The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March
3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to
Staff Sgt.
Archer T. Gammon
UNITED STATES ARMY
*GAMMON, ARCHER T.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 9th Armored
Infantry Battalion, 6th Armored Division. Place and date: Near Bastogne,
Belgium, 11 January 1945. Entered service at: Roanoke, Va. Born: 11 September
1918, Chatham, Va. G.O. No.: 18, 13 February 1946. Citation: He charged 30 yards
through hip-deep snow to knock out a machinegun and its 3-man crew with
grenades, saving his platoon from being decimated and allowing it to continue
its advance from an open field into some nearby woods. The platoon's advance
through the woods had only begun when a machinegun supported by riflemen opened
fire and a Tiger Royal tank sent 88mm. shells screaming at the unit from the
left flank. S/Sgt. Gammon, disregarding all thoughts of personal safety, rushed
forward, then cut to the left, crossing the width of the platoon's skirmish line
in an attempt to get within grenade range of the tank and its protecting foot
troops. Intense fire was concentrated on him by riflemen and the machinegun
emplaced near the tank. He charged the automatic weapon, wiped out its crew of 4
with grenades, and, with supreme daring, advanced to within 25 yards of the
armored vehicle, killing 2 hostile infantrymen with rifle fire as he moved
forward. The tank had started to withdraw, backing a short distance, then
firing, backing some more, and then stopping to blast out another round, when
the man whose single-handed relentless attack had put the ponderous machine on
the defensive was struck and instantly killed by a direct hit from the Tiger
Royal's heavy gun. By his intrepidity and extreme devotion to the task of
driving the enemy back no matter what the odds, S/Sgt. Gammon cleared the woods
of German forces, for the tank continued to withdraw, leaving open the path for
the gallant squad leader's platoon.
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