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French Legion of Honor
Israeli Medal of Honor
Birth: Boston, MA
Entered: Weymouth, MA
Rank and Organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 259th Infantry
Place and Date: Siegfried Line at Saarlautern, Germany, 18 March 1945
Citation: Congressional Medal of Honor
An aid man, he was wounded in the right shoulder soon after his comrades had jumped off in a dawn attack 18 March 1945, against the Siegfried Line in Saarlautern, Germany. He refused to withdraw for treatment and continued forward, administering first aid under heavy machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire.
When the company ran into a thickly sown antipersonnel minefield and began to suffer more and more casualties , he continued to disregard his own wound, and unhesitatingly braved the danger of exploding mines, moving about through heavy fire and helping the injured until he stepped on a mine which severed one of his feet.
In spite of his grievous wounds, he struggled on with his work, he refused to evacuated and crawling from man to man administering to them while in great pain and bleeding profusely. He was killed by the blast of another mine which he had dragged himself across in an effort to reach yet another casualty.
With indomitable courage, and unquenchable spirit of self-sacrifice and supreme devotion to duty which made it possible for him to continue performing his tasks while barely able to move, PFC Murphy saved many of his fellow soldiers at the cost of his own life.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Murphy was also awarded a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, a Good Conduct Medal, an American Campaign Medal, a European Campaign Medal, and a World War II Victory Medal.
Special note: Born in Boston, the National Archives Boston was named after Frederick C. Murphy. Visit their site for more information about PFC Frederick Murphy. CLICK HERE
This video, presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society presents the history of the medal.
The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army, distinguished himself or herself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor; while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States of America; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing or foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The act or acts of heroism must have been so notable and have involved risk of life so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from his or her comrades. The following men of the 65th received the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of their exceptional performance.
Rank and Organization: Technical Sergeant, Company L, 261st Infantry Regiment
Place and Date: Struth, Germany, 7 August 1945
Citation: Distinguished Service Cross, Third US Army General Order 205, #38147344
For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in Germany.
On 7 April 1945 , during an enemy tank-infantry attack at Struth, Germany, Sergeant Hairston gallantly exposed himself at great risk to deadly hostile grenade and rocket fire in order to thwart an attempted seizure of his company command post. Finding that an adjacent company was pinned down by withering enemy machine gun fire, Sergeant Hairston advanced through the enemy fire and eliminated the hostile crew with point-blank sub-machine gun fire. Later in the same action, he gallantly braved both enemy and friendly fire to seek out and lead to safety a besieged group of his comrades and their prisoners. Sergeant Hairston's heroic, intrepid actions and unflinching devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
Rank and Organization: Staff Sergeant, Company F, 259th Infantry Regiment
Place and Date: Fraulautern, Germany, 13 July 1945
Citation: Distinguished Service Cross, Third US Army General Order 171, #33680078 (awarded posthumously)
For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in Germany.
On 18 March 1945, during an attack on heavily defended Siegfried Line positions near Fraulautern, Germany, Sergeant Caminiti's squad was subjected to extremely heavy machine gun fire emanating from an enemy pill box. Exhibiting cool, heroic leadership he urged his squad forward to take cover. When he saw a comrade hit by enemy rocket-fire he fearlessly went to his aid and although hit again, and mortally wounded, dragged him to safety. Sergeant Caminiti's intrepid leadership and supreme, unselfish devotion to duty are exemplary of the finest traditions of the military service.
Rank and Organization: First Lieutenant, Field Artillery, Headquarters 868th Field Artillery Battalion
Place and Date: Eferding, Austria 1 October 1945
Citation: Distinguished Service Cross, Third US Army General Order 273, #026591 (awarded posthumously)
For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in Austria.
On 4 May 1945, during an attack on Eferding, Austria, our troops met fierce resistance from German SS troops. Lieutenant Christl, although an artillery forward observer, heroically volunteered to lead and infantry squad into the bitterly defended town. With utter disregard for his own safety, he exposed himself to intense hostile automatic weapons fire and led his men in the successful accomplishment of their mission. Lieutenant Christl was killed in this action, but his dauntless heroism and supreme devotion to duty will live on as an inspiration to the men with whom he fought.
Rank and Organization: Second Lieutenant, Company B, 261st Infantry Regiment
Place and Date: Kapfelberg, Germany 19 August 1945
Citation: Distinguished Service Cross, Third US Army General Order 217, #0551020
For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in Germany.
On 26 April 1945, after an assault landing by Lieutenant Dunlap's platoon on the enemy held shore of the Danube River near Kapfelberg, Germany, he led his men in a series of daring, close-range actions to enlarge their bridgehead. Although hit in the leg in the initial assault, he gallantly ignored the wound and advanced alone to knock out hostile machine gun emplacements, clear out an enemy-held house and reconnoiter other enemy installations before allowing his men to continue forward. With fearless aggressiveness he continued to press the attack, shouting orders to his platoon even after he had been wounded a second and third time. Lieutenant Dunlap's determined leadership and unswerving devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service.
Rank and Organization: First Lieutenant, Company B, 261st Infantry Regiment
Place and Date: Kapfelberg, Germany 26 August 1945
Citation: Distinguished Service Cross, Third US Army General Order 230, #0558068 (awarded posthumously)
For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in Germany.
On 26 April 1945, after an assault crossing of the Danube River near Kapfelberg, Germany, Lieutenant Nettles led his company in a fierce attack against enemy strongholds on the far shore. During the fluid actions which developed, he exposed himself to withering hostile fire on numerous occasions to lead and control elements of his organization in the bitter fighting which occurred. Inspired by his fearless example, his men pressed forward to clear two enemy-held towns. Although he was killed while deploying his men in defensive positions to thwart an enemy ambush, Lieutenant Nettles' intrepid, aggressive leadership and supreme devotion to duty live on as an inspiration to the men with whom he fought.
Rank and Organization: First Lieutenant, Company E, 259th Infantry Regiment
Place and Date: Saarlautern, Germany 20 August 1945
Citation: Distinguished Service Cross, Third US Army General Order 219, #01177559
For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy in Germany.
On 18 March 1945, First Lieutenant (then Second Lieutenant) Odegard led his platoon in a pre-dawn attack against strongly fortified enemy Siegfried Line positions near Saarlautern, Germany. When his attacking force became disorganized due to numerous casualties and enemy mines in front of the hostile positions, he courageously returned to the initial point, reorganized his platoon and led them in a second assault through the minefield which was under heavy enemy machine gun, artillery, mortar and small arms fire. Inspired by his cool, heroic leadership, his men knocked out two small bunkers and one large pillbox with pole charges and rocket fire. Lieutenant Odegard's intrepid gallantry against overwhelming odds and his unflinching devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service.
The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces. It is awarded for gallantry in action:
Actions that merit the Silver Star must be of such a high degree that they are above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations but do not merit award of the meet Medal of Honor or a Service Cross (Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or the Air Force Cross).
Abbreviations used below:
KIA - Killed in Action
DOW - Died of Wounds
PH - Purple Heart
CMB - Combat Medic's Badge
BSM - Bronze Star Medal
Bn - Battalion
Anderson, John A -
Andre, Robert F -808th Tank Destroyer Bn
Angle, James U - 65th Cavalry Recon Troop
Arnold Jr, Lewis B - 261st
Baker Jr, John H - 260st
Barber III, Henry A -260st (PH)
Baretich, Albert F - 260L (BSM)
Berg, Alex E - 260st (PH)
Bethers, Carl E - 260 st
Blanchard, Ellis W -748th Tank Battalion
Boeclin, Richard W - 261st (KIA,PH)
Brummer, James L - 259th
Bucher, Paul G - 259th
Bukowski, Frank T - 808th Tank Destroyer Bn
Byrnes, John P - 259th
Canak, Dan - 260th
Carey Jr, Walter J - 260th
Carley, John W - 261st
Carroll, Thomas M - 260th (PH)
Cashera, Sabatino - 259th
Christensen, Walter H - 260th (KIA, PH)
Christian, Charles R - 260th
Cone, John D - 261st
Cooper, Charles G - 261st
Cooper, Stafford A - 546th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Bn
Crowley Jr, William J - 260th
Davis, Murray - 869th Field Artillery Bn
Davis, Warren P - 260th (KIA, PH, BSM)
Dickens, Floyd F - 261st (KIA, PH)
Dolese, Francis C - 261st (DOW, PH)
Dooley, Eugene J - 260th
Duncan, George T - HQ (BSM)
Durall, Carol D - 260th
Dyke, Robert G - 259th (KIA, PH)
Ely, Charles L - 259th (KIA, PH)
Evans, Michael F -261st (KIA, PH)
Fink, Irving - 869th Field Artillery Bn
Fox, Francis V - 259th, Medical Detachment
George, Julian H - Headquarters, 259th (BSM)
Goldstein, Harry E - 261st
Grieco, Fred C. - 748th Tank Bn
Grimard, Roland O - 265th Engineer Combat Bn
Gross, Charles F (or P)- Medical Detachment, 265th Engineer Combat Bn (CMB)
Gulbransen, Dale K - 261st (PH)
Gulyas, Paul E - 260th
Haase, William P - 261st
Hairston, Joseph W -Company L, ?
Harrigan Sr, James M -261st
Harris, Alvin E - 259th (PH)
Hecht, Joseph - 260th (KIA, PH)
Hohenstein Jr, John B - 260K
Hoover, George R - 261st
Howes, Walter R - 261st
Hughes Jr, George B - 265th Engineer Combat Bn (KIA, PH)
Hutto, Eldridge I - 259th (KIA, PH)
Kunzi, Stanton P - 259th
Laban, Micahel J - 259th
LaMaine, George F - 261st (PH)
Lamothe Jr, Frank E - 261st (BSM)
Lopazanski, Walter - 260th
MacFarlane, Donald P - 259th (KIA, PH)
Mancini, Alphonse - Co C, 748th Tank Bn (BSM)
Marcello, Joseph J - 259th
Marcus, Lionel C - Medical Detachment, 259th
Martin, James G - 808th Tank Destroyer Bn (PH)
Martinez, Ramiro - 260th (PH)
Mattner, Alfred H O -260th (PH)
McCallister Jr, Joseph A - 260th
McDonald Jr, James M - 808th Tank Destroyer Bn
McDonald, John H - 260th
McFarland Jr, John R - 259th
McGannon, Tommy V - 260th
McHugh, Raymond T - 260th
Mills, Marion E - 260th
Moreman, Ivan - Medical Detachment, 259th
Morris, Richard M - 260th (KIA, PH)
Nichols, Layton W - 260th
Nugeht Jr, Alonzo L - 259th
Offen, Walter H - 261st
Ost, Henry C - 261st (KIA, PH)
Pallotta, Anthony C - 748th Tank Bn
Pogue, Carl C - 808th Tank Destroyer Bn
Polizter, David T - 261st
Powell, Dorus E (or L) - 261st
Reitsma, John E - 260th
Resign, Richard A - 260th
Satriale, Fausto J - 748th Tank Bn
Schirripa, Vincent J - 259th
Sclarenco, Stanley I - 260th (KIA, PH)
Selar, John S - 260th
Sheehan, William G - 260th
Simkin, Israel L - 260th
Simpson, David L - 260th (PH)
Sims, Ishmael - 260th
Smelley (or Smelly), Ralph J - 259th
Smith, Floyd E - Medical Detachment, 261st (CMB)
Talada, Carl C - 260th (KIA, PH)
Thielen, Lawrence W - 260th
Toups, John M - 260th
Wetzel, Richard C - 261st
Wigley Jr, Grady T - Medical Detachment, 259th
Willemain, Emile V - 260th
Winburn, William H - 260th (PH)
Winton, Vernon - 808th Tank Destroyer Bn
Woods, Vernon W - 261st
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