appendix awards and decorations - The George C. Marshall ...

142 THE 398TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
No. 603
HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH ARMY
WESTERN MILITARY DISTRICT
AFO 758 US Army
EXTRACT
October 11, 1945
AWARD, POSTHUMOUS, OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
CROSS. By direction of the President, under the provisions of Army
Regulations 600-45, September 22, 1943, as amended, the Distinguished
Service Cross awarded posthumously, by the Army Commander
to the following named individual:
Pfc. Virgil]. Gooch, 35247219, Infantry, Company M, 398th Infantry
Regiment, for extraordinary heroism in action on April 4, 1945
in the vicinity of Heilbronn, Germany. Assigned the mission of crossing
the Neckar River and securing the right bank, Private First Class
Gooch, a member of a machine gun platoon supporting a rifle company,
reached a railroad where he rapidly set up his machine gun on a bridge
offering excellent fields of fire. At 0900 hours the enemy, under cover
of intense artillery and mortar fire and supported by tanks, assaulted
friendly positions and succeeded in cutting off forward elements. A
limited withdrawal was ordered and Private First Class Gooch volunteered
to cover the movement. Intrepidly maintaining his exposed
position, he diverted the enemy attack by his accurate fire, killing fifteen
of the enemy and wounding an unestimated number before he was
killed. Next of Kin: Mrs. Ethel M. Gooch (Mother), 335 Lynn Street,
Indianapolis, Indiana.
BY COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL KEYES:
JOHN M. WILLEMS,
Brigadier General, GSc,
Chief of Staff