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Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
World War II - U.S. Army
Robert Earl Laws
Details
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Conflict/Era: World War II
Unit/Command: Company G, 169th Infantry, 43d Infantry Division
Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Action Date: January 12, 1945
Medal of Honor Action Place: Pangasinan Province, Luzon, Philippine Islands
Citation
He led the assault squad when Company G attacked enemy hill positions. The enemy force, estimated to be a reinforced infantry company, was well-supplied with machine guns, ammunition, grenades, and blocks of TNT, and could be attacked only across a narrow ridge 70 yards long. At the end of this ridge an enemy pillbox and rifle positions were set in rising ground. Covered by his squad, S/Sgt. Laws traversed the hogback through vicious enemy fire until close to the pillbox, where he hurled grenades at the fortification. Enemy grenades wounded him, but he persisted in his assault until one of his missiles found its mark and knocked out the pillbox. With more grenades, passed to him by members of his squad who had joined him, he led the attack on the entrenched riflemen. In the advance up the hill, he suffered additional wounds in both arms and legs, about the body and in the head, as grenades and TNT charges exploded near him. Three Japs rushed him with fixed bayonets, and he emptied the magazine of his machine pistol at them, killing two. He closed in hand-to-hand combat with the third, seizing the Jap's rifle as he met the onslaught. The two fell to the ground and rolled some 50 or 60 feet down a bank. When the dust cleared the Jap lay dead and the valiant American was climbing up the hill with a large gash across the head. He was given first aid and evacuated from the area his courageous determination in the face of formidable odds and while his squad completed the destruction of the enemy position. S/Sgt. Laws' heroic actions provided great inspiration to his comrades, and his courageous determination, in the face of formidable odds and while suffering from multiple wounds, enabled them to secure an important objective with minimum casualties.
Medal of Honor Recipient Robert E. Laws
Additional Details
Accredited to: Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Awarded Posthumously: No
Presentation Date & Details: August 23, 1945 The White House, presented by Pres. Harry S. Truman
Born: January 18, 1921, Altoona, Blair County, PA, United States
Died: January 1, 1990, Altoona, PA, United States
Buried: Blair Memorial Park (MH) (90F-1), Bellwood, PA, United States