SGT Hulon Brocke Whittington, 23, USA (1921–1969)
41st Armored Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Division
Near Grimesnil, France
July 29, 1944
Presented April 23, 1945
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to SGT Hulon Brooke Whittington, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with 41st Armored Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Division.
On the night of July 29, 1944, near Grimesnil, France, during an enemy armored attack, SGT Whittington, a squad leader, assumed command of his platoon when the platoon leader and platoon sergeant became missing in action. He reorganized the defense and, under fire, courageously crawled between gun positions to check the actions of his men. When the advancing enemy attempted to penetrate a roadblock, SGT Whittington, completely disregarding intense enemy action, mounted a tank and by shouting through the turret, directed it into position to fire pointblank at the leading Mark V German tank. The destruction of this vehicle blocked all movement of the remaining enemy column consisting of over 100 vehicles of a Panzer unit. The blocked vehicles were then destroyed by hand grenades, bazooka, tank, and artillery fire and large numbers of enemy personnel were wiped out by a bold and resolute bayonet charge inspired by SGT Whittington. When the medical aid man had become a casualty, SGT Whittington personally administered first aid to his wounded men. The dynamic leadership, the inspiring example, and the dauntless courage of SGT Whittington, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
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PVT Joseph William Ozbourn, 24, USMC (1919–1944)
1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division
Tinian, Mariana Islands
July 30, 1944
Presented mid-to-late 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 PVT Joseph William Ozbourn, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Browning Automatic Rifleman serving with the First Battalion, Twenty-Third Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, during the battle for enemy Japanese-held Tinian Island, Marianas Islands, July 30, 1944.
As a member of a platoon assigned the mission of clearing the remaining Japanese troops from dugouts and pillboxes along a tree line, PVT Ozbourn, flanked by two men on either side, was moving forward to throw an armed hand grenade into a dugout when a terrific blast from the entrance severely wounded the four men and himself. Unable to throw the grenade into the dugout and with no place to hurl it without endangering the other men, PVT Ozbourn unhesitatingly grasped it close to his body and fell upon it, sacrificing his own life to absorb the full impact of the explosion, but saving his comrades. His great personal valor and unwavering loyalty reflect the highest credit upon PVT Ozbourn and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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CDR Lawson Paterson “Red” Ramage, 35, USN (1909–1990)
USS Parche (SS-384)
Off Formosa, South China Sea
July 31, 1944
Presented January 10, 1945
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to CDR Lawson Paterson “Red” Ramage (NSN: 0-70337), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the USS PARCHE in a predawn attack on a Japanese convoy in the South China Sea, July 31, 1944.
Boldly penetrating the screen of a heavily escorted convoy, CDR Ramage launched a perilous surface attack by delivering a crippling stern shot into a freighter and quickly following up with a series of bow and stern torpedoes to sink the leading tanker and damage the second one. Exposed by the light of bursting flares and bravely defiant of terrific shellfire passing close overhead, he struck again, sinking a transport by two forward reloads. In the mounting fury of fire from the damaged and sinking tanker, he calmly ordered his men below, remaining on the bridge to fight it out with an enemy now disorganized and confused. Swift to act as a fast transport closed in to ram, CDR Ramage daringly swung the stern of the speeding PARCHE as she crossed the bow of the onrushing ship, clearing by less than 50 feet but placing his submarine in a deadly crossfire from escorts on all sides and with the transport dead ahead. Undaunted, he sent three smashing “down the throat” bow shots to stop the target, then scored a killing hit as a climax to 46 minutes of violent action with the PARCHE and her valiant fighting company retiring victorious and unscathed.
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