Ross Lindsey Iams

{{short description|United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Ross Lindsey Iams

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1881|4|5}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1952|3|29|1881|4|5|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Graysville, Pennsylvania, US

| death_place = San Diego, California, US

| placeofburial = Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California

| image = Iams RL.jpg

| medal = US Navy Medal of Honor (1913 to 1942).png

| medal_size = 70px

| caption = Ross L. Iams in his Dress Blue Uniform

| allegiance = {{flag|United States of America}}

| branch = 25px United States Marine Corps

| serviceyears = 1901 – 1932, 1942

| rank = Major

| commands =

| unit = 2nd Marine Regiment

| battles = World War I
Banana Wars

World War II

| awards = Medal of Honor

| laterwork =

}}

Ross Lindsey Iams (April 5, 1881 – March 25, 1952) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for actions in Haiti on November 17, 1915. Iams served for over 30 years in the Marine Corps, reaching the rank of major. Iams is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.

Medal of Honor citation

Iams was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions while a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. His citation reads:

In company with members of the Fifth, Thirteenth, Twenty-Third Companies and Marine and sailor detachment from the {{USS|Connecticut|BB-18|6}}, Sergeant Iams participated in the attack on Fort Riviere, Haiti, November 17, 1915. Following a concentrated drive, several different detachments of Marines gradually closed in on the old French bastion fort in an effort to cut off all avenues of retreat for the Caco bandits. Approaching a breach in the wall which was the only entrance to the fort, Sergeant Iams unhesitatingly jumped through the breach despite constant fire from the Cacos and engaged the enemy in a desperate hand-to-hand combat until the bastion was captured and Caco resistance neutralized.

File:Ross L. Iams being awarded the Medal of Honor.png

Service time line

  • January 29, 1901 – enlisted in the Marine Corps
  • various brevets as Marine gunner, lieutenant and captain
  • June 4, 1920 – permanent appointment as captain, U.S. Marine Corps
  • November 1932 – retirement
  • January 19, 1942 – returned to active duty as major

See also

{{Portal|Biography}}

References

  • {{Cite web

|url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Iams_RL.htm

|accessdate=September 3, 2007

|title=Major Ross L. Iams, USMC

|work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History

|publisher=History Division, United States Marine Corps

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516214059/http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Iams_RL.htm

|archive-date=May 16, 2011

|url-status=dead

|df=mdy-all

}}

  • {{Cite web

|accessdate=March 3, 2010

|url=http://www.usmc.mil/moh.nsf/0/000003c919889c0385255fa4005ec785?OpenDocument

|title=Sgt Ross L. Iams, Medal of Honor, 1915 (citation)}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

  • {{Cite web

|accessdate=March 3, 2010

|url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1900_wars/h1_iams_ross.html

|title=Medal of Honor citation for Ross Iams

|publisher=HomeofHeroes.com}}