Medal of Honor recipients (August 1944)

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PFC Frank Peter Witek, 22, USMCR (1921–1944)

2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division
Finegayen, Guam, Mariana Islands
August 3, 1944
Presented May 20, 1945
Posthumous

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to PFC Frank Peter Witek, United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, during the Battle of Finegayen at Guam, Marianas, on August 3, 1944.

When his rifle platoon was halted by heavy surprise fire from well-camouflaged enemy positions, PFC Witek daringly remained standing to fire a full magazine from his automatic at point-blank range into a depression housing Japanese troops, killing eight of the enemy and enabling the greater part of his platoon to take cover. During his platoon’s withdrawal for consolidation of lines, he remained to safeguard a severely wounded comrade, courageously returning the enemy’s fire until the arrival of stretcher bearers, and then covering the evacuation by sustained fire as he moved backward toward his own lines. With his platoon again pinned down by a hostile machine gun, PFC Witek, on his own initiative, moved forward boldly to the reinforcing tanks and infantry, alternately throwing hand grenades and firing as he advanced to within five to ten yards of the enemy position, and destroying the hostile machine-gun emplacement and an additional eight Japanese before he himself was struck down by an enemy rifleman. His valiant and inspiring action effectively reduced the enemy’s firepower, thereby enabling his platoon to attain its objective, and reflects the highest credit upon PFC Witek and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

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PFC Robert Lee Wilson, 23, USMC (1921–1944)

Company D, 2nd Pioneer Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division
Tinian, Mariana Islands
August 4, 1944
Presented July 26, 1945
Posthumous

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (posthumously) to PFC Robert Lee Wilson, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Second Battalion, Sixth Marines, SECOND Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Tinian Island, Marianas Group, on August 4, 1944.

As one of a group of Marines advancing through heavy underbrush to neutralize isolated points of resistance, PFC Wilson daringly preceded his companions toward a pile of rocks where Japanese troops were supposed to be hiding. Fully aware of the danger involved, he was moving forward while the remainder of the squad, armed with automatic rifles, closed together in the rear when an enemy grenade landed in the midst of the group. Quick to act, PFC Wilson cried a warning to the men and unhesitatingly threw himself on the grenade, heroically sacrificing his own life that the others might live and fulfill their mission. His exceptional valor, his courageous loyalty and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave peril reflect the highest credit upon PFC Wilson and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

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CPT Darrell Robins Lindsey, 24, USAAF (1919–1944)

585 BS, 394 BG(M), 1st Air Force
L’Isle Adam Bridge, Seine River, France
August 9, 1944
Presented May 30, 1945
Posthumous

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (posthumously) to CPT (Air Corps) Darrell Robins Lindsey (ASN: 0-729031), United States Army Air Forces, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 585th Bombardment Squadron, 394th Bombardment Group (M), Ninth Air Force.

On August 9, 1944, CPT Lindsey led a formation of 30 B-26 medium bombers in a hazardous mission to destroy the strategic enemy-held L’lsle Adam railroad bridge over the Seine in occupied France. With most of the bridges over the Seine destroyed, the heavily fortified L’Isle Adam bridge was of inestimable value to the enemy in moving troops, supplies, and equipment to Paris. CPT Lindsey was fully aware of the fierce resistance that would be encountered. Shortly after reaching enemy territory the formation was buffeted with heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire. By skillful evasive action, CPT Lindsey was able to elude much of the enemy flak, but just before entering the bombing run his B-26 was peppered with holes. During the bombing run the enemy fire was even more intense, and CPT Lindsey’s right engine received a direct hit and burst into flames. Despite the fact that his ship was hurled out of formation by the violence of the concussion, CPT Lindsey brilliantly maneuvered back into the lead position without disrupting the flight. Fully aware that the gasoline tanks might explode at any moment, CPT Lindsey gallantly elected to continue the perilous bombing run. With fire streaming from his right engine and his right wing half enveloped in flames, he led his formation over the target upon which the bombs were dropped with telling effect. Immediately after the objective was attacked, CPT Lindsey gave the order for the crew to parachute from the doomed aircraft. With magnificent coolness and superb pilotage, and without regard for his own life, he held the swiftly descending airplane in a steady glide until the members of the crew could jump to safety. With the right wing completely enveloped in flames and an explosion of the gasoline tank imminent, CPT Lindsey still remained unperturbed. The last man to leave the stricken plane was the bombardier, who offered to lower the wheels so that CPT Lindsey might escape from the nose. Realizing that this might throw the aircraft into an uncontrollable spin and jeopardize the bombardier’s chances to escape, CPT Lindsey refused the offer. Immediately after the bombardier had bailed out, and before CPT Lindsey was able to follow, the right gasoline tank exploded. The aircraft sheathed in fire, went into a steep dive and was seen to explode as it crashed. All who are living today from this plane owe their lives to the fact that CPT Lindsey remained cool and showed supreme courage in this emergency.

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SGT James Phillip Connor, 25, USA (1919–1994)

Battle Patrol, HQ Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
Cap Cavalaire, France
August 15, 1944
Presented May 7, 1945

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to SGT James Phillip Connor, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Battle Patrol, Headquarters Company, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, in action at Cape Cavalaire, France.

On August 15, 1944, SGT Connor, through sheer grit and determination, led his platoon in clearing an enemy vastly superior in numbers and firepower from strongly entrenched positions on Cape Cavalaire, removing a grave enemy threat to his division during the amphibious landing in southern France, and thereby insured safe and uninterrupted landings for the huge volume of men and materiel which followed. His battle patrol landed on “Red Beach” with the mission of destroying the strongly fortified enemy positions on Cape Cavalaire with utmost speed. From the peninsula the enemy had commanding observation and seriously menaced the vast landing operations taking place. Though knocked down and seriously wounded in the neck by a hanging mine which killed his platoon lieutenant, SGT Connor refused medical aid and with his driving spirit practically carried the platoon across several thousand yards of mine-saturated beach through intense fire from mortars, 20mm flak guns, machine guns, and snipers. En route to the Cape, he personally shot and killed two snipers. The platoon sergeant was killed and SGT Connor became platoon leader. Receiving a second wound, which lacerated his shoulder and back, he again refused evacuation, expressing determination to carry on until physically unable to continue. He reassured and prodded the hesitating men of his decimated platoon forward through almost impregnable mortar concentrations. Again emphasizing the prevalent urgency of their mission, he impelled his men toward a group of buildings honeycombed with enemy snipers and machine guns. Here he received his third grave wound, this time in the leg, felling him in his tracks. Still resolved to carry on, he relinquished command only after his attempts proved that it was physically impossible to stand. Nevertheless, from his prone position, he gave the orders and directed his men in assaulting the enemy. Infused with SGT Connor’s dogged determination, the platoon, though reduced to less than one-third of its original 36 men, outflanked and rushed the enemy with such furiousness that they killed 7, captured 40, seized three machine guns and considerable other materiel, and took all their assigned objectives, successfully completing their mission. By his repeated examples of tenaciousness and indomitable spirit SGT Connor transmitted his heroism to his men until they became a fighting team which could not be stopped.

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SSG Stanley Bender, 34, USA (1909–1994)

Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
Near La Lande, France
August 17, 1944
Presented January 21, 1945

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to SSG Stanley Bender, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

On August 17, 1944, near La Lande, France, SSG Bender climbed on top of a knocked-out tank, in the face of withering machine-gun fire which had halted the advance of his company, in an effort to locate the source of this fire. Although bullets ricocheted off the turret at his feet, he nevertheless remained standing upright in full view of the enemy for over two minutes. Locating the enemy machine guns on a knoll 200 yards away, he ordered two squads to cover him and led his men down an irrigation ditch, running a gauntlet of intense machine-gun fire, which completely blanketed 50 yards of his advance and wounded four of his men. While the Germans hurled hand grenades at the ditch, he stood his ground until his squad caught up with him, then advanced alone, in a wide flanking approach, to the rear of the knoll. He walked deliberately a distance of 40 yards, without cover, in full view of the Germans and under a hail of both enemy and friendly fire, to the first machine gun and knocked it out with a single short burst. Then he made his way through the strongpoint, despite bursting hand grenades, toward the second machine gun, 25 yards distant, whose two-man crew swung the machine gun around and fired two bursts at him, but he walked calmly through the fire and, reaching the edge of the emplacement, dispatched the crew. Signaling his men to rush the rifle pits, he then walked 35 yards further to kill an enemy rifleman and returned to lead his squad in the destruction of the eight remaining Germans in the strongpoint. His audacity so inspired the remainder of the assault company that the men charged out of their positions, shouting and yelling, to overpower the enemy roadblock and sweep into town, knocking out two anti-tank guns, killing 37 Germans and capturing 26 others. He had sparked and led the assault company in an attack which overwhelmed the enemy, destroying a roadblock, taking a town, seizing intact three bridges over the Maravenne River, and capturing commanding terrain which dominated the area.

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PVT Masato Nakae, 26, USA (1917–1998)

Company A, 100th Battalion, 442 RCT – attached to 36th Infantry Division
Near Pisa, Italy
August 19, 1944
Presented June 21, 2000
Posthumous

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (posthumously) to PVT Masato Nakae (ASN: 30102831), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company A, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 36th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on August 19, 1944, near Pisa, Italy.

When his submachine gun was damaged by a shell fragment during a fierce attack by a superior enemy force, PVT Nakae quickly picked up his wounded comrade’s M1 rifle and fired rifle grenades at the steadily advancing enemy. As the hostile force continued to close in on his position, PVT Nakae threw six grenades and forced them to withdraw. During a concentrated enemy mortar barrage that preceded the next assault by the enemy force, a mortar shell fragment seriously wounded PVT Nakae. Despite his injury, he refused to surrender his position and continued firing at the advancing enemy. By inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy force, he finally succeeded in breaking up the attack and caused the enemy to withdraw. PVT Nakae’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

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SGT John Druse “Bud” Hawk, 20, USA (1924–2013)

Company E, 2nd Battalion, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division
Near Chambois, France
August 20, 1944
Presented June 21, 1945

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to SGT John Druse “Bud” Hawk, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division.

SGT Hawk manned a light machine gun on August 20, 1944, near Chambois, France, a key point in the encirclement which created the Falaise Pocket. During an enemy counterattack, his position was menaced by a strong force of tanks and infantry. His fire forced the infantry to withdraw, but an artillery shell knocked out his gun and wounded him in the right thigh. Securing a bazooka, he and another man stalked the tanks and forced them to retire to a wooded section. In the lull which followed, SGT Hawk reorganized two machine-gun squads and, in the face of intense enemy fire, directed the assembly of one workable weapon from two damaged guns. When another enemy assault developed, he was forced to pull back from the pressure of spearheading armor. Two of our tank destroyers were brought up. Their shots were ineffective because of the terrain until SGT Hawk, despite his wound, boldly climbed to an exposed position on a knoll where, unmoved by fusillades from the enemy, he became a human aiming stake for the destroyers. Realizing that his shouted fire directions could not be heard above the noise of battle, he ran back to the destroyers through a concentration of bullets and shrapnel to correct the range. He returned to his exposed position, repeating this performance until two of the tanks were knocked out and a third driven off. Still at great risk, he continued to direct the destroyers’ fire into the Germans’ wooded position until the enemy came out and surrendered. SGT Hawk’s fearless initiative and heroic conduct, even while suffering from a painful wound, was in large measure responsible for crushing two desperate attempts of the enemy to escape from the Falaise Pocket and for taking more than 500 prisoners.

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SSG Alvin P. Carey, 28, USA (1916–1944)

HHC, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Near Plougastel, Brittany, France
August 23, 1944
Presented May 21, 1945
Posthumous

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (posthumously) to SSG Alvin P. Carey, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, on August 23, 1944, while serving with 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.

SSG Carey, leader of a machine-gun section, was advancing with his company in the attack on the strongly-held enemy Hill 154, near Plougastel, Brittany, France. The advance was held up when the attacking units were pinned down by intense enemy machine-gun fire from a pillbox 200 yards up the hill. From his position covering the right flank, SSG Carey displaced his guns to an advanced position and then, upon his own initiative, armed himself with as many hand grenades as he could carry and without regard for his personal safety started alone up the hill toward the pillbox. Crawling forward under its withering fire, he proceeded 150 yards when he met a German rifleman whom he killed with his carbine. Continuing his steady forward movement until he reached grenade-throwing distance, he hurled his grenades at the pillbox opening in the face of intense enemy fire which wounded him mortally. Undaunted, he gathered his strength and continued his grenade attack until one entered and exploded within the pillbox, killing the occupants and putting their guns out of action. Inspired by SSG Carey’s heroic act, the riflemen quickly occupied the position and overpowered the remaining enemy resistance in the vicinity.

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PVT Harold Alva Garman, 26, USA (1918–1992)

Company B, 5th Medical Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division
Near Montereau, France
August 25, 1944
Presented March 29, 1945

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to PVT Harold Alva Garman, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company B, 5th Medical Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division.

On August 25, 1944, in the vicinity of Montereau, France, the enemy was sharply contesting any enlargement of the bridgehead which our forces had established on the northern bank of the Seine River in this sector. Casualties were being evacuated to the southern shore in assault boats paddled by litter bearers from a medical battalion. PVT Garman, also a litter bearer in this battalion, was working on the friendly shore carrying the wounded from the boats to waiting ambulances. As one boatload of wounded reached midstream, a German machine gun suddenly opened fire upon it from a commanding position on the northern bank 100 yards away. All of the men in the boat immediately took to the water except one man who was so badly wounded he could not rise from his litter. Two other patients who were unable to swim because of their wounds clung to the sides of the boat. Seeing the extreme danger of these patients, PVT Garman without a moment’s hesitation plunged into the Seine. Swimming directly into a hail of machine-gun bullets, he rapidly reached the assault boat and then while still under accurately aimed fire towed the boat with great effort to the southern shore. This soldier’s moving heroism not only saved the lives of the three patients but so inspired his comrades that additional assault boats were immediately procured and the evacuation of the wounded resumed. PVT Garman’s great courage and his heroic devotion to the highest tenets of the Medical Corps may be written with great pride in the annals of the corps.

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TSGT Stephen Raymond Gregg, 30, USA (1914–2005)

Company L, 143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division
Near Montélimar, France
August 27, 1944
Presented April 17, 1945

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to 2LT (Inf), [then TSGT] Stephen Raymond Gregg, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on August 27, 1944, while serving with Company L, 143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, in action in the vicinity of Montélimar, France.

As his platoon advanced upon the enemy positions; the leading scout was fired upon and 2LT Gregg immediately put his machine guns into action to cover the advance of the riflemen. The Germans, who were at close range, threw hand grenades at the riflemen, killing some and wounding seven. Each time a medical aid man attempted to reach the wounded, the Germans fired at him. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, 2LT Gregg took one of the light .30-caliber machine guns, and firing from the hip, started boldly up the hill with the medical aid man following him. Although the enemy was throwing hand grenades at him, 2LT Gregg remained and fired into the enemy positions while the medical aid man removed the seven wounded men to safety. When 2LT Gregg had expended all his ammunition, he was covered by four Germans who ordered him to surrender. Since the attention of most of the Germans had been diverted by watching this action, friendly riflemen were able to maneuver into firing positions. One, seeing 2LT Gregg’s situation, opened fire on his captors. The four Germans hit the ground and thereupon 2LT Gregg recovered a machine pistol from one of the Germans and managed to escape to his other machine-gun positions. He manned a gun, firing at his captors, killed one of them and wounded the other. This action so discouraged the Germans that the platoon was able to continue its advance up the hill to achieve its objective. The following morning, just prior to daybreak, the Germans launched a strong attack, supported by tanks, in an attempt to drive Company L from the hill. As these tanks moved along the valley and their foot troops advanced up the hill, 2LT Gregg immediately ordered his mortars into action. During the day by careful observation, he was able to direct effective fire on the enemy, inflicting heavy casualties. By late afternoon he had directed 600 rounds when his communication to the mortars was knocked out. Without hesitation he started checking his wires, although the area was under heavy enemy small arms and artillery fire. When he was within 100 yards of his mortar position, one of his men informed him that the section had been captured and the Germans were using the mortars to fire on the company. 2LT Gregg with this man and another nearby rifleman started for the gun position where he could see five Germans firing his mortars. He ordered the two men to cover him, crawled up, threw a hand grenade into the position, and then charged it. The hand grenade killed 1, injured 2, 2LT Gregg took the other two prisoners, and put his mortars back into action.

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SGT John Joseph McVeigh, 22, USA (1921–1944)

Company H, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division
Near Brest, France
August 29, 1944
Presented April 6, 1945
Posthumous

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (posthumously) to SGT John J. McVeigh, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company H, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, in action near Brest, France, on August 29, 1944.

Shortly after dusk an enemy counterattack of platoon strength was launched against one platoon of Company G, 23rd Infantry. Since the Company G platoon was not dug in and had just begun to assume defensive positions along a hedge, part of the line sagged momentarily under heavy fire from small arms and two flak guns, leaving a section of heavy machine guns holding a wide frontage without rifle protection. The enemy drive moved so swiftly that German riflemen were soon almost on top of one machine-gun position. SGT McVeigh, heedless of a tremendous amount of small arms and flak fire directed toward him, stood up in full view of the enemy and directed the fire of his squad on the attacking Germans until his position was almost overrun. He then drew his trench knife and single-handed charged several of the enemy. In a savage hand-to-hand struggle, SGT McVeigh killed one German with the knife, his only weapon, and was advancing on three more of the enemy when he was shot down and killed with small arms fire at point-blank range. SGT McVeigh’s heroic act allowed the two remaining men in his squad to concentrate their machine-gun fire on the attacking enemy and then turn their weapons on the three Germans in the road, killing all three. Fire from this machine gun and the other gun of the section was almost entirely responsible for stopping this enemy assault, and allowed the rifle platoon to which it was attached time to reorganize, assume positions on and hold the high ground gained during the day.

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