The story of a true American hero who earned both the Carnegie Medal and the Medal of Honor. As an undergraduate at Clemson he earned the Carnegie Medal for saving two women caught in a storm off the coast of South Carolina. Sixteen years later, as a Marine Lieutenant Colonel he went behind enemy lines to save four wounded Marines. For his extraordinary valor and leadership in combat he earned the Medal of Honor.

Prologue --1 -- Chapter 1 Early Years: 1909-1927 -- 13 -- Chapter 2 Clemson: 1927-1931 -- 35 -- Chapter 3 Earning the Carnegie Medal: 1928 -- 41 -- Chapter 4 Depression Years in Augusta: 1931-1940 -- 59 -- Chapter 5 Marine Corps Prior to World War II -- 75 -- Chapter 6 Two Years of Frustration -- 90 -- Chapter 7 Marines of World War II -- 100 -- Chapter 8 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division -- 106 -- Chapter 9 On to the Marshalls -- 117 -- Chapter 10 War in the Pacific -- 127 -- Chapter 11 Battle for Roi Namur -- 136 -- Chapter 12 Aftermath -- 169 -- Chapter 13 Medal of Honor in Perspective -- 176 -- Chapter 14 Anatomy of Courage -- 184 -- Chapter 15 Comparing the Two Awards for Heroism -- 192 -- Chapter 16 Events Saluting the Heroism of Dyess -- 196 -- Appendix 1 Notable Citations and Poems -- 206 -- Appendix 2 USS Dyess: Service in War, Peace, and International Crises, 1945-1981 -- 213 -- Appendix 3 Military Record of A. James Dyess -- 222 -- Appendix 4 Those Who Assisted Me -- 225 -- Appendix 5 Background on the Carnegie Medal -- 228 -- Footnotes -- 239.