General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

Malor General Tho?nns D. Ftnleu. -. 01419. . United - States Arm?. Aumst . 1M to
December 1944.
2. Ry directiorr of the Presidmt. in addition to the kxion of Merit awarded
to Colonel Dean Rusk, as published in General Orders lti9. United States Army
-
Fnrrrs, India-Hurma Tileater. 3 Amust 1045. a bronze Oak-Leaf Cluster for
exceptionally meritorious eon4uct in the performanee of oututnodiog services
during the period indicated was awurdcd to him by the War Department under
the provisi& of the act of Congress approved 20 July 1912 (see. 111. WD Bul.
40, 1912) and Executlve Order Q260, 29 October 1942 (scc. I, WD Bul. 54, 1942).
The citation is as follows:
Coloncl Dean Rusk, 0282232, General Staff Corps, Amy of the United States.
July to December l%j.
IV..BRONZE STAR MEDAL.-By direction of the President, under the Provisions
of Executive Order M19, 4 February 1944 (sec. 11, WD Bul. 3, 1944) a
Bronze Star Medal far meritorious scrvices in connection with ruilitnry opcratirms
~gainst an enemy of the United States during the period indicat.ec1 mas awarded
pusthuma11sly by the War Department to the following-named omcer:
First L1euten:int Wi1lio.m a. Bell, 01318123, Infantry. Army UP the Uuited
States. 16 to 19 December 1944.
V..BATTLE IION0RS.-As authorized by Executive Order 9396 (see. I, ND
Bul. 22, 11943), superseding Executive Order 9075 (sec. 111, WD Bul. 11, 1942).
citalions of the following units in the general orders indicated are runfirrlied
undcr the Proviaions of ~ection IV. WD Cin'ular 333, 1943, in the name of tho
President of the United States ns publie evidence of deserved honor and
disrinction. The citations read as folloms:
1. Company F, 18th Znfonlry Regiment, is cited for outstanding pedormance
of duty in action. On the night of 1 February 1945, Company F, 18th lrifnntly
Regiment, was assigned the mission of capturing hostile Siegf:.icd Line positions
and the town of Ramschic& Germany. Lack of time mwde advance rwounalssance
impossible, and heavy equipment and delnoliljon charges ncccssnry
for the attack were not nvailable. Eegpr to schicve surprise, Comprcn!, F
attacked withou~ artillery preparation at 0400, 2 Febroax.y, anrl'cut im way
throug-h wire ent;rllglcments and the dragon's teeth, enwunterinz a treacllerous
area heavily booby-trapued and rarefully mined. When leading men, lacking
mine delectors, were n.oimded or killed hy mines or booby Iraps, others passed
the casualtips nrld took the lend until they too were strn~k down, thus making
a narrow lane of safety toward the first pilibox. Aierted by the movement
through the mine field, the enemy snbjccted the advancing eornyany to iatcnse
srnall~arms fire, but Company F returned the fire and resolutely proceeded tornard
the Brat inst;llliltion and eompellcd tllc enemy to abandon open ernplacrnlents and
to close pillbox apertures. Then, leaving a fcw rum to keep the first instalktion
under fire and thus prevent the enemy's escape, tile company awiftly advanced
to the nest Pillbox. Hostile resistance increased steadily when the enemy
PerreivPd the glan and attemptwl to halt the ndvanw, but Company P pushed
forward and surrounded the enemy In pillbox after pillbox until nine hacl been
invested. At dawn, company machine guns were strategically emplaced to cover
the pillboxes nnd to guard against possible counterattacks. As one Company F
group began the task op capturing the nine surrounded pillboxes, another group
thrust into Ilamscheid and established itself there. Tanks and lank destroyers
could not be brought up to the pillbox area bccause of the thick mine field The
AGO 33503