General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

WAR DEP.iRT31ENT
WASHINOTON 2j, D. C., 13 February 1046
Seetion
MEDAL Ol? HONOR-Posthumous awards I
DISTISGUISHED-SERYICE MEDAL (0-tKLEIF CLUSTEIO-Awards-.---..- I1
LEGION OF )rlEKII-Awards~-----~.~~~-----~~.~.~..~-~-----.~-.--. 111
LRGION OF JIEKIT (OAK-LEAF CLUSi"ER)-Award& IV
AIII XEDAL (OAK-LEAB CLUSTEKI-Award VlII
I..MEDAL OF HONOR.-By direction of the President, under rhe prorisions
of the act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (WD Bul. 43, 191R), a JIedal ui
Eonor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and
beyond the call of duty was awarded po~gmously by the War Dwartment in
the name of Congress to the following-named ofticer and enlisted men:
Technical Sergeant Morris E. Cmin (Army serial Yo. 35728722), Companj- E,
141st Infantry IWgiment, Army offhe United States, led his platoon against
powerful German forces on 13 .\larch 1945 in Haguenan, France, during the strug-
gle to enlarge the brldgehend across the Moder River. With great daring and
aggressireness, he spearheaded the platoan in killing 10 enemy soldiers, capturing
12 more, and securing its objectire near an important road junction. Although
heavy concentrations of artillery, mortar, and self-prowlled gunfire raked the
area, he mwed about among his men during rhe day, exhorting tbem la great
efforts and encouraging them to stand firm. He carried ammunition and mnin-
tained contact with the company command post, exposing himself to deadly
enemy flre. At nightfall the enemy barrage beenme more intense and tanks
entered the fray to cover foot troops while they bombarded our positions with
grenades and rackets. As buildings were blasted by the Germans, the Americans
fell back from house to house. Sergeant Crain deployed another platoon, which
had been sent to his support; and then rushed through murderous tank and
small-arms fire to the foremost house which was being defended by flw of his
mcn. With the enemy attacking from an adjoining room and a tank firing point-
blank nt the house, he ordered the men to witharaw while he remained in the
face of almost certain death to hold the position. Although shells were erash-
ing through the walls and bullets were hitting all around him, he held his ground
and, with accurate fire from his submachine gun, killed three Germans. He was
killed when the building was destroyed by the enemy. Sergeant Crain'a out-
standing valor and intrepid leadership enabled his platoon lo organize a new
defense, repel the attack and preserve the hard-won bridgehebeild.
Staff Sergeant Amher T. Gammon (Army serial No. 33156658), a squad leader
with Comgany A, 9th Armored Infantry Battalion, Army of the United States,
on 11 January 1945, near Bnstogne, Belgium, charged 30 yards through hip-deep
6U0W to knock out a machine gun and its three-man crew with grenades, Snring
his platoan from being decimated and allowing it to continue its adrancefrom
an open fleld into some nearby woods. The platoon's advance through the woods
had only begun when a machine gun, supported by riflemen, opened fire aod a
Royal Tiger tank began sending 88~mm. shells screaming at the unit from the
left flank. Sergeant Gammon, disregerding all thought of personal safety, rushed
forward, then cut to the left, crossing the aidth of the plataon'sskirmish line in
an attempt to get within grenade range of the tank and its protecting foot troops.
Intense fire was concentrated an him by riflemen aud the machine gun emplaced
AGO 3091U-Feb. 881120'-48