World War II Honoree

Mahlon Conaway

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Perry, Iowa

Honored By

Julie Boyles

Relationship

Daughter

SERVED IN EUROPE. RECEIVED THE BRONZE STAR, INVOLVED IN 3 CAMPAIGNS OF THE 7 THE 36TH DIVISION WAS INVOLVED IN. RECEIVED THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE THEATER RIBBON WITH 3 STARS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL AND THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE FOR ACTION IN FRANCE. HE ALSO RECEIVED A 'SPECIAL DIPLOMA' FROM THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT FOR HELPING LIBERATE FRANCE. THE ENTIRE REGIMENT OF THE 36TH DIVISION WAS HONORED WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION. 'THE 142ND INFANTRY REGIMENT AND 1ST PLATOON, COMPANY B, 111TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION, ATTACHED, DISPLAYED HEROISM, GALLANTRY AND OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMBAT FROM 19 TO 22 MARCH 1945 IN THE VICINITY OF OBER OTTERBACH, GERMANY. AFTER BREACHING THE MODER RIVER DEFENSES, THE 142ND INFANTRY REGIMENT PURSUED THE ENEMY THROUGH THE WISSEMBOURG GAP AND, ON 19 MARCH 1945, ADVANCED TOWARD ONE OF THE MOST STRONGLY FORTIFIED SECTORS OF THE SIEGFRIED LINE. WHILE THE 1ST BATTALION WAS ATTACKING OBER OTTERBACH UNDER INTENSE ENEMY ARTILLERY, ROCKET, MACHINEGUN AND RIFLE FIRE FROM GERMAN STRONG POINTS IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS, THE 2ND BATTALION ATTACKED WEST OF OBER OTTERBACH AND SECURED A FOOTHOLD IN THE SIEGFRIED DEFENSES ON EBNUNG HILL. THE ENEMY LAUNCHED A VIOLENT COUNTERATTACK TO RECAPTURE THE LOST POSITIONS AND THROUGH THE FOLLOWING DAY THE 2ND BATTALION FOUGHT GALLANTRLY AND DETERMINEDLY TO HOLD ITS GROUND. WHEN THE 1ST BATTALION ATTACKED A SECTOR OF THE SIEGFRIED LINE NORTHEAST OF OBER OTTERBACH AND ENCOUNTERED INTENSE MACHINEGUN CROSS FIRE FROM ROW UPON ROW OF MUTUALLY SUPPORTING PILLBOXES, THE UNIT WITHDREW INTO OBER OTTERBACH AND AT DUSK ON 20 MARCH MOVED WEST, PARALLEL TO THE SIEGFRIED DEFENSES, TO JOIN THE 3RD BATTALION ON THE GRASSBERG HEIGHT. FULLY EXPLOITING THE FOOTHOLD IN THE ENEMY DEFENSES WHICH THE 3RD BATTALION HAD ESTABLISHED AFTER HOURS OF INTENSE FIGHTING, THE 2 BATTALIONS ATTACKED TOGETHER WITH THE MISSION OF PENETRATING THE SIEGFRIED LINE AND SIEZING DORRENBACH TO DEFEND HIS POSITION AT ALL COSTS, ELEMENTS OF THE 1ST BATTALION SMASHED HOSTILE OPPOSITION AND, DESPITE HEAVY LOSSES, BROKE THROUGH THE SYSTEM OF DEFENSES TO SIEZE DORRENBACH. MEANWHILE THE 2ND BATTALION WAS SYSTEMATICALLY CLEARING ITS SECTOR OF THE GERMAN DEFENSE. WITH THE HELP OF THE ENGINEERS, THE MEN OF THIS BATTALION USED BEEHIVE CHARGES TO BLAST THE STUBBORNLY RESISTING ENEMY FROM HIS FORTIFICATIONS AND, DESPITE INTENSE HOSTILE FIRE PILLBOXES AND CAPTURED APPROXIMATELY 250 GERMANS. AS A RESULT OF THE INDOMITABLE COURAGE, DETERMINATION AND ESPIRIT DE CORPS DISPLAYED BY EVERY MEMBER OF THE 142ND INFANTRY REGIMENT, THIS ORGANIZATION OVERWHELMED OF THE SIEGFRIED LINE, KILLED 160 GERMANS, WOUNDED 350 AND TOOK 697 PRISONERS. THIS MAGNIFICENT ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIVISION'S SWIFT AND UNINTERRUPTED DRIVE TO THE RHINE RIVER. THE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE OF DUTY, TENACITY, AGGRESSIVENESS AND EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM OF ALL PERSONNEL OF THE 142ND INFANTRY REGIMENT AND THE 1ST PLATOON, COMPANY B, 111TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION, ATTACHED, REFLECT THE HIGHEST CREDIT ON THE MILITARY FORCES OF THE U.S.'