Richard Keith Sorenson was a United States Marine who, as a private, received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his heroism during the Marine landing on Kwajalein Atoll on the night of February 1–2, 1944. He threw himself on a Japanese grenade that was part of US munitions captured during the Battle of Bataan, to save the lives of five fellow Marines. Although fragments of the grenade ripped through his thighs, hips, right arm and right leg, he survived the action. Of the 27 Marines who similarly threw themselves on grenades to save the lives of their fellow Marines during World War II, Sorenson was one of only four who lived. Fellow Medal of Honor recipients Richard E. Bush, Jacklyn H. Lucas and Carlton R. Rouh were the other three survivors.

Richard Earl Bush was a United States Marine master gunnery sergeant who received the Medal of Honor as a corporal for heroism on Okinawa during World War II. On April 16, 1945, Cpl. Bush placed himself on a thrown enemy grenade, absorbing the force of the explosion, saving the lives of his fellow Marines and corpsmen. In World War II, twenty-seven Marines similarly used their bodies against thrown enemy grenades in order to save their comrades' lives. Four of these Marines survived and were awarded the Medal of Honor — Richard Bush, Jacklyn H. Lucas, Carlton R. Rouh, and Richard K. Sorenson.