Corporal
Tony Stein, who was killed in action on 1 March
1945, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
for conspicuous gallantry in repeated
single-handed
assaults against the enemy and outstanding valor
in aiding wounded Marines during the initial assault
on Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945.
Less
than two weeks after the action in which he earned
the Nation's highest award for valor, he died in
combat during a mission in which he and a group
of fellow Marines had volunteered to locate some
enemy machine gun emplacements which were holding
up the advance of his entire company.
Corporal
Stein's Medal of Honor and citation were presented
to his widow on 19 February 1946 during a ceremony
in the office of Governor Frank Lausche of Ohio.
Tony
Stein was born in Dayton, Ohio, 30 September 1921,
and attended Kiser High School there. He enlisted
in the U.S. Marine Corps on 22 September 1942.
Following the war, his remains were returned to
the United States from the 5th Division Cemetery
for reinterment in his native Dayton. Dayton's only
World War II recipient of the Medal of Honor, Cpl
Stein was buried with full military honors on Saturday,
17 December 1948, in Calvary Cemetery following
funeral services in Our Lady of the Rosary Church.
Medal of Honor Citation