Nov. 4, 2011 Lake Currents

Post date: Jun 13, 2013 5:16:7 PM

LOW’s James L. Corbin ReceivesCongressional Veteran Commendation

By Dick Martin, LOW Veterans Club

James Lee Corbin, 234 Madison Circle, Lake of the Woods, has been named to receive the 2011 Congressional Veteran Commendation (CVC), which honors distinguished veterans of Virginia’s Seventh Congressional District. Corbin is one of six veterans to be honored November 22 at a Presentation Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.

Eric Cantor, 7^th District Representative, said “the Congressional Veteran Commendation, in conjunction with the Veterans History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress, was created to honor the distinguished veterans of Virginia’s Seventh District and to preserve their stories for future generations of Americans.

“Our nation is forever grateful for the sacrifices made by our veterans who have risked their lives to keep our country safe and preserve the freedom and liberty of every American.”

Marine Sergeant Corbin was interviewed in 2004 by LOW’s AARP Veterans History Project Group and his segment has been telecast on Comcast Channel 18 LOWA Communications several times, most recently earlier this year.

Corbin’s nomination was processed by the LOW Veterans Club through CVC Nominating Official Lee Frame, Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. CVC final recipients are selected by a board of military experts. The other five honorees are from Culpeper, Hannover, Henrico, Spotsylvania, and Madison.

Corbin was born in De Funiak Springs, Florida, on August 9, 1918, making him 93 years old at this time. He enlisted in the Marines August 31, 1940. After Boot Camp and “Sea School” training, he was sent to Panama and assigned to the Light Cruiser USS Erie to help man the ship’s anti-aircraft defense.

After Pearl Harbor, the Erie patrolled the Pacific around the Panama Canal, then was dispatched to the Atlantic to escort a British convoy of 100 merchant ships. The Erie was attacked November 12, 1942, by a German submarine and severely damaged. Corbin and others got off the strickened Erie and managed to swim to shore.

In early 1943, now a Sergeant, Corbin was reassigned to be a Drill Instructor at Camp Lejeune. A year later, all instructors and Marine trainees were slated to be sent to the Pacific for the invasion of Okinawa. Corbin, however, was suddenly pulled out of the group and sent instead to a nearby base for “Special Training.”

After this, Corbin was sent to Tinian Island, where he headed a platoon guarding a B-29 called the Enola Gay, and several other B-29s. On August 4, 1945, Corbin was shown a large crate and told, “guard this with your life. Post your men around this box and tell them to shoot to kill anyone who isn’t authorized to approach it.”

On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, followed by the second atom bomb on Nagasaki on August 9. World War II was ended.

After Corbin was discharged on December 12, 1945, he attended Pharmacy School and spend his business career as a Pharmacist in Washington DC. He retired in 1988 and now lives in Lake of the Woods.