World War II Honoree

Stephen R. Gregg, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bayonne, New Jersey

Honored By

Grateful American

Relationship

Admirer

EARNED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HELPING RESCUE SEVEN WOUNDED COMRADES DURING THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE. ENTERED THE ARMY IN 1942 AS A PRIVATE WITH THE WEAPONS PLATOON, COMPANY L, 143RD INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE 36TH DIVISION. PROMOTED TO SECOND LIEUTENANT SERVING IN NORTH AFRICA, ITALY, FRANCE AND GERMANY. WHILE IN ITALY, BEFORE D-DAY, HE FOUGHT AT SALERNO, ANZIO, MONTE CASSINO AND THE RAPIDO RIVER. ON AUGUST 27, 1944, HE (AT THE TIME TECHNICAL SERGEANT) AND HIS DIVISION PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE. NEAR MONTELIMAR, FRANCE HIS ACTIONS WON HIM THE MEDAL OF HONOR. HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED FIRING HIS MACHINE GUNS TO COVER THE ADVANCE OF THE RIFLEMEN, BUT GERMAN SOLDIERS COUNTERATTACKED WITH GRENADES, WOUNDING SEVEN MEMBERS OF HIS PLATOON. ALTHOUGH THE ENEMY WAS THROWING HAND GRENADES AT HIM, HE REMAINED AND FIRED INTO THE ENEMY POSITIONS, ADVANCING UP A HILL FOLLOWED BY A MEDIC WHO MOVED THE SEVEN WOUNDED MEN TO SAFETY. RECEIVED HIS MEDAL OF HONOR IN MARCH OF 1945. ALSO WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR, THE BRONZE STAR WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PURPLE HEART WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH SILVER STAR AND THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE.