness fell on the battlefield. The next day, the Assault Platoon was sent to mop-up during a final sweep in the battalion zone before moving back to the rear. On that fateful day, 21 June 1945, Sgt Montgomery went to the top of a hill that contained an intact enemy position. He dropped a satchel charge down the position's air shaft. The charge failed to detonate, so he placed two more in the shaft, but they also failed to explode. He realized that enemy soldiers below were removing the detonators from the charges. He warned his fellow Marines that he was going to set the fuze on the next charge for quick detonation. Sgt Montgomery ignited the fuze and leaned into the shaft to drop the charge. He was shot in the chest from below, but without hesistation dropped the charge. Unable to roll clear, he was killed when the satchel charges detonated below. By continuing with his mission, he ensured that his buddies were not engulfed in the explosion with nearly leveled the top of the hill. When he died, Sgt Montgomery was 26 years old. He was first buried in the 1st MarDiv Cemetery on Okinawa. In 1949, he was interred in Beverly National Cemetery in New Jersey. He left behind his wife and his 22 month old son, Robert.
World War II Gyrene Spotlight on Sources used for this page: History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, Volumes IV & V, GPO
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This site is owned & maintained by Mark Flowers, copyright 2004, all rights reserved.
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Sgt. Robert Montgomery, called "the Babe" by his older brothers, was born in Philadelphia in 1918. Among other jobs, he drove a taxicab before the war. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 1942. Following boot camp and infantry training, he was sent to the 1st Marine Division while it was stationed on the island of Pavuvu following the Cape Gloucester campaign. 
