Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private 1st Class

Unit:

Company A, 6th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Division "Old Ironsides", U.S. Army

Awarded on:

August 1st, 1945

"The following enlisted men, Infantry (Armd), Company "A", 6th Armored Infantry Battalion. For heroic achievement in action on 17 October 1944 near Monterumici, Itlaly. Spearheading a company attack against the hill mass of Monterumuci, Italy on 17 October 1944, the second platoon of Company "A", Sixth Armored Infantry Battalion, was assigned the mission of seizing a steep ridge commanding the approaches to Monterumici. In the counter-attack the previous night, another company on the left had been thrown back several hundred yards. The platoon which was to have secured Company "A"'s left flank was cut off and forced to surrender after a two and one half hour fire fight. Consequently, when the members of the lead squad of the second platoon, consisting of the following men, began their assault on the ridge, they not only encountered rifle, machine gun and mortar fire from elaborately prepared defensive positions but also were subjected to shelling by the enemy self-propelled gun which was able to fire from the platoon left rear. Despite his heavy opposition, the squad reached the ridge, flushing out enemy riflemen and destroying two machine gun nests. The enemy fought fiercely and gave ground slowly and their mortar fire was so accurate and followed the battle so closely that in several instancesshells dropped into holes from which prisoners had just been taken. Then, although the rest of the platoon ws unable to join it, the squad remained on the ridge for eleven hours under a ceaseless pounding from mortars and artillery. When the order finally came to withdraw, the squad made its way back and rejoined the company. It was later learned that the ridge and adjacent hill mass were occupied by more than a battalion of picked SS troops with another battalion in close support. The ridge remained in enemy hands for nearlu six months thereafter. The magnificent courage, aggressiveness and determination of these men are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces and deserving of recognition."