STAFF SERGEANT CLARENCE L. MAYBERRY, (then Private First Class), Infantry, United States Army. For extraordinary heroism in action near Fort Stotsenberg, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 1 February 1945. When attacking a barren, sparsely-covered hill, Company A, 129th Infantry suddenly drew devastating fire from an enemy 20mm gun located on a nearby ridge and also from an enemy machine gun situated in a pillbox at the summit of the hill on which the attack was being made. Realizing that his company could not advance against such powerful resistance without severe casualties, Sergeant Mayberry, on his own initiative and with utter disregard for his personal safety, crawled 75 yards through a hail of enemy fire towards the machine gun emplacement, over terrain which afforded literally no protection. Finally reaching the cover of a small mound of dirt just 20 yards from the enemy, he rose from a prone position, and although completely exposed, hurled three well-aimed grenades into the pillbox, and then singlehandedly charged the stronghold relentlessly delivering deadly fire as he advanced. He killed the five Japanese who manned the position and thereby neutralized the resistance which had so effectively halted his unit. Continuing to lead the way for his company’s advance, he pushed towards the objective and was the first man to reach the crest of “The Top of the World” hill, the final objective in his regiment’s attack in the Clark Field-Fort Stotsenberg area. Through his gallant initiative, untiring devotion to duty, and heroic determination to destroy the enemy, Sergeant Mayberry made a noteworthy contribution to the continued effectiveness of the 129th Infantry in the Luzon Campaign.

Mr. Mayberry resides in Oklahoma. He joined the Legion of Valor in 1985.