MCB HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- "One bullet doesn't stop a man," he said at a press conference in 1952 after receiving his Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman. He proved that during two of the Marine Corps' most horrific battles.
Retired Colonel Will-iam E. Barber died April 19 at his home in Irvine, Calif., after a long struggle with bone-marrow cancer, and was honored with memorial services at Tustin, Calif., and Arlington, Va.
Barber, a captain during the Korean War, was commanding officer of Fox Co., 2nd Bn., 7th Marine Regiment, during the Chosin Reservoir campaign. He was wounded by enemy machine gun fire when nearly 120,000 Chinese soldiers crossed the Yalu River into North Korea and began their attack on the Marines.
Unable to walk, he commanded his Marines from a stretcher, directing fires and successfully holding his position, even though he had been ordered to withdraw. Barber said he knew he could hold the position, and that if he withdrew, he would endanger the lives of almost 8,000 Marines.
Fighting in temperatures that sometimes dipped under 20 degrees below zero, Barber's actions - including his refusal to abandon a key supply route despite difficult odds - enabled 8,000 Marines to escape an onslaught by Chinese forces allied with the North Koreans.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Barber was a Silver Star recipient for his service on Iwo Jima. Barber, then a first lieutenant, was a member of Echo Co., 2nd Bn., 26th Marine Regiment.
The Marines of 2/26 suffered heavy casualties during the landing on Red Beach 2. Four officers and 68 enlisted men wounded during the landing returned to duty during the operation. Barber, one of the four officers, heard of the diminishing numbers in his battalion's officer ranks, declared himself "fit for duty," and returned to his company.
During his service, which began in 1940 and spanned 30 years and three major wars, Barber was also awarded two Purple Hearts, three Presiden-tial Unit Citations, and the Legion of Merit.
After serving as a psychological operations officer during the Vietnam War, Barber retired in 1970 and worked as a military analyst with Northrop Corp. in Anaheim, Calif.
Close friends describe Barber as someone who was willing to help anyone at a moment's notice.
Ray Dooley, who also served on Iwo Jima and was awarded a Silver Star, was Barber's neighbor for many years.
"He was the kind of man who would never turn down a request," Dooley said. "He was willing to help anyone, anytime."
The Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, in Irvine, Calif., was dedicated in 1998. During the ceremony, Retired Maj. Gen. Jed Pearson described Barber as a living legend.
"He told me the hardest battle of his life was staying in the hospital while the ball park was dedicated and named for him," said Dooley. "It was unusual for a park to be dedicated to a person still living, but I went to the committee meetings and showed pictures of Marines at the Chosin Reservoir, and they voted unanimously to name it for him."
Barber fought many difficult battles during his life, and all who served with him considered him a hero and a brave leader.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ione, his son John and daughter Sharon.
Barber was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, after a memorial ceremony May 22.