General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

GEmsat OsnEus ~VAB D~ARTMERT
No. 22 W.isnrmom~ Zi, D. C., 28 February 1946
Soetion
MEDAL OF HONOR-Po~thumoue awards ................................... I
DISTINGUISHED-SERVICE MEl)A>Award~ ............................... IT
LEGION OR MERIT-Awards ............................................ 111,IV
LEGION OP MERIT (OAK-LEAF CLUSTEK)-Awards ....................... V
DI8TINGUISHBD-PLYING CROSS-Posthumous award ....................... VI
BRONZE STAR MEDAL-Posthumous award ................................ VII
BRONZE STAR MEDALAward4 .......................................... Till
A E D A A d .............................. IX
AIR MDDAL (OAK-LEAF CLUSTER)-Annrd ............................... X
UNITED STATES OF ANERICA TYPHUS COMUIISSIOX UEUALAwards ..... XI
DISTINCUISnED~SERYICE MEDAL--Correction in general orders ............. XI1
DISTINCUISHED-SERVICE MED.iL (OB-LEAP CLUSTER)-Correction in
genera1 orders XIII
BRONZE STAR MEDALCorreefion in general orders. ....................... XIV
I..MEDAL OF HONOR.-By direction of the Presidmt, under the pnwisions
of the act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (WD Bul. 43, 191S), a Medal of
Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intr~oidits . . at the risk of life above and
heyond the call of duty was awarded psthumollsly by the War Department in
the name of Congress to the following-naGd o5c& and enlisted man:
Brigadier Gmerxl Frederick W. Costle, 0319376. Commanding Gcneral of the
4th Bombardment Ting, Eighth Air Force, Army of the United States, was air
commander and leader of more than 2.000 heavv bombers in a strike xcxinst -
German airfields on 24 December 1844. En route to the target, the failure of one
engine forced him to relinqoish his place at the head of the formation. In order
not to endanger friendly troops onthe ground bclow, he refused to jettison his
bombs to gain speed and mnneurerability. Ais lagging, unescorted aircraft
became the target of numerous enemy lighters which ripped the left wing with
cannon shells, set the oxygen system afire, and mounded two mcmhers of the
crew. Repeated attacks started fires in two engines, leaving the flying fortress
in imminent danger of exploding. Realizing the haplessness of the situation,
the bnil-out order was given. Without regard for his personal safety, he gnllantly
remained alone at the controls to afford all other crew members an opportunity
to escape. Still another attack exploded gnsoliue tanks in the right wing
and the bomber plunged earthward, carrying General Castle to his death. His
intrepidity and willing sacrsce of his life to save members of the crew were in
keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
Private First Class Ckarles N. DeGZopner (Army scrial No. 32581337), was n
member of Company C, 326th Glider Infantry Regiment, Army of the United
States, on 9 June 1944, advancing with the forward platoon to secure a bridgehead
across the Merderet Rirer at la Fiere, France. At dawn, the platoon had
uenetrated an outer line of machine mns - and riflemen, but in doing - so had
become cut off from the rest of the company. Vastly superior forcea began a
systematic decimntlon of the stricken unit, and put in molion a flanking maneuver
which would have completely exposed the American platoon in a shallow loadside
ditch where it had taken cover. Detecting thm danger, Private UeGlopper
rolunteered to 6UDDOIt -. his comrades br flre from his automatic rifle while the7
attempted a withdrawal Urrough a bLak in a hedgerow 40 yards to thc rear.
Scorning n conccntrntioo of enemy automatic-wexuons and rifle fire, he wulkea
from the ditch onto the road in full view of rhe Germans and sprnyed the hostile
positions with aasnult 6'e. He mas wounded, but he continued firing. Struck-
AGO 3173U-Nor. 884266'48