Wesley Phelps (June 12, 1923 – October 4, 1944) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions and sacrifice of life during the World War II Battle of Peleliu.
Although he was the sole support of his aged parents who owned and operated a 70-acre (280,000 m2) farm with his help, he was called up by the draft and was inducted into the United States Marine Corps on April 9, 1943, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Pvt Phelps joined the 27th Replacement Battalion in September and left the United States on October 23, 1943, joining Company M, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines of the 1st Marine Division in December, just a few days before the unit left for the combat landing on Cape Gloucester, New Britain.
After nineteen days of bitter and costly fighting, the night of October 4, 1944 found Company K strung out along the military crest of one of the coral mountains for which Peleliu is noted.
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to for service as set forth in the following CITATION: