Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

1st Lieutenant

Unit:

Company G, 415th Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry Division "Timberwolf", U.S. Army

Awarded on:

October 5th, 1945

"1st Lt. Joel W. WRIGHT, Jr., Company G, 415th Infantry Regiment on 21 April 1945. To enable the company to gain its objective with maximum efficiency, Lt. WRIGHT was assigned the mission of securing a road junction and establishing himself in the nearby factory. Following the artillery barrage closely, he crossed eight hundred yards of flat terrain and reached his objective undetected. Once on the perimeter of the objective, he noticed an enemy sentry guarding their command post. He adeptly outwitted the sentry and captured the command post, which quartered twenty enemy soldiers. Finding himself behind the enemy line of defense, Lt. WRIGHT cautiously led his men back to this line of defense where he and his men captured the enemy position. After establishing a defensive position, he observed two enemy self-propelled guns with supporting infantrymen, which he effectively neutralized by directing artillery fire on the attacking enemy. By this series of outstanding accomplishments, Lt. WRIGHT enabled the company to gain its objective. Entered served from Asheville, NC."