CAPTAIN GERVASE A. ECKENROD (then First Lieutenant), Infantry, 26th Infantry, United States Army. For extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy on 29 November 1944 in Germany. Lieutenant Eckenrod led his company through a series of assaults in order to clear a wooded area of two man bunker defenses. Though wounded twice in subsequent actions, he so reorganized his company as to lead towards the edge of a town which was bitterly defended. Though enemy tanks came in support of enemy infantry, Lieutenant Eckenrod, with disregard for his life in the face of certain annihilation, held his position and inflicted heavy casualties upon the enemy until his position was attacked and overrun. His extraordinary, courageous actions reflect honor upon himself and the armed forces.

Editor’s Note: He was wounded while storming the beaches of Sicily, was transferred to England, was wounded again during the Normandy invasion. A month later he was wounded again while trying to take two German towns. He was picked up four days later and interned in a POW camp until April 1945.