General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

GO 51
8
2. The 84tk Field Artillery Battallon is cited for conspicuous pallantry and
heroism in battle on 21,22, and 23 Eebrunry 1943 in repelling an attack by vastly
superior forces which mere attempting to break through the Allied lines in the
vicinity of Thala, Tunisia. The 84th Field Artillery BettoZion completed a
100-hour forced march from Tlemcen, Algeria, covering a distance of 735 miles
in bitter weather over tortuous and almost impassable mountain roads on the
night of 21 February 1W. Without prior reconnnissanee or adequate maps,
harassed by enemy fire, and forced to maneuver through a acaugcsted, narrow
rod, nevertheless, the battalion occnpied batllc positions, set up communiea-
tions, established observation posts, and was ready to deliver fire by daylight.
Although enemy forces were entrenched only 2,5W yards diatant and there were
only three platoons of friendly infantry in frolit of thc artillery, the unit main-
tained eonstant and steady fire with such deadly effect that enemy tank units
were dispcrsed and driven hack. The cool and determined manner in which the
84th Picld Artillery Battalien entered into battle after an almost incredible forced
mal.cI1 contributed in great measure to the defeat of the enemy's attempt to
break throngll the Thalia defile. The gnllnnt entry into battle and the heroism
Wth which the volume of fire was maintained, despite lerrific enemy fire, are
in keeping Sith the highest tr:rditions of the Americon military ssrviee.
XIll..MEDAL OF FREEDOM.-By direction of the President, under the pro-
visions of ExecuLive Order 9586, 6 July 1945 (sec. 11, WD Bul. 12, 19451, the
Medal of Freedom for meritorious service which has aided the United States in
the psoseculion of a war against an enemy during the pcriods indicated mas
arrdrded by the War Department to the following-named individuals:
J w R. Libich, American civilian, serving will, the Office of Strategic Services,
Mediterranean Theater of Operations, from June 1'344 to Nay 1945, dis~lnyed
marked ingenuity iu creating and disseminating subversive material to enemy
troops and cirilians. Of swcial significanee was ilr. Libich's contribution to the
effectiveness of a clandestine newspaper and infiltration of the mails on the Italian
frontier with ~ropaganda.
Senor Francisco Hartes y Mnrsal, Cuban civilian. June 1943 to November 1'345.
XIV..LEGION OR MERIT.-So much of section 111, WD General Orders 10.
1046, as pertains to Colonel Ckalmer B. McClelland, Ordnance Department, is
rescinded (see par. 6, sec. VIII above).
XV..BRONZE STAR MEDAL.-So much of section XI, WD General Orders
00, 1045, as pertains to Lieutenant Colonel Kemtt II. Hansan, Infantry, is
rescinded (see sec. IX above).
XVI..UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TYPJIUS COMMISSION MEDAL-
So much of seclion VIII, WD General Orders 43, 1046, ns pertains to Major
WiUiapr. T. Hawleu, Nedical Corps, as reads "Major William T. Hawloll" is
nmcnded to read "Xnjor TViZliem L. Hawleg."
BY ORDEX OF TEE SE~T~RP OF Wnn:
Orrrcra~ :
EDWARD F. WITSELL
Major Genera
'Pns Adjzrtolet Dsnwal
DWIGHT D. EISEKFIOWER
Chief of stag