[Vulture6]

Former Marine gets medal for 1944 injury

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Sep 11, 2007 17:59:58 EDT

BILLINGS, Mont. — A Billings man who was injured by a hand grenade during World War II and returned to battle after bandaging the injury has been awarded the Purple Heart.

Sidney Kurth received his medal Monday, nearly 63 years after he was injured.

“It’s been a long time coming — too long. This should have been taken care of years ago, but it’s taken care of now,” said Wilber Jensen, commandant of the local Marine Corps League.

Kurth, who is a lawyer, served in the Marines from Jan. 6, 1942, to Jan. 4, 1946. He was a second lieutenant in the 3rd 155mm Howitzer Battalion based at Guadalcanal, part of the Solomon Islands, during World War II.

On Oct. 6, 1944, Kurth sat in a fighting hole made of coral on Peleliu Island in the South Pacific as the Japanese crossed the perimeter defense.

When the first hand grenade flew over their makeshift fort, Kurth quickly threw it out. But just as quickly another grenade exploded in the fighting hole.

Kurth retreated long enough to bandage his hand, then returned to battle.

“When you’re wounded, you either go back to your outfit, or go to a hospital ship. I wasn’t bad enough to go to a hospital ship,” Kurth said.

The battalion’s operations around the island were only supposed to last 48 hours, but ended up lasting 43 days, Kurth said. On Aug. 8, 1945, the battalion disbanded.

Somewhere along the way, the battalion’s records were lost. Although Kurth knew he was eligible for a Purple Heart, he didn’t raise the issue.

About two years ago, he got a copy of the battalion’s records in the mail.

Apparently the grandson of a fellow Marine searched the Naval Archives for records of Kurth’s battalion and found its log book, which cited each day’s activity, who was injured and who died.

1st Sgt. George Rabidou mailed the paperwork to apply for Kurth’s Purple Heart in February 2006.

Monday, Rabidou handed over the medal, embossed with George Washington’s face on the front and the phrase “For Military Merit” on the back.