29 February

PM2 GEORGE EDWARD WAHLEN
Attached to 2d Battalion,
26th Marines, 5th Marine Division
Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands
29 February
During action against enemy forces on Iwo Jima, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class (PM2) Wahlen was administering medical aid to a fallen Marine when he was himself seriously wounded.

Despite his painful wounds, Wahlen remained on the battlefield, advancing well forward of his own lines to recover a wounded Marine. Whalen carried the Marine through a hail of enemy machinegun fire to safety

Over the course of the battle, Wahlen consistently disregarded all danger in order to administer aid to Marines as they fell to Japanese guns.  When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties, including their Corpsman, Wahlen defied the mortar fire, continuing to administer aid to his wounded Marines. Recovering and treating a total of 14 Marines in the adjacent platoon before he returned to his unit.

Wounded again on 2 March, Wahlen again refused evacuation, moving out with his company the following day as they made a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain, where Wahlen repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposing himself to enemy fire.

Wounded a third time Pharmacist Mate Wahlen was rendered unable to walk so he crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen Marine. – Wahlen never let up as long as there were wounded me to treat even after he retired from the Navy. In 1969 he retired from the Armed Forces and was employed by the Veteran’s Administration for 12 years, taking care of veterans.

George Edward Wahlen passed away Friday, June 5, 2009 after a short battle with cancer.