Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Unit:

771st Tank Destroyer Battalion, (attached to) 102nd Infantry Division "Ozark" (771st Tank Destroyer Battalion, (attached to) 102nd Infantry Division "Ozark")

Awarded on:

December 17th, 1944

For action on 26 and 30 November, 1944 near Flossdorf, Germany

Citation:
“Staff Sergeant Norbert E. Karl, Infantry, 771st Tank Battalion, United States Army, for gallantry in action against the enemy in Germany. On 26 November 1944, when his battalion was in support of infantry troops in a defensive mission outside a strongly defended enemy town, Staff Sergeant Karl took charge of his platoon of tanks when his platoon leader left a tank to assist in the evacuation of wounded. Upon sighting enemy gun positions, Staff Sergeant Karl moved his tank into an exposed position to deliver fire upon the targets and continued to direct fire against the enemy from an open turret under a barrage of heavy enemy artillery fire. At nightfall, when another platoon of tanks had been hit by enemy artillery, he left his tank to help evacuate the wounded and returned to evacuate valuable signal equipment from the stricken tanks. This was done under a heavy enemy artillery barrage and intermittent small arms fire in the presence of enemy observation caused by flares being constantly dropped on the position. On 30 November, 1944, Staff Sergeant Karl, while leading an assault platoon of tanks in attack, remained with his tank to act as an observer for supporting fire to the enemy when his tank had been hit and he was unable to evacuate the wounded crew because of intense enemy small arms fire. Remaining there until after night had set in, he successfully evacuated members of his crew and other wounded members of his platoon to safety while still under a heavy barrage of enemy artillery, mortar and small arms fire. Staff Sergeant Karl’s gallantry, courage, and devotion to duty in the presence of most hazardous conditions reflect great credit upon himself and to the military service.”

Headquarters, 102D Infantry Division, Office of the Commanding General, 17 December 1944.