Anthony P. Damato

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Anthony Peter Damato
March 28, 1922 - February 20, 1944
Anthony P. Damato, Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth	Shenandoah, Pennsylvania
Place of death	KIA, Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll
Allegiance	USMC
Years of service	1942-1944
Rank	Corporal
Unit	2nd Battalion 22nd Marines
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Medal of Honor (1944) Purple Heart

Corporal Anthony Peter Damato (1922-1944), was a United States Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for this valor and sacrifice of life during World War II. Damoto was serving with an assault company of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Marines, 5th Amphibious Corps, on Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands when on the night of 19-20 February 1944, while in a foxhole with two companions, he threw himself upon an enemy grenade, absorbing the explosion in his body. He was instantly killed.

Damato was born on 28 March 1922, in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. He was educated in the elementary and high schools of Shenandoah. Prior to enlistment he was last employed as a truck driver.

Damato enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 8 January 1942. He went to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in May of that year. He distinguished himself during the first year of his enlistment, volunteering for special duty with a select invasion party that took part in the North African landings. He was advanced in rate for especially meritorious conduct in action while serving aboard ship at Arzeau, Algeria, on 8 November 1942, when he landed with an assault wave entering the port from seaward and assisted in boarding and seizing vessels in the harbor as well as the seizure of the port. He returned to the United States in March 1943, and three months later sailed for Pacific duty.

On the night of February 19-20, 1944 on Engebi Island in the Marshall Islands, Corporal Damato sacrificed his life, while saving the life of fellow Marines.

Corporal Damato was initially buried in the Temporary American Cemetery on Kiririan Island in the Marshall Islands. Later, his remains were reinterred in the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.

[edit] Honors

On 9 April 1945, the tiny mining community of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania turned out en masse to pay homage to Cpl Damato at the presentation ceremonies for the Medal of Honor. The presentation was made by BGen M. C. Gregory, USMC, in the Cooper High School where Cpl Damato had been a student, and was presented to his mother.

The USS Damato, a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, was named in honor of Corporal Damato.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

CORPORAL ANTHONY P. DAMATO
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with an assault company of the Second Battalion, Twenty-Second Marines, Fifth Amphibious Corps, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Eniwetok Atoll Marshall Islands, on the night of February 19-20, 1944. Highly vulnerable to sudden attack by small, fanatical groups of Japanese still at large despite the efficient and determined efforts of our forces to clear the area, Corporal Damato lay with two comrades in a large foxhole in his company's defense perimeter which had been dangerously thinned by the forced withdrawal of nearly half of the available men. When one of the enemy approached the foxhole undetected and threw in a hand grenade, Corporal Damato desperately groped for it in the darkness. Realizing the imminent peril to all three and fully aware of the consequences of his act, he unhesitatingly flung himself in the grenade and, although instantly killed as his body absorbed the explosion, saved the lives of his two companions. Corporal Damato's splendid initiative, fearless conduct and valiant sacrifice reflect great upon himself and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his comrades.

/S/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT