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William Galt
FULL
MEDAL OF HONOR
CITATION
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Place: At Villa Crocetta, Italy.
Date: May 29, 1944.
Rank and organization:
Captain,
US Army, 168th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. |
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
Captain
William Wylie Galt
UNITED STATES ARMY
*GALT, WILLIAM WYLIE.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 168th Infantry, 34th Infantry
Division. Place and date: At Villa Crocetta, Italy, 29 May 1944. Entered service
at: Stanford, Mont. Birth: Geyser, Mont. G.O. No.: 1, 1 February 1945. Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty.
Capt. Galt, Battalion S3, at a particularly critical period following 2
unsuccessful attacks by his battalion, of his own volition went forward and
ascertained just how critical the situation was. He volunteered, at the risk of
his life, personally to lead the battalion against the objective. When the lone
remaining tank destroyer refused to go forward, Capt. Galt jumped on the tank
destroyer and ordered it to precede the attack. As the tank destroyer moved
forward, followed by a company of riflemen, Capt. Galt manned the .30-caliber
machinegun in the turret of the tank destroyer, located and directed fire on an
enemy 77mm. anti-tank gun, and destroyed it. Nearing the enemy positions, Capt.
Galt stood fully exposed in the turret, ceaselessly firing his machinegun and
tossing hand grenades into the enemy zigzag series of trenches despite the hail
of sniper and machinegun bullets ricocheting off the tank destroyer. As the tank
destroyer moved, Capt. Galt so maneuvered it that 40 of the enemy were trapped
in one trench. When they refused to surrender, Capt. Galt pressed the trigger of
the machinegun and dispatched every one of them. A few minutes later an 88mm
shell struck the tank destroyer and Capt. Galt fell mortally wounded across his
machinegun. He had personally killed 40 Germans and wounded many more. Capt.
Galt pitted his judgment and superb courage against overwhelming odds,
exemplifying the highest measure of devotion to his country and the finest
traditions of the U.S. Army.
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