Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Corporal

Unit:

Company C, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division "All American", U.S. Army (Company C, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army,)

Citation:
Charles F. Cymerys, 31021808, Corporal, Company C, 505th Parachute Infantry, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action on 10 July 1943 on Sicily. With utter disregard for his own safety, Corporal Cymerys, who was second in command of a rifle squad, crawled to his unit's equipment bundle to secure automatic weapons needed in the attack on enemy positions. In the face of heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire he secured the weapons, but was wounded in doing so. Despite his wounds he crawled 150 yards toward the position where the enemy was hiding and threw hand grenades, killing two of the enemy and forcing the others to abandon their position. This heroic act enabled his squad to procure its equipment and organize for an attack. Corporal Cymerys later succumbed to the wounds he received during this gallant action.

Awarded posthumously