Unit/Command: Company I, 346th Infantry, 87th Infantry Division
Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Action Date: January 7, 1945
Medal of Honor Action Place: near Tillet, Belgium
Citation
On 7 January 1945, near Tillet, Belgium, his company attacked German troops on rising ground. Intense hostile machine-gun fire pinned down and threatened to annihilate the American unit in an exposed position where frozen ground made it impossible to dig in for protection. Heavy mortar and artillery fire from enemy batteries was added to the storm of destruction falling on the Americans. Realizing that the machine gun must be silenced at all costs, S/Sgt. Shoup, armed with an automatic rifle, crawled to within 75 yards of the enemy emplacement. He found that his fire was ineffective from this position, and completely disregarding his own safety, stood up and grimly strode ahead into the murderous stream of bullets, firing his low-held weapon as he went. He was hit several times and finally was knocked to the ground. But he struggled to his feet and staggered forward until close enough to hurl a grenade, wiping out the enemy machine-gun nest with his dying action. By his heroism, fearless determination, and supreme sacrifice, S/Sgt. Shoup eliminated a hostile weapon which threatened to destroy his company and turned a desperate situation into victory.
Additional Details
Accredited to: Buffalo, Erie County, New York
Awarded Posthumously: Yes
Born: January 11, 1921, Napanoch, Ulster County, NY, United States
Died: January 7, 1945, Belgium
Buried: North Scriba Church Cemetery (MH), Scriba, NY, United States
Location of Medal:
National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, Fort Benning, GA