NOTE: Walter Lowe was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross while serving with Company G, 378th Infantry in General Patton’s 3rd Army in France and Germany in November 1944. His official records were burned while in the Army Records holding area. Several years ago Paul Roy of the Independent Herald of Oneida, Tennessee, wrote an article about Walter Lowe. The following is an abbreviated excerpt from that article. This is printed in lieu of his citation until it can be found.
“Smoky Lowe,” as he came to be known, was involved in the assault on Ft. St. Julian, France, when his platoon was pinned down by machine gun fire from a bunker about 75 yards to his right. “I had burned by BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) up shooting at the pill boxes,” said Lowe, “so I picked up my buddy’s M-1 rifle.” The bunker consisted of two pill boxes and Lowe grabbed the M-1 and ran toward the nearest one. “I pulled out a hand grenade and threw it in.” Sixteen Germans came out and he ordered them . . to put their hands on their heads. A little nudge with teh M-1 and the German soldiers moved towards the second bunker. Soon Lowe had 32 German prisoners. Since he had temporarily separated from his own company, Lowe marched the soldiers to F company where he turned them over to an awe-stricken young lieutenant. “I also asked where I could get a new rifle, since the one I had didn’t work,” Lowe said. “The lieutenant gave me a brand new one.”