Romus Burgin

Romus Valton Burgin[1]
Born	August 13, 1922(1922-08-13) (88) Jewett, Texas, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1942 - 1945
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division,Mortar-man
Battles/wars	World War II *Battle of Cape Gloucester *Battle of Peleliu *Battle of Okinawa

Romus Valton Burgin (born August 13, 1922)^[1] is a former U.S. Marine and American author.

Born to Joseph Harmon Burgin and Beulah May (née Perry) Burgin in Jewett, Texas.^[1][2]

During World War II, Burgin joined the United States Marine Corps on 13 November 1942, and was assigned to the 9th Replacement Battalion. He then became a mortar-man in K-Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (K-3-5),^[1] and fought in the Pacific War at Cape Gloucester,^[1] then alongside his friend, Eugene Sledge,^[1] on Peleliu,^[1] and Okinawa.^[3][4] Burgin was promoted to the rank of sergeant after Peleliu.^{[citation needed]}

He is the author of the memoir Islands of the Damned.^[1] He was awarded a Bronze Star for his actions in the Battle of Okinawa on 2 May 1945, when he destroyed a Japanese Machine Gun emplacement that had his company pinned down.^[3] He also was going to be awarded a silver star but the person who was recommending him died before he could send it in. He was wounded on 20 May, and received a Purple Heart. He returned to his company after spending 20 days in a field hospital and remained with them for the duration of the battle.

He is portrayed in the HBO miniseries The Pacific by Martin McCann.^[3][4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "Marine recounts brutal war in Pacific ‘Islands’: Former Marine R.V. Burgin writes about fighting in WWII". MSNBC Interactive - MSNBC.com. April 9, 2010. TODAY books. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/36280358/ns/today-today_books/wid/7468326/. 
2. ^ "Veteran wants war tales of the Pacific to be remembered". Dallas Morning News. June 26, 2005. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Veteran R.V. Burgin Fought In 'The Pacific'". March 11, 2010. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124580077. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Texan's Pacific war memoir used for HBO mini-series". Houston Chronicle. April 3, 2010. 

Persondata
Name	Burgin, Romus
Alternative names	Burgin, R. V.
Short description	United States Marine
Date of birth	August 13, 1922
Place of birth	Jewett, Texas
Date of death
Place of death