Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Unit:

Company C, 760th Tank Battalion, 1st Armored Division "Old Ironsides", U.S. Army

William C. Walsh, 38020978, Staff Sergeant, 760th Tank Battalion for gallantry in action on 24 January 1944, in the vicinity of the Rapido River, Italy. Sergeant Walsh commanded a tank firing into enemy positions on the Rapido river. The area was subjected to terrific enemy artillery, nebelwerfer, mortar, and small arms fire. A defective round of ammunition jammed his gun during a particularly heavy concentration of enemy fire. Despite the fact that artillery rounds were standing within twenty-five yards of his tank, Sergeant Walsh dismounted and using a ramrod tried ejecting the defective round but failed in this attempt. He then got a sledge hammer and by inserting the ramrod into the barrel and using the hammer he succeeded in ejecting the round. His gallant action reflects great credit upon himself and the armed Forces of the United States. Entered the Service from Rush Springs, Oklahoma.