S/SGT. LUCIAN ADAMS, 38417252 ' Company I, 30th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 28 October 1944 near St. Die France, when his company was stopped in its effort to drive through the Mortagne Forest to reopen the supply line to the isolated 3d Battalion, Sergeant Adams braved the concentrated fire of machine guns in a lone assault on a force of German troops. Although his company had progressed less than 10 yards and had lost three killed and six wounded, Sergeant Adams charged forward dodging from tree to tree, firing a borrowed BAR from his hip. Despite intense machine-gun fire which the enemy directed at him and rifle grenades which struck the trees over his head, showering him with broken twigs and branches, Sergeant Adams made his way to within 10 yards of the closest machine gun and killed the gunner with a hand grenade. An enemy soldier threw hand grenades at him from a position only 10 yards distant; however, Sergeant Adams dispatched him with a single burst of BAR fire. Charging into the vortex of the enemy fire, he killed another enemy machine gunner at 15 yards range with a hand grenade and forced the surrender of the two supporting infantrymen. Although the remainder of the German group concentrated the full force of their automatic-weapons fire in a desperate effort to knock him out, he proceeded through the woods to find and exterminate five more of the enemy. Finally, when the third German machine gun opened up on him at a range of 20 yards, Sergeant Adams killed the gunner with BAR fire. In the course of action, he personally killed nine Germans, eliminated three enemy machine guns, vanquished a specialized force which was armed with automatic weapons and grenade launchers, cleared the woods of hostile elements, and reopened the severed supply line to the assault companies of his battalion.

SGT. SYLVESTER ANTOLAK, 3503502, Company B, 15th Infantry, on 24 May 1944 near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, charged 200 yards over flat, coverless terrain to destroy an enemy machine-gun nest during the second day of the offensive which broke through the German cordon of steel around the Anzio beachhead. Fully 30 yards in advance of his squad, he ran into withering enemy machine-gun, machine-pistol, and rifle fire. Three times he was struck by bullets and knocked to the ground, but each time he struggled to his feet to continue his relentless advance. With one shoulder deeply gashed and his right arm shattered, he continued to rush directly into the enemy fire concentration with his submachine gun wedged under his uninjured arm until within 15 yards of the enemy strong point, where he opened fire at deadly close range, killing 2 Germans and forcing the remaining 10 to surrender. He reorganized his men and, refusing to seek the medical attention he needed so badly, chose to lead the way toward another strong point 100 yards distant. Utterly disregarding the hail of bullets concentrated on him, he had stormed ahead nearly three-fourths of the space between strong points when he was instantly killed by hostile rifle fire. Inspired by his example, his squad went on to overwhelm the enemy troops. By his supreme sacrifice, superb fighting courage, and heroic devotion to the attack, Sergeant Antolak was directly responsible for eliminating 20 Germans, capturing an enemy machine gun, and clearing the path for his company to advance.

S/SGT. STANLEY BENDER, 6920404, Company E I 7th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 17 August 1944, near La Londe, France, Staff Sergeant Bender climbed on top of a knocked-out tank, in the face of withering machine-gun fire which had halted the advance of his company, in an effort to locate the source of this fire. Although bullets ricocheted off the turret at his feet, Staff Sergeant Bender nevertheless remained standing bolt upright in full view of the enemy for over two minutes. Locating the enemy machine guns on a knoll 200 yards away, he ordered two squads to cover him and led his men down an irrigation ditch, running a gauntlet of intense machine-gun fire, which completely blanketed 50 yards of his advance and wounded four of his men. While the Germans hurled hand grenades at the ditch, Staff Sergeant Bender stood his ground until his squad caught up with him, then advanced alone, in a wide, flanking approach, to the rear of the knoll. He walked deliberately a distance of 40 yards without cover in full view of the Germans and under a hail of both enemy and friendly fire, to the first machine gun, 25 yards distant. As he neared it, its two-man crew swung the machine gun around and fired two bursts at him, but Staff Sergeant Bender walked calmly through the fire, and, reaching the edge of the emplacement, dispatched the crew. Signaling his men to rush the rifle pits, he then walked 35 yards further to kill an enemy rifleman and returned to lead his squad in the destruction of the eight remaining Germans in the strong-point. His audacity so inspired the remainder of the assault company that the men charged out of their positions shouting and yelling, to overpower the enemy roadblock and sweep into town, knocking out two antitank guns, killing 37 Germans and capturing 26 others.

CAPT. MAURICE L. BRITT, 0-410196 (then First Lieutenant), commander, Company L, 30th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty. Disdaining enemy hand grenades and dose-range machine pistol, machine-gun, and rifle fire, Lieutenant Britt inspired and led a handful of his men in repelling a bitter counterattack by approximately 100 Germans against his company positions north of Mignano, Italy, the morning of 10 November 1943. During the intense fire fight, Lieutenant Britt's canteen and field glasses were shattered; a bullet pierced his side; his chest, face, and hands were covered with grenade wounds. Despite his wounds, for which he refused to accept medical attention until ordered to do so by his battalion commander following the battle, he personally killed five and wounded an unknown number of Germans, wiped out one enemy machine-gun crew, fired five clips of carbine and an undetermined amount of M1 rifle ammunition, and threw 32 fragmentation grenades. His bold, aggressive actions, utterly disregarding superior enemy numbers, resulted in capture of four Germans, two of them wounded, and enabled several captured Americans to escape. Lieutenant Britt's undaunted courage and prowess in arms were largely responsible for repulsing a German counterattack, which, if successful, would have isolated his battalion and destroyed his company.

LIEUT. FRANK BURKE, 0-1288033, 15th Infantry,. fought with extreme gallantry on 17 April 1945 in the streets of war-torn Nurnberg, Germany, where the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, was engaged in rooting out fanatical defenders of the citadel of Naziism. As battalion transportation officer, Lieutenant Burke had gone forward to select a motor-pool site, when, in a desire to perform more than his assigned duties and participate in the fight, he advanced beyond the lines of forward riflemen. Detecting a group of about 10 Germans making preparations for a local counterattack, he rushed back to a nearby American company, secured a light machine gun with ammunition, and daringly opened fire on this superior force, which deployed and returned his fire with machine pistols, rifles, and rocket launchers. From another angle a German machine -gun tried to blast him from his emplacement, but Lieutenant Burke killed this gun crew and drove off the survivors of the unit he had originally attacked. Giving his next attention to enemy infantrymen in ruined buildings, he picked up a rifle, dashed more than 100 yards through intense fire and engaged the Germans from behind an abandoned tank. A sniper nearly hit him from a cellar only 20 yards away, but he dispatched this adversary by running directly to the basement window, firing a full clip into it and then plunging through the darkened aperture to complete the job. He withdrew from the fight only long enough to replace his jammed rifle and secure grenades then reengaged the Germans. Finding his shots ineffective, he pulled the pins from two grenades, and, holding one in each hand, rushed the enemy-held buildings, hurling his missiles just as the enemy threw a potato-masher grenade at him. In the triple explosion the Germans were wiped out and Lieutenant Burke was dazed; but he emerged from the shower of debris that engulfed him, recovered his rifle, and went on to kill three more Germans and meet the charge of a machine-pistol man, whom he cut down with three calmly delivered shots. He then retired toward the American lines and there assisted a platoon in a raging, 30-minute fight against formidable armed hostile forces. This enemy group was repulsed, and the intrepid fighter moved to another friendly group which broke the power of a German unit armed with a 20mm gun in a fierce fire fight. In 4 hours of heroic action Lieutenant Burke singlehandedly killed 11 and wounded 3 enemy soldiers and took a leading role in engagements in which an additional 29 enemy were killed or wounded. His extraordinary bravery and superb fighting skill were an inspiration to his comrades, and his entirely voluntary mission into extremely dangerous territory hastened the fall of Nurnberg in his battalion's sector.

S/SGT. CLYDE L. CHOATE, Company C, 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 25 October, 1944, at 1730 hours, near Bruyeres, France, when a Mark IV tank knocked out his destroyer, crashed through infantry positions and threatened the battalion command post, Sergeant Choate dashed through automatic fire which pierced his jacket and knocked off his helmet, seized his bazooka and stalked the tank. Passing through the enemy infantry line, he immobilized the German tank with a rocket, then ran back to reload and destroy the tank with rocket fire from 30 feet. After shooting two of the fleeing tank crew, he threw a grenade into the tank. His bold, singlehanded assault shattered the counterattack.

PFC. HERBERT F. CHRISTIAN, 35592775, Company E (Battle Patrol), 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 2-3 June 1944 at 0100 hours, near Valmontone, Italy, Private First Class Christian elected to sacrifice himself in order that his comrades might extricate themselves from an ambush. Braving the massed fire of 60 riflemen, three machine guns and three tanks from positions only thirty yards distant, he stood erect and signaled to the patrol to withdraw. Although his right leg was severed above the knee by 20mm cannon fire, Private First Class Christian advanced on his left knee and the bloody stump of his right thigh, firing his submachine gun. Despite excruciating pain, Private First Class Christian continued on his self-assigned mission and succeeded in distracting the enemy, enabling his 12 comrades to escape. He killed three enemy soldiers almost at once. Leaving a trail of blood behind him, he made his way forward twenty yards, halted at a point within ten yards of the enemy, and, despite intense fire, killed Christian a machine-pistol man. Reloading his weapon he fired directly into the enemy positions. The enemy, enraged at the success of his ruse, concentrated 20mm, machine-gun, machine pistol and rifle fire on him, yet he refused to seek cover. Maintaining his erect position, Private First Class Christian fired his weapon to the very last. just as he emptied his submachine gun, the enemy bullets found their mark and Private First Class Christian slumped forward, dead. The courage and spirit of self-sacrifice displayed by this soldier is true to the highest traditions of the American Army.

SGT. JAMES P. CONNOR, 32066575, Battle Patrol (SD from Company K), 7th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 15 August 1944, at 0800 hours, Sergeant Connor, through sheer grit and determination, led his platoon in clearing an enemy vastly superior in numbers and firepower from strongly entrenched positions on Cape Cavalaire, removing a grave enemy threat to his division during the amphibious landings in Southern France, and thereby insured safe and uninterrupted landings for the huge volume of men and materiel which followed. Battle Patrol landed on Red Beach at H-hour, with the mission of destroying the strongly fortified enemy positions of Cape Cavalaire peninsula with utmost speed. From the peninsula, the enemy had commanding observation and seriously menaced the vast landing operations taking place. Though knocked down and seriously wounded in the neck by a hanging mine which killed-his platoon lieutenant, Sergeant Connor refused medical aid and with his driving spirit practically carried the platoon across several thousand yards of mine-saturated beach through intense fire from mortars, 20mm flak guns, machine guns and snipers. En route to the Cape, Sergeant Connor became platoon leader. Receiving a second wound, which lacerated his shoulder and back, he again refused evacuation, expressing determination to carry on until physically unable to continue. He reassured and prodded the hesitating men of his decimated platoon forward through almost impregnable mortar concentrations. Again emphasizing the prevalent urgency of their mission, he impelled his men toward a group of buildings honeycombed with enemy snipers and machine guns. Here, he received his third grave wound, this time in the leg, felling him in his tracks. Still resolved to carry on, he relinquished command only after his attempts proved it physically impossible to stand on his legs. Nevertheless, from his prone position he gave the orders and directed his men in assaulting the enemy. Infused with Sergeant Connor's dogged determination, the platoon, though reduced to less than onethird of its original 36 men, out-flanked and rushed the enemy with such furiousness that they killed 7, captured 40, seized 3 machine guns and considerable other materiel, and took all their assigned objectives, successfully completing their mission. By his own repeated example of tenaciousness to purpose and indomitable spirit Sergeant Connor had transmitted his heroism to his men until they had become a fighting team which could not be stopped.

LIEUT ROBERT CRAIG, 0-13101959, Company L, 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, on 11 July 1943, near Favoratta, Sicily. Lieutenant Craig voluntarily undertook the perilous task of locating and destroying a hidden enemy machine gun that had halted the advance of his company. Attempts by three other officers to locate the weapon had resulted in failure, with each officer receiving wounds. Lieutenant Craig located the gun and snaked his way to a point within 35 yards of the hostile position before being discovered. Charging headlong into the furious automatic fire" he reached the gun, stood over it, and killed the three crew members with his carbine. With this obstacle removed, his company continued its advance. Shortly thereafter, while advancing down the forward slope of a ridge, Lieutenant Craig and his platoon, in a position devoid of cover and concealment, encountered the fire of approximately 100 enemy soldiers. Electing to sacrifice himself in order that his platoon might carry on the battle, he ordered his men to withdraw to the cover of the crest while he drew the enemy fire to himself. With no hope of survival, he charged toward the enemy until he was within 25 yards of them. Assuming a kneeling position, he killed five and wounded three enemy soldiers. While the hostile force concentrated fire on him, his platoon reached the cover of the crest. Lieutenant Craig was killed by enemy fire, but his intrepid action so inspired his men that they drove the enemy from the area, inflicting heavy casualties on the hostile force.

LIEUT. MICHAEL J. DALY, 0-1692630, Commanding Officer, Company A, 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual, conflict. At 0500 hours on 18 April 1945, while leading his company through the shell-battered, sniper-infested wreckage of Nurnberg, Germany, Lieutenant Daly dashed through blistering fire to assault a German machine gun singlehandedly and kill its three-man crew with carbine fire. Again charging alone through Panzerfaust and automatic fire, he wiped out a six-man German patrol, then boldly engaged a second machine gun at 10 yards range. Fighting for two days and nights without sleep, Lieutenant Daly destroyed three machine guns and killed 15 Germans.

T/SGT. RUSSELL DUNHAM, 16015617 (then Staff Sergeant), Company 1, 30th Infantry, at about 1430 hours on 8 January 1945, during an attack on Hill 616 near Kaysersberg, France, singlehandedly assaulted three enemy machine guns. Wearing a white robe made of a mattress cover, carrying 12 carbine magazines, and with a dozen hand grenades snagged in his belt, suspenders and buttonholes, Sergeant Dunham crawled in the attack up a snow-covered hill under fire from two machine guns and supporting riflemen. His platoon 35 yards behind him, Sergeant Dunham crawled 75 yards under heavy, direct fire toward the timbered emplacement shielding the left machine gun. As he jumped to his feet 10 yards from the gun and charged forward, machine-gun fire tore through his camouflage robe and a rifle bullet seared a 10-inch gash across his back, sending him spinning 15 yards down hill into the snow. When the indomitable sergeant sprang to his feet to renew his one-man assault, a German egg grenade landed beside him. He kicked it aside and, as it exploded 5 yards away, -shot and killed the German machine gunner and assistant gunner. His carbine empty, he jumped into the emplacement and hauled out the third member of the gun crew by the collar. Although machine-gun bullets kicked up the dirt at his heels and blood was seeping through his white coat, Sergeant Dunham proceeded 50 yards through a storm of automatic and rifle fire to attack the second machine gun. Twenty-five yards from the emplacement he hurled two grenades, destroying the gun and its crew; then fired down into the supporting foxholes with his carbine, despatching and dispersing the enemy riflemen. Although his coat was so thoroughly blood soaked that he was a conspicuous target against the white landscape, Sergeant Dunham again advanced ahead of his platoon in an assault on enemy positions further up the hill. Coming under machine-gun fire from 65 yards to his front, while rifle grenades exploded 10 yards from his position, he hit the ground and crawled forward. At 15 yards range, he jumped to his feet, staggered a few paces toward the timbered machine-gun emplacement and killed the crew with hand grenades. An enemy rifleman fired at pointblank range, but missed him. After killing the rifleman, Sergeant Dunham drove others from their foxholes with grenades and carbine fire. Killing nine Germans, wounding seven and capturing two, firing about 175 rounds of carbine ammunition and expending 11 grenades, Sergeant Dunham, despite a painful wound, spear-headed a spectacular and successful diversionary attack.

PFC. JOHN W. DUTKO, 13022501, Company A, 30th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944 near Ponte Rotto, Italy. Private Dutko left the cover of an abandoned enemy trench at the height of an artillery concentration in a single-handed attack upon three enemy machine guns and an 88mm mobile gun. Despite the intense fire of these four weapons which were aimed directly at him, Private Dutko ran 100 yards through the impact area, paused momentarily in a shell crater, and then continued his one-man assault. Although machine-gun bullets kicked up the dirt at his heels and 88mm shells exploded within 30 yards of him, Private Dutko nevertheless made his way to a point within 30 yards of the first enemy machine gun and killed both gunners with a hand grenade. Although the second machine gun wounded him, knocking him to the ground, Private Dutko regained his feet and advanced on the 88mm gun, firing his Browning automatic rifle from the hip. When he came within 10 yards of this weapon he killed its five-man crew with one long burst of fire. Wheeling on the machine gun which had wounded him, Private Dutko killed the gunner and his assistant. The third German machine gun fired on Private Dutko from a position 20 yards distant, wounding him a second time as he proceeded toward the enemy weapon in a half run. He killed both members of its crew with a single burst from his Browning automatic rifle, continued toward the gun and died, his body falling across the dead German crew.

T/5 ERIC G. GIBSON, 36004320, Company 1, 30th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On 28 January 1944 near Isola Bella, Italy, Technician Gibson, company cook, led a squad of replacements through their initial baptism of fire, destroyed four enemy positions, killed five and captured two German soldiers, and secured the left flank of his company during an attack on a strongpoint. Placing himself 50 yards in* front of his new men, Technician Gibson advanced down the wide stream ditch known as the Fossa Femminamorta, keeping pace with the advance of his company. An enemy soldier allowed Technician Gibson to come within 20 yards of his concealed position and then opened fire which barely missed him. Technician Gibson charged the, position firing his submachine gun every few steps. Reaching the position Technician Gibson fired point blank at his opponent, killing him. An artillery concentration fell in and around the ditch and the concussion from one shell knocked him flat. As he rose to his feet Technician Gibson was fired on by two soldiers armed with a machine pistol and a rifle from a position only 75 yards distant. Technician Gibson immediately raced toward the foe. Halfway to the position a machine gun opened fire on him. Bullets came within inches of his body yet Technician Gibson never paused in his forward movement. He killed one and captured the other soldier. Shortly after, when he was fired upon by a heavy machine gun 200 yards down the ditch, Technician Gibson crawled back to his squad and ordered it to lay down a base of fire while he flanked the emplacement. Despite all warning Technician Gibson crawled 125 yards through an artillery concentration and the cross-fire of two machine guns which showered dirt over his body, threw two hand grenades into the emplacement, and charged it with his submachine gun killing two of the enemy and capturing a third. Before leading his men around a bend in the stream ditch Technician Gibson went forward alone to reconnoiter. Hearing an exchange of machine-pistol and submachine-gun fire Technician Gibson's squad went forward to find that' its leader had run 35 yards toward an outpost, killed the machine-pistolman and had himself been killed while firing at the Germans.

LIEUT. JAMES L. HARRIS, 0-1703032, Company A, 756th Tank Battalion for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 7 October 1944, in Vagney, France, Lieutenant Harris, an M-4 tank platoon leader, drew machine-gun fire upon himself at pointblank range in order to ascertain the location of an enemy tank which threatened to destroy an infantry battalion CP; crawled through evastating enemy fire, while fatally wounded, to direct his tank in an attack, and, though bleeding profusely from a second wound, persevered until the enemy withdrew. At 2100 hours, an enemy raiding party, comprising a tank and two platoons of infantry, infiltrated through the lines under cover of mist and darkness and attacked an infantry battalion CP with hand grenades, retiring a short distance to an ambush position on hearing the approach of the M-4 tank commanded by Lieutenant Harris, Realizing the need for bold, aggressive action, Lieutenant Harris ordered his tank to halt while he proceeded on foot, fully 10 yards ahead of his six-man patrol and armed only with a service pistol to probe the darkness for the enemy. Although struck down and mortally wounded by machine-gun bullets that penetrated his solar plexus, he crawled back to his tank, leaving a trail of blood behind him, and, too weak to climb inside it, issued fire orders while lying on the road between the two contending armored vehicles. Although the tank which be commanded was destroyed in the course of the fire fight, he stood the enemy off until friendly tanks, preparing to come to his aid, caused the enemy to withdraw and thereby lose an opportunity to kill or capture the entire battalion command personnel. Suffering a second wound, which severed his leg at the hip, in the course of this tank duel, Liteutenant Harris refused aid until after a wounded member of his crew had been carried to safety. He died before he could be given medical attention.

PFC. LLOYD C. HAWKS, 37019945, Medical Detachment, 30th Infantry. For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On, 30 January 1944 at 1500 hours near Carano, Italy, Private Hawks braved an enemy counterattack in order to rescue two wounded men who, unable to move, were lying in an exposed position within 30 yards of the enemy. Two riflemen attempting the rescue had been forced to return to their fighting holes by extremely severe enemy machine-gun fire, after crawling only 10 yards toward the casualties. An aid man, whom the enemy could plainly identify as such, had been critically wounded in a similar attempt. Private Hawks nevertheless crawled 50 yards through a veritable hail of machine-gun bullets and flying mortar fragments to a small ditch, administered first aid to his fellow aid man who had sought cover therein, and continued toward the two wounded men 50 yards distant. An enemy machine-gun bullet penetrated his helmet, knocked it from his head, and momentarily stunned him. Thirteen bullets passed through his helmet as it lay on the ground within 6 inches of his body. Private Hawks crawled to the casualties, administered first aid to the more seriously wounded man, and dragged him to a covered position 25 yards distant. Despite continuous automatic fire from positions, only 30 yards away and shells which exploded within 25 yards, Private Hawks returned to the second man and administered first aid to him. As he raised himself to obtain bandages from his medical kit his right hip was shattered by a burst of machine-gun fire and a second burst splintered his left forearm. Displaying dogged determination and extreme self-control despite severe pain and his dangling left arm, Private Hawks completed the task of bandaging the remaining casualty and with superhuman effort dragged him to the same depression to which he had brought the first man. Finding insufficient cover for three men at this point, Private Hawks crawled 75 yards in an effort to regain his company reaching the ditch in which his fellow aid man was lying.

CPL. PAUL B. HUFF, 34142155, Company A, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action on 8 February 1944, near Carano, Italy. Corporal Hoff volunteered to lead a six-man patrol with the mission of determining the location and strength of an enemy unit which was delivering fire on the exposed right flank of his company. The terrain over which he had to travel consisted of exposed, rolling ground, affording the enemy excellent visibility. As the patrol advanced, its members were subjected to small-arms and machine-gun fire and a concentration of mortar fire, shells bursting within 5 to 10 yards of them and bullets striking the ground at their feet. Moving ahead of his patrol, Corporal Huff drew fire from three enemy machine guns and a 20mm weapon. Realizing the danger confronting his patrol, he advanced gone under deadly fire through a minefield and arrived at a point within 75 yards of the nearest machine-gun position. Under direct fire from the rear machine guns, he crawled the remaining 75 yards to the closest emplacement, killed the crew with his submachine gun, and destroyed the gun. During this act he fired from a kneeling position which drew fire from other positions, enabling him to estimate correctly the strength and location of the enemy. Still under concentration of fire, he returned to his patrol and led his men to safety. As a result of the information he gained, a patrol in strength sent out that afternoon, one group under the leadership of Corporal Huff succeeded in routing an enemy company of 125 men, killing 27, and capturing 21 others.

PVT. ELDEN H. JOHNSON, 31353962, Company H (Battle Patrol), 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 2-3 June 1944, at 0100 hours, near Valmontone, Italy, Private Johnson elected to sacrifice his life in order that his comrades might extricate themselves from an ambush. Braving the massed fire of sixty riflemen, three machine guns and three tanks from positions only twenty-five yards distant, he stood erect and signaled his patrol leader to withdraw. Then, despite 20mm, machinegun, machine-pistol and rifle 'fire, aimed directly at him Private Johnson advanced upon the enemy in a slow deliberate walk. Firing his ,BAR from the hip, he succeeded in distracting the enemy, enabling his 12 comrades to escape. Advancing to within five yards of a machine gun, Private Johnson killed its crew, emptying his weapon. Standing there, in full view of the enemy, he reloaded his BAR and turned on the riflemen to the left and fired directly into their positions, either killing or wounding four of them. A burst of machine-gun fire tore into Private Johnson and he dropped to his knees. Fighting to the very last, he steadied himself on his knees and sent a final burst of fire crashing into another German; with that he slumped forward, dead. Private Johnson had willingly given his life in order that his comrades might live.

LIEUT. VICTOR L. KANDLE, 0-1324419, Company I 15th Infantry, for extraordinary heroism in action. On 9 October 1944, at about 1200 hours, near La Forge, France, Lieutenant Kandle, while leading a reconnaissance patrol into enemy territory, engaged in a duel at pointblank range with a German. field officer and killed him. Having already taken five enemy prisoners that morning, he led a skeleton platoon of 16 men, reinforced with a light-machine-gun squad, through fog and over precipitous mountain terrain to fall on the rear of a German defensive stronghold which had checked the advance of his company for two, days. Rushing forward several yards ahead of his advance assault element, Lieutenant Kandle fought his way into the heart of the quarry stronghold and, by his boldness and audacity, forced the Germans to surrender. Harassed by machine-gun fire from a strongpoint which he had bypassed in the dense fog, he again moved to within 15 yards of the enemy, killed a German machine gunner with accurate rifle fire and led his men in the destruction of another machine-gun crew and its rifle support elements;. Finally, he led his small force against a fortified house held by two German officers and 30 enlisted men. Having established his base of fire, he rushed forward alone through an open clearing under enemy observation, smashed through a barricaded door and forced all 32 Germans to surrender. His intrepidity and bold combat leadership resulted in the capture and destruction of three enemy officers and 54 enlisted men, the annihilation of three enemy strongholds and the seizure of the quarry defensive positions which had halted a battalion's advance.

PFC. PATRICK L. KESSLER, 35473422, Company K, 30th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944 near Ponte Rotto, Italy. Private Kessler, acting without orders~rs, raced 50 yards through a hail of machine-gun fire, which had killed five of his comrades and halted the advance of his company, in order to form an assault group to destroy the machine gun. Ordering three men to act as a base of fire he left the cover of a ditch and snaked his way to a point within 50 yards of the enemy machine gun before he was discovered, where upon he charged headlong into the furious chain of automatic fire. Reaching a spot within 6 feet of the emplacement he stood over it and killed both gunner and his assistant, jumped into the gun position and overpowered and captured a third German after a short struggle. The remaining member of the crew escaped, but Private Kessler wounded him as he ran. While taking his prisoner to the rear this soldier saw two of his comrades killed as they assaulted an enemy strongpoint, fire from which had already killed 10 men in the company. Turning his prisoner over to another man Private Kessler crawled 35 yards to the side of one of the casualties, relieved him of his Browning. automatic rifle and ammunition, and continued toward the strong point 125 yards distant. Although two machine guns concentrated their fire directly upon him and shells exploded within 10 yards, bowling him over, Private Kessler crawled 75 yards passing through an antipersonnel minefield to a point within 56 yards of the enemy, and engaged the machine guns in a duel. When an artillery shell burst within a few feet of him he left the cover of the ditch and advanced upon the! position in a slow walk, firing his Browning automatic rifle from the hip. Although the enemy poured heavy machine-gun and small-arms fire at him, Private Kessler succeeded in reaching the edge of their position, killed the gunners, and captured 13. Then, despite continuous shelling he started for the rear. After going 25 yards Private Kessler was fired on by two snipers only 100 yards away. Several of his prisoners took advantage of this opportunity and attempted to escape; however, Private Kessler hit the ground, fired on either flank of his prisoners, forcing them to take cover, and then engaged the two snipers in a fire fight and captured them. With this last threat removed Company K continued its advance, capturing its objective without further opposition. Private Kessler was killed in a subsequent action.

PFC. ALTON W. KNAPPENBERGER, 33618556, Company C, 30th Infantry. For conspicuous, gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in- action involving actual conflict with the enemy, on 1 February 1944 --near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy. When a heavy German counterattack was launched against his battalion, Private Knappenberger crawled to an exposed knoll and went into position with his automatic rifle. An enemy machine gun 85 yards away opened fire and bullets struck within 6 inches of him. Rising to a kneeling position Private Knappenberger opened fire on the hostile crew, knocked out the gun, killed two members of the crew, and wounded the third. While he fired at this hostile position, two Germans crawled to a 'point within 20 yards of the knoll and threw potato-masher grenades at him, but Private Knappenberger killed them both with one burst from his automatic rifle. Later a second machine gun opened fire upon his exposed position from a distance of 100 yards, and this weapon also was silenced by his well aimed shots. Shortly thereafter, an enemy 20mm antiaircraft gun directed fire at him, and again Private Knappenberger returned fire to wound one member of the hostile crew. Under tank and artillery shell fire, with shells bursting within 15 yards of him, he held his precarious position and fired at all enemy infantrymen armed with machine pistols and machine guns which he could locate. When his ammunition supply became exhausted, he crawled 15 yards forward through steady machine-gun fire, removed rifle clips from the belt of a casualty, returned to his position, and resumed. firing to repel an assaulting German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Finally, his ammunition supply being completely exhausted, he rejoined his company. Private Knappenberger's intrepid action disrupted the enemy attack for over 2 hours.

PFC, FLOYD K. LINDSTROM, 37349634, Company H, 7th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk' of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 11 November 1943 this soldier's platoon was furnishing machine-gun support for a rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano, Italy, when the enemy counter attacked forcing riflemen and half the machine-gun platoon to retire to a defensive position. Private First Class Lindstrom saw that his small section was alone and outnumbered five to one yet he immediately deployed the few remaining men into position and opened fire with his single gun. The enemy centered fire on him with machine gun, machine pistols, and grenades. Unable to knock out the ,enemy nest from his original position, Private First Class Lindstrom picked up his own heavy machine gun and staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky hillside to a new position, completely ignoring enemy small-arms fire which was striking all around him. From this new site only 10 yards from the enemy machine gun, he engaged it in an intense duel. Realizing that he could not hit the hostile gunners because they were behind a large rock, he charged up hill under a steady stream of fire, killed both gunners with his pistol, and dragged their gun down to his own men, directing them to employ it against the enemy. Disregarding heavy rifle fire he returned to the enemy machine-gun nest for two boxes of ammunition, came back, and resumed withering fire from his own gun. His spectacular performance completely broke up the German counterattack. Private First Class Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit and complete fearlessness in the face of almost certain death.

T/5 ROBERT D. MAXWELL, 37330616, Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 7th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepiaity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 7 September 1944 near Besancon, France. Technician Maxwell and four other soldiers, armed only with .45 automatic pistols, defended the battalion observation post against an overwhelming onslaught by enemy infantrymen in approximately platoon strength, supported by 20mm flak and machine-gun fire, who had infiltrated through the battalion's forward companies and were attacking the observation post with machine-gun, machine-pistol and grenade fire at ranges as close as 10 yards. Despite a hail of fire from automatic weapons and grenade launchers, Technician Maxwell aggressively fought off advancing enemy elements and, by his calmness, tenacity, and fortitude, inspired his fellows to continue the unequal struggle. When an enemy hand grenade was thrown in the midst of his squad, Technician Maxwell unhesitatingly hurled himself squarely upon it, using his blanket and his unprotected body to absorb the full force of the explosion. This act of instantaneous heroism permanently maimed Technician Maxwell, but saved the lives of his comrades in arms and facilitated maintenance of vital military communications during the temporary withdrawal of the battalion's forward headquarters.

PVT. JOSEPH F. MERRELL, 42179711, a scout with Company 1, 15th Infantry Regiment, made a gallant, one-man attack against vastly superior enemy forces near Lohe, Germany, on 18 April 1945. His unit, attempting a quick conquest of hostile hill positions that would open the route to Nurnberg before the enemy could organize his defense of that city, was pinned down by brutal fire from rifles, machine pistols, and two heavy machine guns. Entirely on his own initiative, Private Merrell began a single-handed assault. He ran 100 yards through concentrated fire, barely escaping death at each stride, and, at point-blank range, engaged four German machine pistolmen with his rifle, killing all of them while their bullets ripped his uniform, As he started forward again, his rifle was smashed by a sniper's bullet, leaving him armed only with three grenades, but he did not hesitate. He zigzagged 200 yards through a hail of bullets to within 10 yards of the first machine gun, where he hurled two grenades and then rushed the position, ready to fight with his bare hands if necessary. In the emplacement he seized a Luger pistol and killed all Germans who had survived the grenade blast. Rearmed, he crawled toward the second machine gun located 30 yards away, killing four Germans in camouflaged fox holes on the way, but receiving a critical wound in the abdomen. Yet he went on, staggering, bleeding, and disregarding bullets which tore through the folds of his clothing and glanced off his helmet. He threw his last grenade into the machine-gun nest and stumbled on to wipe out the crew. He had completed this self-appointed task when a machine-pistol burst killed him instantly. In the spectacular one-man attack, Private Merrell killed 6 Germans in the first machine-gun emplacement, 7 in the next, and an additional 10 infantrymen who were astride his path to the weapons which would have decimated his unit had he not assumed the burden of the assault, and stormed the enemy positions with utter fearlessness, intrepidity of the highest order, and a willingness to sacrifice his own life so that his comrades could go on to victory.

SGT. HAROLD 0. MESSERSCHMIDT, 33779438, Company L, 30th Infantry, on 17 September 1944 near Raddon, France, displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. Braving machine-gun, machine-pistol, and rifle fire, he moved fearlessly and calmly from man to man along his 40-yard squad front, encouraging each to hold against the overwhelming assault of a fanatical foe surging up the hillside. Knocked to the ground by a burst from an enemy automatic weapon, he immediately jumped to his feet, ignoring his grave wounds, fired his submachine gun at the enemy, which was now upon them, killing five and wounding many others before his ammunition was spent. Virtually surrounded by a frenzied foe and all of his squad now casualties, he elected to fight on alone, using his empty submachine gun as a bludgeon against his assailants. Seeing friendly reinforcements running up the hill, he continued furiously to wield his empty gun against the foe in a new attack, and it was thus he made the supreme sacrifice, fighting his way deep into the enemy line. Sergeant Messerschmidt's sustained heroism in hand-to-hand combat with superior enemy forces was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.

PVT. JAMES H. MILLS, 34792609, Company F, 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 24 May 1944, at 1330 hours, near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, Private Mills, undergoing his baptism of fire, preceded his platoon clown a draw to reach a position from which an attack could be launched against a heavily fortified strongpoint. After advancing about 300 yards Private Mills was fired on by a machine gun only 5 yards distant. Private Mills killed the gunner with one shot and forced the surrender of the assistant gunner. Continuing his advance, he saw a German soldier in a camouflaged position behind a large bush. This man was in the act of pulling the pin of a potato-masher grenade. Private Mills covered the German with his rifle, forced him to drop the grenade and captured him. When another enemy soldier attempted to throw a hand grenade into the draw, Private Mills killed him with one shot. Shortly afterward, when Private Mills was brought under fire by a machine gun, two machine pistols and three rifles at a range of only fifty feet he charged headlong into the furious chain of automatic fire shooting his M-1 from the hip. Tracers whipped past his body barely missing him, and thudded into the bank of the draw. The enemy was completely demoralized by Private Mills' daring charge and when he reached a point within 10 feet of their position all six surrendered, As he neared the end of the draw, Private Mills was brought under fire by an enemy machine gunner only 20 yards distant. Despite the fact that he had absolutely no cover, Private Mills stopped in his tracks and with bullets striking the bank within three or four inches of him, took careful aim and killed the gunner with one shot. Two enemy soldiers who were near the machine gun fired wildly at Private Mills and then fled. Private Mills fired twice, killing one of the enemy. Continuing onto the position he captured a fourth enemy soldier. When it became apparent that an assault on the strongpoint would, in all probability, cause heavy casualties in the platoon, Private Mills volunteered to cover the advance down a shallow ditch to a point within 50 yards of the objective. Standing on the bank in full view of the enemy less than 100 yards away, Private Mills shouted at the enemy and then fired his rifle directly into the position. His ruse worked exactly as planned; the enemy centered his fire on Private Mills. Tracers passed within inches of his body; rifle and machine pistol bullets ricocheted off the rocks at his feet barely missing him, yet he stood there firing until his rifle was empty. Intent on covering the movement of his platoon, Private Mills jumped down into the draw, reloaded his weapon, climbed out again and continued to lay down a "one-man" base of fire. Repeating this action four times he enabled his platoon to reach the designated spot undetected, from which position it assaulted and overwhelmed the enemy, capturing 22 Germans and taking its objective without casualties.

LIEUT. AUDIE L. MURPHY 0-1692509, Company B, 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. At 1400 hours on 26 January 1945, near Holzwihr, France, when his company was savagely counterattacked by six enemy tanks and two German infantry companies, Lieutenant Murphy remained at an advanced outpost, braving furious tank and automatic fire, to direct artillery concentrations on the enemy assault force. When a tank destroyer was set afire at his side, he climbed on the turret of the burning vehicle and, despite a painful shell wound, fired his .50-caliber machine gun, killing or wounding approximately 50 Germans, some of them at 10 yards range, and beating back every enemy assault.

LIEUT. CHARLES P. MURRAY, JR., 0-13178, commanding Company C, 30th Infantry, displayed supreme courage and heroic initiative near Kaysersberg, France, on 16 December 1944, while leading a reinforced platoon into enemy territory. Descending into a valley beneath hilltop positions held by our troops, he observed a force of 200 Germans pouring deadly mortar, bazooka, machine-gun, and small-arms fire into an American battalion occupying the crest of the ridge. The enemy's position in a sunken road, though hidden from the ridge, was open to a flank attack by Lieutenant Murray's patrol, but he hesitated to commit so small a force to battle with the superior and strongly disposed enemy. Crawling out ahead of his troops to a vantagepoint, he called by radio for artillery fire. His shells bracketed the German force, but when he was about to correct the range his radio went dead. He returned to his patrol, secured grenades and a rifle to launch them and went back to his self-appointed outpost. His first shots disclosed his position; the enemy directed heavy fire against him as he methodically fired his missiles into the narrow defile. Again he returned to his patrol. With an automatic rifle and ammunition, he once more moved to his exposed position. Burst after burst he fired into the enemy, killing 20, wounding many others, and completely disorganizing its ranks, which began to withdraw. He prevented the removal of three German mortars by knocking out a truck. By that time a mortar had been brought to his support. Lieutenant Murray directed fire of this weapon, causing further casualties and confusion in the German ranks. Calling on his patrol to follow, he then moved out toward his original objective--possession of a bridge and construction of a roadblock. He captured 10 Germans in foxholes. An eleventh, while pretending to surrender, threw a grenade which knocked him to the ground, inflicting eight wounds. Though suffering and bleeding profusely, he refused to return to the rear until he had chosen the spot for the block and had seen his men correctly deployed. By his single-handed attack on an overwhelming force and by his intrepid and heroic fighting, Lieutenant Murray stopped a counterattack, established an advance position against formidable odds, and provided an inspiring example for the men of his command.

CAPT. ARLO L. OLSON, 0-383969, 15th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 13 October 1943 when the drive across the Volturno River began, Captain Olson and his company spearheaded the advance of the regiment through 30 miles of mountainous enemy Lie territory in 13 days. Placing himself at the head of his men, Captain Olson waded into the chest-deep water of the raging Volturno River and despite point-blank machine-gun fire aimed directly at him made his way to the opposite bank and threw two hand grenades into the gun position, killing the crew. When an enemy machine gun 150 yards distant opened fire on his company Captain Olson advanced upon the position in a slow, deliberate walk. Although 5 German soldiers threw hand grenades at him from a range of 5 yards, Captain Olson dispatched all of them, picked up a machine pistol, and continued toward the enemy; advancing to within 15 yards of the position he shot it out with the foe, killing 9 and seizing the post. Throughout the next 13 days Captain Olson led combat patrols, acted as Company number one scout, and maintained unbroken contact with the enemy. On 27 October 1943 Captain Olson conducted a. platoon in attack on a strongpoint, crawling to within 25 yards of the enemy and then charging the position. Despite continuous machine-gun fire which barely missed him Captain Olson made his way to the gun and killed the crew with his pistol. When the men saw their leader make this desperate attack they followed him and overran the position. Continuing the advance, Captain Olson led his company to the next objective at the summit of Monte San Nicola. Although the company to his right was forced to take cover from the furious automatic and small arms fire which was directed on him and his men with equal intensity, Captain Olson waved his company into a skirmish line and despite the fire of a machine gun which singled him out as its sole target led the assault which drove the enemy away. While making a reconnaissance for defensive positions Captain Olson was fatally wounded. Ignoring his severe pain, this intrepid officer completed his reconnaissance, supervised the location of his men in the best defense positions, refused medical aid until all of his men had been cared for, and died as he was being carried down the mountain.

SGT. TRUMAN 0. OLSON, 36246624, Company B, 7th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, Sergeant Olson, a light machine gunner, elected to sacrifice his life to save his company from annihilation. On the night of 30 January 1944, after a 16-hour assault on entrenched enemy positions in the course of which over one-third of Company B became casualties, the survivors dug in behind a horseshoe elevation, placing Sergeant Olson-and his crew, with the one available machine gun, forward of their lines and in an exposed position to bear the brunt of the expected German counterattack. Although he had been fighting without respite, Sergeant Olson stuck grimly to his post all night, while his gun crew was cut down, one by one, by accurate and overwhelming enemy fire. Weary from over 24 hours of continuous battle and suffering from an arm wound received during the night engagement, Sergeant Olson manned his gun alone, meeting the full force of an all-out enemy assault by approximately 200 men supported by mortar and machine gun fire which the Germans launched at day-break on the morning of 31 January. After thirty minutes of fighting, Sergeant Olson was mortally wounded; yet, knowing that only his weapon stood between his company and complete destruction, he refused evacuation. For an hour and a half after receiving his second and fatal wound, he continued to fire his machine gun, killing at least 20 of the enemy, wounding many more, and forcing the assaulting Germans to withdraw. He died before he could be given medical attention.

T/5 FORREST E. PEDEN 37503529, Battery C, 10th Field Artillery Battalion, was a forward artillery observer near Biesheim, France, on 3 February 1945, when the group of about 45 infantrymen, with whom he was advancing, was ambushed in the uncertain light of a waning moon. Enemy forces outnumbering the Americans by four to one poured withering artillery, mortar, machine-gun, and small-arms fire into the stricken unit from the flanks, forcing our men to seek the cover of a ditch which they found already occupied by enemy foot troops. As the opposing infantrymen struggled in hand-to-hand combat, Corporal Peden courageously went to the assistance of two wounded soldiers and rendered first aid under heavy fire. With radio communications inoperative, he realized that the unit would be wiped out unless help could be secured from the rear. On his own initiative, he ran 800 yards to the battalion command post through a hail of bullets which pierced his jacket, and there secured two light tanks to go to the relief of his hard-pressed comrades. Knowing the terrible risk involved, he climbed upon the hull of the lead tank and guided it into battle. Through a murderous concentration of fire, the tank lumbered onward, bullets and shell fragments ricocheting from its steel armor within inches of the completely exposed rider, until it reached the ditch. As it was about to go into action, it was turned into a flaming pyre by a direct hit that killed Corporal Peden. However, his intrepidity and gallant sacrifice were not in vain. Attracted by the light from the burning tank, reinforcements found the beleaguered Americans and drove off the enemy.

PVT. WILBURN K. ROSS, 35668451, Company G, 30th Infantry, For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near St. Jacques, France. At 1130 hours on 30 October 1944, after his company had lost 55 out of 88 men in an attack on an entrenched, full-strength German company of elite mountain troops, Private Ross placed his light machine gun 10 yards in advance of the foremost supporting riflemen in order to absorb the initial impact of an enemy counterattack. With machine-gun and small-arms fire striking the earth near him, he fired with deadly effect on the assaulting force and repelled it. Despite the hail of automatic fire and the explosion of rifle grenades within a stone's throw of his position, he continued to man his machine gun alone, holding off six more German attacks. When the eighth assault was launched, most of the supporting riflemen were out of ammunition. They took positions in echelon behind Private Ross and crawled up, during the attack to extract a few rounds of ammunition from his machine-gun ammunition belt. Private Ross fought on virtually without assistance and, despite the fact that enemy grenadiers crawled to within 5 yards of his position in an effort to kill him with hand grenades, he again directed accurate and deadly fire on the hostile force and hurled it back. After expending his last round, Private Ross was advised to withdraw to the company command post, together with the eight surviving riflemen, but, as more ammunition was expected, he declined to do so. The Germans launched their last, all-out attack, converging their fire on Private Ross in a desperate attempt to destroy the machine gun which stood between them and a decisive breakthrough. As his supporting riflemen fixed bayonets for a last-ditch stand, fresh ammunition arrived and was brought to Private Ross just as the advance assault elements were about to swarm over his position. He opened murderous fire on the oncoming enemy, killed 40 and wounded 10 of the attacking -force, broke the assault single-handed, and forced the Germans to withdraw. Having killed and wounded at least 58 Germans in more than 5 hours of continuous combat and saved the remnants of his company from destruction, Private Ross remained at his post that night and the following day, for a total of 36 hours. His actions throughout this engagement were an inspiration to his comrades -and maintained the high traditions of the military service.

PFC. HENRY SCHAUER, 39600219, Company E (Battle Patrol), 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 23 May 1944 at 1200 hours, near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, Private First Class Schauer left the cover of a ditch to engage four German snipers who opened fire on the patrol from its rear. Standing erect, he walked slowly and deliberately 30 yards toward the enemy, stopped amid the fire from four rifles centered on him, and with four bursts from his BAR, each at a different range, killed all of the snipers. Catching sight of a fifth sniper waiting for the patrol behind a house chimney, Private First Class Schauer brought him down with another burst. Shortly after, when a heavy enemy artillery concentration and two machine guns temporarily halted the patrol, Private First Class Schauer again left cover to engage the enemy weapons single-handed. While shells exploded within 15 yards, showering dirt over him, and strings of grazing German tracer bullets whipped past him at chest-level, Private First Class Schauer knelt, killed the two gunners of the machine gun only 60 yards from him with a single burst from his BAR, and crumpled two other enemy soldiers who ran to man the gun. Calmly inserting a fresh magazine in his BAR, Private First Class Schauer shifted his body to fire at the other weapons 500 yards distant and emptied the weapon into the enemy crew, killing all four Germans. Next morning, 24 May, when shells from a German Mark VI tank and a machine gun only 100 yards distant again forced the patrol to seek cover, Private First Class Schauer crawled toward the enemy machine gun, stood upright only 80 yards from the weapon as its bullets cut the ground around him and four tank shells fired directly at him burst within 20 yards. Raising his BAR carefully to his shoulder, Private First Class Schauer killed the four members of the German machine-gun crew with one burst of fire, bringing his total to 17 enemy killed in 17 hours.

SGT. JOHN C. SQUIRES, 35706627 (then Private First Class), Company A, 30th Infantry. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. At the start of his company's attack on strongly held enemy positions in and around Spaccasassi Creek, near Padiglione, Italy, on the night of 23-24 April 1944, Private First Class Squires, platoon runner, participating in his first offensive action, braved intense artillery, mortar, and anti-tank-gun fire in order to investigate the effects of an antitank-mine explosion on the leading platoon. Despite shells which burst close to him, Private First Class Squires made his way 50 yards forward to the advance element, noted the situation, reconnoitered a new route of advance, and informed his platoon leader of the casualties sustained and the alternate route. Acting without orders, he founded up stragglers, organized a group of lost men into a squad, and led them forward. When the platoon reached Spaccasassi Creek and established an outpost Private First Class Squires, knowing that almost all of the noncommissioned officers were casualties, placed eight men in position on his own volition, disregarding enemy machine-gun, machine-pistol, and grenade fire which covered the creek draw. When his platoon had been reduced to 14 men he brought up reinforcements twice. On each trip he went through barbed wire and across an enemy mine field under intense artillery and mortar fire. Three times in the early morning the outpost was counterattacked. Each time Private First Class Squires ignored withering enemy automatic fire and grenades which struck all around him and fired hundreds of rounds of rifle, Browning automatic, and captured German Spandau machine-gun ammunition at the enemy, inflicting numerous casualties and materially aiding in repulsing the attacks. Following these fights he moved 50 yards to the South end of the outpost and engaged 21 German soldiers in individual machine-gun duels at point-blank range, forcing all 21 enemies to surrender and capturing 13 more Spandau guns. Learning the function of this weapon by questioning a German officer prisoner, he placed the captured guns in position and instructed other members of his platoon in their operation. The next night, when the Germans attacked the outpost again, he killed three and wounded more Germans with captured potato-masher grenades and fire from his Spandau gun. Private First Class Squires was killed in a subsequent action.

FIRST LIEUT. JOHN J. TOMINAC, 0-1321210 (then Second Lieutenant), Company 1, 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 12 September 1944, at about 1630 hours, in the attack of Saulx-de-Vesoul, France, Lieutenant Tominac charged alone over 40 yards of exposed terrain into an enemy roadblock to dispatch the three-man crew of a German machine gun with a single burst from his Thompson submachine gun. After smashing this enemy outpost, he led one of his squads in the annihilation of a second hostile strongpoint, defended by mortar, machine-gun, automatic-pistol, rifle and grenade fire, killing about 30 of the enemy. Reaching the suburbs of the town, he advanced 50 yards ahead of his men to reconnoiter a third enemy position, which commanded the road with a 77mm SP gun supported by infantry elements. The SP gun opened fire on his supporting tank, setting it afire with a direct hit. A fragment from the same shell painfully wounded Lieutenant Tominac in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground. As the crew abandoned the M-4, which was rolling down hill toward the enemy, Lieutenant Tominac picked himself up and jumped onto the hull of the burning vehicle. Despite withering enemy machine-gun, machine-pistol and sniper fire which ricocheted off the hull and turret of the M-4, Lieutenant Tominac climbed to the turret and gripped the .50-caliber antiaircraft machine gun. Plainly silhouetted against the sky, painfully wounded and with the tank burning beneath his feet, he directed bursts of machine-gun fire on the roadblock, the SP gun and the supporting German infantrymen which forced the enemy to withdraw from his prepared position. jumping off the tank before it exploded, Lieutenant Tominac refused evacuation despite his painful wound. Calling on a sergeant to extract the shell fragment from his shoulder with a pocket knife, he continued to direct the assault, led his squad in a hand grenade attack against a fortified position occupied by 32 of the enemy, armed with machine guns, machine pistols and rifles, and compelled them to surrender. His outstanding heroism and exemplary leadership resulted in the distruction of four successive enemy defensive positions, the seizure of a vital sector of the city of Saulx-de-Vesoul, and the death or capture of at least 60 of the enemy.

PFC. JOSE F. VALDEZ, 38352446, Company B, 7th Infantry, was on outpost duty with five others near Rosenkrantz, France, on 25 January 1945, when the enemy counterattacked with overwhelming strength. From his position near some woods 500 yards beyond the American lines, he observed a hostile tank about 75 yards away and raked it with automatic rifle fire until it withdrew. Soon afterward, he saw three Germans stealthily approaching through the woods. Scorning cover as the enemy soldiers opened up with heavy automatic-weapons fire from a range of 30 yards, be engaged in a fire fight with the attackers until he had killed all three. The enemy quickly launched an attack with two full companies of infantrymen, blasting the- patrol with murderous concentrations of automatic and rifle fire and beginning an encircling movement which forced the patrol leader to order a withdrawal. Despite the terrible odds, Private Valdez immediately volunteered to cover the maneuver, and, as the patrol, one by one, plunged through a hail of bullets, toward the American lines, fired burst after burst into the swarming enemy. Three of his companions were wounded in their dash for safety and he was struck by a bullet which entered his stomach and, passing through his body, emerged from his back. Overcoming agonizing pain, he regained control of himself and resumed his firing position, delivering a protective screen of bullets until all others of the patrol were safe. By field telephone, he called for artillery and mortar fire on the Germans and corrected the range until he had shells falling within 50 yards of his position. For 15 minutes he refused to be dislodged by more than 200 of the enemy, then seeing that the barrage had broken the counterattack, he dragged himself back to his own lines. He later died as a result of his wounds. Through his valiant, intrepid stand and at the cost of his own life, Private Valdez made it possible for his comrades to escape and was directly responsible for repulsing an attack by vastly superior enemy forces.

LT. COL. KEITH L. WARE, 0-1288333, Executive officer (then Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion), 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. At about 1200 hours on 26 December 1944, near Sigolsheim, France, Colonel Ware braved the fire of six enemy machine guns to dislodge 200 fanatical SS troops from formidable defensive positions. Finding that one of his companies had been repeatedly halted in its efforts to assault a bleak, rocky hill, which dominated the neighboring towns of the Southern Alsatian Plain with artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire, Colonel Ware advanced 150 yards beyond the positions of his foremost riflemen to reconnoiter the terrain, determine enemy gun locations and find a feasible route of attack. Disdaining to seek cover, ignoring shells which exploded within 20 yards of him he engaged in a two-hour reconnaissance, deliberately drawing enemy fire to ascertain hostile depositions. Returning to the company and finding the men reluctant to resume the attack, Colonel Ware seized a BAR, called for one platoon to follow him, and advanced boldly toward the enemy positions. Striding forward 20 yards ahead of his puny force of two officers, nine enlisted men, and a tank, Colonel Ware advanced 200 yards through uninterrupted and furious fire which inflicted five casualties on his men. While white tracers from 6 enemy machine guns ricocheted off the rocks at big side, forming jagged patterns of fire, a mortar and artillery concentration deluged the area over which the assault group was advancing. Approaching to within 20 yards of an enemy machine gun, Colonel Ware dashed forward into a hail of automatic fire despatched two riflemen with his BAR and fired tracers into the machine-gun emplacement, enabling his tank to make the kill. Inserting a new magazine in his BAR, Colonel Ware charged a second machine gun 80 yards to his right. Killing two of the support riflemen and forcing others to surrender, he engaged the machine gun in a duel at 30 yards' range. Guided by the strike of his bullets, the tank opened fire and administered the coup de grace. His BAR ammunition spent, Colonel Ware seized an M-1, killed a German rifleman and attacked the third machine gun 50 yards away with rifle fire. His tank then entered the fight, knocking out the hostile gun. While one of the officers destroyed two more machine guns, Colonel Ware charged forward 20 yards into withering fire to grapple with the last enemy machine gun. As he approached to within 40 yards of the gun, the supporting riflemen surrendered in panic; he fearlessly engaged the machine gun; his tank destroyed it. Colonel Ware's relentless assault sent the remaining German force in headlong flight. He was wounded in the hand, but refused treatment or evacuation until all positions on the hill were properly placed. Personally killing 5 Germans and capturing approximately twenty, Colonel Ware had fought for an hour, to disintegrate a well-emplaced force of 200 crack German troops and seize the hill position they had been ordered to hold to the death.

LIEUT. DAVID C. WAYBUR, 0-452653, 3rd Reconnaissance Troop. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict with the enemy on 17 July 1943, near Agrigento, Sicily. Commander of a reconnaissance platoon, Lieutenant Waybur volunteered to lead a three-vehicle patrol into enemy-held territory to locate an isolated Ranger unit. Proceeding under cover of darkness, over roads known to be heavily mined, and strongly defended by roadblocks and machine-gun positions, the patrol's progress was halted at a bridge which had been destroyed by enemy troops and was suddenly cut off from its supporting vehicles by four enemy tanks. Although hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, and himself and his men completely exposed, Lieutenant Waybur quickly dispersed his vehicles and ordered his gunners to open fire with their .30 and .50 caliber machine guns. Then with ammunition exhausted, three of his men hit and himself seriously wounded, he seized his .45 caliber Thompson machine gun, and standing in the bright moonlight directly in the line of fire, alone engaged the leading tank at 30 yards and succeeded in killing the crew members, causing the tank to run onto the bridge and crash into the stream bed. After despatching one of the men for aid, he rallied the rest to cover and withstood the continued fire of the tanks until the arrival of aid the following morning.

LIEUT. ELI WHITELEY, 0-1310907, Company L, 15th Infantry, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. At 0900 hours on 27 December 1944, in Sigolsheim, France, Lieutenant Whiteley dashed through withering automatic and shell fire to assault an enemy-held house single-handedly and despatch its garrison. Hurling smoke and fragmentation grenades before him, he charged, although wounded, down a fire-swept street and battered his way alone into a second building, killing two and capturing 11 Germans. Though his wounded arm dangled uselessly he blasted down the wall of a third house with bazooka fire and charged inside to kill five and capture 12 Germans. When blinded by another shell wound, he kept on fighting until forcibly evacuated.

LIEUT. RAYMOND ZUSSMAN, 0-1014997, Cavalry, Company A, 756th Tank Battalion, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict. On 12 September 1944, at 1900 hours, Lieutenant Zussman dismounted from his command tank and proceeded on foot, armed only with a carbine and followed by a lone M-4 tank, and assaulted Nory-le-Bourg, France. Forging ahead of the tank into blazing small-arms fire, he located and neutralized an improvised roadblock which had been booby trapped. Although intense enemy machine-gun and small-arms fire from a German position only 50 yards distant ricocheted off the hull and turret of the tank, Lieutenant Zussman stood beside it, fully exposed, firing on the enemy with his carbine and directing the tank's fire. When 'three Germans fell dead, the remaining eight surrendered to Lieutenant Zussman, who immediately proceeded to direct the fire of the tank on another center of resistance, killing three and compelling an additional seven to surrender. Having already exhausted his carbine ammunition, he seized a Thompson submachine gun from a member of the tank crew and advanced well in front of the tank, toward a group of houses occupied by the enemy. Machine-gun and small-arms fire opened up on him from another enemy strongpoint 75 yards to his right front. Disregarding bullets which kicked up the dirt at his feet, he again stood in an exposed position and directed the fire of his tank until resistance was broken and 20 Germans surrendered. Leaving the tank behind, he rushed toward an enemy strongpoint in a house, firing his submachine gun as he ran, while the Germans tried to stop him with small-arms fire and threw hand grenades in his path. After a brief fire exchange, he brought up the tank and directed its fire on the house, forcing 11 more Germans to give up. His submachine gun blazing, Lieutenant Zassman again dashed forward into rifle and automatic weapons fire to another German held house, emerging after a short exchange of fire with 15 more prisoners. As the Germans fled before his whirlwind attack accurate tank fire accounted for 11 more killed. Noting an ideal antitank position, he plunged forward alone to reconnoiter. His submachine gun fired; his voice was heard above the tumult, shouting "Hande hoch!" and in a few minutes 30 prisoners, including the crews of two AT guns, filed around the cornet. As night fell, be again went forward alone, to a truck; there was a band grenade explosion, but when the smoke cleared Lieutenant Zassman returned with another prisoner. With lightning rapidity, Lieutenant Zussman had overwhelmed one enemy position after another. Fighting against heavy odds and on his own volition, he bad blasted his way into and through the strongly defended town ahead of the infantry, killing 17 and capturing 92 enemy soldiers, and capturing two antitank guns, one 20mm flak gun, two machine guns, and two trucks. Lieutenant Zussman was killed in a subsequent action.