Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page. Return to Online Library Listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 105673:  First Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., USMCR

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- PEOPLE -- UNITED STATES --

First Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., USMCR, (1910-1943)

Alexander Bonnyman, Jr. was born on 2 May 1910 in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Princeton University, briefly served as a U.S. Army Air Corps flying cadet in 1932, and worked in the coal-mine industry during the following decade. In June 1942 Bonnyman enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps from the state of New Mexico, completing basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. He was then assigned to the Sixth Marines, Second Division and served with distinction in the Guadalcanal Campaign's last weeks. His performance at that time led to a battlefield commission, receiving promotion in February 1943 to Second Lieutenant. Six months later he attained the rank of First Lieutenant.

During 20-22 November 1943, Bonnyman served as the Executive Officer of the Second Battalion Shore Party, Eighth Marines, Second Marine Division during the amphibious assault on Betio Island, part of Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. For three consecutive days of the bloodiest fighting yet seen in the Pacific war, he bravely led his men in attacks on fiercely-defended Japanese fortifications. First Lieutenant Bonnyman was mortally wounded in an enemy counterattack near the end of the battle. For his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" at Tarawa, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Alexander Bonnyman, Jr. is listed on the "In Memory" marker at Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, New Mexico and on the Wall of the Missing at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.

USNS 1st LT Alex Bonnyman (T-AK-3003), 1985-____, is named in honor of First Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman, Jr.

This page features the only images we have concerning Alexander Bonnyman, Jr.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 105673

First Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., USMCR


Halftone reproduction of a photograph, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 159.
Alexander Bonnyman Jr. was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" from 20-22 November 1943 while serving as Executive Officer of Second Battalion Shore Party, Eighth Marines, Second Division during the Battle of Tarawa, Gilbert Islands. He bravely led his men during three days of intense fighting on Betio Island before being mortally wounded by the enemy.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 44KB; 580 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 105691

Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal


Presents twelve-year old Miss Frances Berry Bonnyman the Medal of Honor posthumously awarded to her father, First Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., USMCR, in a ceremony at the Navy Department, 22 January 1947.
First Lieutenant Bonnyman served as Executive Officer of the Second Battalion Shore Party, Eighth Marines during the Battle of Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 20-22 November 1943. He bravely led his men for three days during the assault on the heavily defended Japanese position on Tarawa's Betio Island before being mortally wounded by the enemy.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the "All Hands" collection at the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 



Medal of Honor citation of First Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman Jr., USMC (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 159):

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Executive Officer of the Second Battalion Shore Party, Eighth Marines, SECOND Marine Division, during the assault against enemy Japanese-held Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, 20-22 November 1943. Acting on his own initiative when assault troops were pinned down at the far end of Betio Pier by the overwhelming fire of the Japanese shore batteries, First Lieutenant Bonnyman repeatedly defied the blasting fury of the enemy bombardment to organize and lead the besieged men over the long, open pier to the beach and then, voluntarily obtaining flame throwers and demolitions, organized his pioneer shore party into assault demolitionists and directed the blowing of several hostile installations before the close of D-Day. Determined to effect an opening in the enemy's strongly organized defense line the following day, he voluntarily crawled approximately 40 yards forward of our lines and placed demolitions in the entrance of a large Japanese emplacement as the initial move in his planned attack against the heavily garrisoned, bombproof installation which was stubbornly resisting despite the destruction early in the action of a large number of Japanese who had been inflicting heavy casualities on our forces and holding up our advance. Withdrawing only to replenish his ammunition, he led his men in a renewed assault, fearlessly exposing himself to the merciless slash of hostile fire as he stormed the formidable bastion, directed the placement of demolition charges in both entrances and seized the top of the bombproof position, flushing more than 100 of the enemy who were instantly cut down, and effecting the annihilation of approximately 150 troops inside the emplacement. Assailed by additional Japanese after he had gained his objective, he made a heroic stand on the edge of the structure, defending his strategic position with indomitable determination in the face of the desperate charge and killing three of the enemy before he fell, mortally wounded. By his dauntless fighting spirit, unrelenting aggressiveness and forceful leadership throughout 3 days of unremitting, violent battle, First Lieutenant Bonnyman had inspired his men to heroic effort, enabling them to beat off the counterattack and break the back of hostile resistance in that sector for an immediate gain of 400 yards with no further casualities to our forces in this zone. He gallantly gave his life for his country."


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 17 April 2008
    Introductory text corrected 5 April 2009