La Belle, James D.
James Dennis La Belle was born on 22 November 1925 in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. An accomplished athlete in high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in November 1943 and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. He attended the Combat Training Course at Camp Pendleton, California and joined the regimental Weapons Company, Twenty-seventh Marines, Fifth Marine Division. With this unit, Private First Class La Belle participated in the battle for Iwo Jima. On 8 March 1945, while standing watch during the night, an enemy grenade landed beyond reach in La Belle's foxhole. Recognizing the peril of this situation, he dived on the grenade, sacrificing his own life to protect his fellow Marines. For his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life", he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. James D. La Belle is buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetary, St. Paul, Minnesota.
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