WILLIAM JAMES BORDELON (1920 ~ 1943). Medal of Honor Recipient William James Bordelon was born on December 25, 1920, in San Antonio, Texas. In high school, he was a cadet officer in the ROTC. After entering the Marine Corps on December 10, 1941, he rose rapidly through the ranks.
In late 1942 he was stationed in New Zealand for training, where he became close to a Wellington family, the Bowaters, who provided a home away from home for soldiers on liberty. After Bordelon's death, Mrs. Muriel Bowater kept a framed copy of his Medal of Honor citation and also took out a front page advertisement in the local paper to honor the one year anniversary of his heroic action.
Bordelon was promoted to Sergeant on July 10, 1942, and after Guadalcanal was promoted to Staff Sergeant. As a member of the engineer platoon of the 1st Battalion, 18th Marines, he was responsible for clearing the beach of obstacles and enemy fortifications for the Marines landing on Tarawa, in the Gilbert Islands, on November 20, 1943. After landing under enemy fire so intense it had killed all but four men in his tractor, Bordelon personally destroyed two enemy pillboxes with demolition charges. While attempting to destroy a third pillbox he was shot and the explosives went off in his hand. Remaining in action, but temporarily out of explosives, he seized a rifle and provided covering fire to a group of men climbing the nearby seawall. Bordelon then rescued one of his demolition men who was wounded and stranded in the water. He also rescued another soldier who had been shot while attempting to rescue the demolition man. Bordelon then assaulted a fourth enemy pillbox with newly prepared demolition charges and was killed as it was destroyed.
In honor of his actions, Bordelon was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was presented to his parents by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in June, 1944. Bordelon was originally buried on the Tarawa Atoll; then moved to the U.S. Army Mausoleum in Hawaii, where he remained until 1995.
On November 19, 1995, Bordelon's remains were laid in state at the Alamo, only the fifth person to ever receive that honor. More than 2,500 visitors paid their respects. The following day he was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.
Bibliography: "Above and Beyond: The Medal of Honor in Texas," Capitol Visitors Center, State Preservation Board of Texas. The Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association, University of Texas, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/BB/fbosc.html, July 31, 2003. San Antonio Express-News: October 2, 1995, pg. 1A. 8A; November 19, 1995, pg. 1A, 13A; November 20, 1995, pg. 1A, 8A. "The Marine Corps Medal of Honor Recipients," http://www.marinemedals.com/bordelon.htm, September 25, 2002. |
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