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John Henry Bradley was born on July 10, 1923 in Antigo, WI. He was the son of Mr. & Mrs. James J. Bradley. When John was just a boy the family moved to Appleton, WI. John graduated from Appleton High School in 1941. John was apprenticed to a funeral director. He'd just finished the 19 month apprenticeship when he enlisted in the Navy on Jan. 13, 1943.
Following boot camp in Farragut, Idaho, Seaman Bradley was assigned to the Hospital Corps School in Farragut. Upon completion of that course he was transferred to the Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA. He was assigned to the Fleet Marine Force in Jan. of 1944. Pharmacist's Mate Bradley then attended Field Medical School. This was standard training for corpsmen prior to serving with the Marines.
Pharmacist's Mate Bradley was assigned to the 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division on April 15, 1944. Iwo Jima was his first and only campaign. He landed with his regiment Feb. 19th. Two days later he earned the Navy's second highest award - The Navy Cross - for "Extraordinary heroism as a Hospital Corpsman in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima." Pharmacist's Mate Bradley had rushed to the aid of a wounded Marine, under intense fire he bandaged his wounds, then pulled the Marine 30 yards through heavy enemy fire to a position of safety. He served until he was wounded in both legs on March 12th by an enemy mortar shell. But he refused to be evacuated until he had finished rendering aid to 2 other wounded Marines. He was evacuated by plane the next day and flown to the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD. There, Pharmacist's Mate Bradley was presented with the Purple Heart on July 10, 1945. He was medically discharged Nov. 13, 1945.
The longest surviving member of the 6 men who'd raised the flag on Iwo Jima, Bradley died Jan. 11, 1994 in his hometown of Antigo, WI, he was 70 years of age.
Pharmacist's Mate Bradley's Awards: (shown above)
- Presidential Citation with 1 Star (for Iwo Jima)
- Navy Cross
- Purple Heart
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- WWII Victory Medal
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