Despite the extremely cold weather conditions and a bullet wound to the leg, Barber refused evacuation and an order for his company to withdraw from their mountain pass defensive position, which was surrounded.

He completed Morgan County High School in West Liberty, Kentucky, and attended Morehead State Teachers College for two years before enlisting in the Marine Corps at age 20.

The unit was ordered to withdraw and fight back to safety, but with no way to transport the 45 wounded (plus 20 killed) that he had suffered on the first night of battle, and knowing the critical importance of holding the pass, Captain Barber refused to budge.

Colonel Ray Davis (who was also awarded the Medal of Honor) finally reached their position and flushed out the surviving Chinese (who were then destroyed by artillery & air support), Captain Barber & the survivors of Fox company joined Davis' "Ridge Runners" and the 1st Division marines in their fighting retreat - reaching Haguru Ri on the night of December 3–4.

On December 8, Barber joined thousands of seriously wounded marines being evacuated by air from the newly (& heroically) constructed airstrip at Haguru Ri.

Of Captain Barber's original 246 men (counting at least eight US Navy corpsmen & Marines temporarily attached to the company), only 82 were able to walk away from the battle, and only 60 were still on their feet when they reached Haguru Ri.

Major Barber completed the Advanced Infantry Course, Fort Benning, Georgia, in March 1954, then served as operations and training officer, 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines at MCB Camp Lejeune.

[4] Again ordered overseas, Lieutenant Colonel Barber joined the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa, Japan in July 1962 as commanding officer of 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion.

Barber died at his home in Irvine, California, on April 19, 2002, of bone marrow cancer and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

[7] His citation reads: The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to for service as set forth in the following CITATION: Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant William Earl Barber (MCSN: 0-28331), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader of Company E, Second Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 22 February 1945.