Wesley Phelps was inducted into the Marine Corps in April, 1943. Initially a Signalman, he was converted into a heavy machine gunner before leaving for the Cape Gloucester. From Gloucester, he went to Peleliu. After 19 days of hard fighting, his company was caught in a grenade battle with the enemy. When a grenade was thrown into his foxhole, he immediately jumped on it in order to save his comrade. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for this action.

His citation reads in part "Stationed with another marine in an advanced position when a Jpanese hand grenade landed in his foxhole, Pfc. Phelps instantly shouted a warning to his comrade and rolled over on the deadly bomb, absorbing with his own body the full, shattering impact of the exploding charge. Courageous and indomitable, Pfc. Phelps fearlessly gave his life that another might be spared serious injury."

Source of information: www.findagrave.com