On 1 Feb 1944, while serving on Roi-Namur as a platoon leader on Roi-Namur, 1st Lt John Power was severely wounded in the stomach after setting a demolition charge on a Japanese pillbox. Determined to remain in action, Power used his left hand to protect his wound and continued to fire his weapon with his right, advancing toward another hostile position. The courageous first lieutenant then charged the opening made by the explosive and emptied his carbine into the pillbox. He was fatally shot as he was attempting to reload.