Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

2nd Lieutenant

Unit:

Company C, 8th Tank Battalion, 10th Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division, U.S. Army

Awarded on:

1945

"For gallantry in action while serving with the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division in action against an armed enemy on 24 December 1944, at Chaumont, Belgium. Lieutenant Patton entered Chaumont at the head of his platoon, which was mounted on one platoon of tanks of Company C, 8th Tank Battalion, and established an outpost in the town. When his position was attacked by 17 enemy tanks, and friendly tanks were unable to render support, Lieutenant Patton refused to withdraw until three of the enemy tanks had advanced to within 25 feet of his position. He then covered the withdrawal of his platoon with the superior firepower of his submachine gun. When he discovered that hostile machine guns had registered on his platoon's original route of withdrawal, he went forward alone to reconnoiter a new route. Lieutenant Patton waded across a stream and crawled 200 yards across a field under enemy artillery fire. He then crawled up a hill from which he could observe the next leg of the route of withdrawal. While thus fearlessly exposed, he was killed by a burst of fire from an enemy machine gun. Lieutenant Patton's actions, his courage and devotion to duty, reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States."

Headquarters, 4th Armored Division, General Orders No. 11 (posthumously awarded)