World War II Honoree

Van Thurman Barfoot

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Edinburg, Mississippi

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

A MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT. ENLISTED IN THE ARMY FROM CARTHAGE, MISSISSIPPI, IN 1940 AND COMPLETED HIS TRAINING. HE SERVED WITH THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION IN LOUISIANA AND PUERTO RICO. IN DECEMBER 1941, HE WAS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT AND RE-ASSIGNED TO THE HEADQUARTERS AMPHIBIOUS FORCE ATLANTIC FLEET IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL THE UNIT WAS DEACTIVATED IN 1943. HE NEXT JOINED THE 157TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION, AND WAS SHIPPED TO EUROPE. DURING THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN, HE PARTICIPATED IN A SERIES OF AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS: THE ALLIED INVASION OF SICILY IN JULY 1943, THE INVASION OF MAINLAND ITALY AT SALERNO IN SEPTEMBER, AND FINALLY THE LANDINGS AT ANZIO IN LATE JANUARY 1944. PUSHED INLAND FROM ANZIO, AND BY MAY 1944 HAD REACHED THE TOWN OF CARANO. SET UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS AND CONDUCTED PATROLS TO SCOUT THE GERMAN LINES. WHEN HIS COMPANY WAS ORDERED TO ATTACK ON THE MORNING OF MAY 23, HE, NOW A TECHNICAL SERGEANT, ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO LEAD A SQUAD. BECAUSE OF THE PATROLS HE HAD MADE, HE KNEW THE TERRAIN AND THE MINEFIELD WHICH LAY IN FRONT OF THE GERMAN POSITION. ADVANCED ALONE THROUGH THE MINEFIELD, FOLLOWING DITCHES AND DEPRESSIONS, UNTIL HE CAME WITHIN A FEW YARDS OF A MACHINE GUN ON THE GERMAN FLANK. AFTER TAKING OUT THE GUN WITH A HAND GRENADE, HE ENTERED THE GERMAN TRENCH AND ADVANCED ON A SECOND MACHINE GUN, KILLING TWO SOLDIERS AND CAPTURING THREE OTHERS. WHEN HE REACHED A THIRD GUN, THE ENTIRE CREW SURRENDERED TO HIM. OTHERS ALSO SURRENDERED AND HE CAPTURED A TOTAL OF SEVENTEEN GERMAN SOLDIERS. HE HAD KILLED 8. WHEN THE GERMANS LAUNCHED AN ARMORED COUNTERATTACK LATER IN THE DAY, HE DISABLED ONE TANK WITH A BAZOOKA, THEN ADVANCED INTO ENEMY-HELD TERRITORY AND DESTROYED AN ABANDONED GERMAN ARTILLERY PIECE. RETURNED TO HIS OWN LINES AND HELPED TWO WOUNDED SOLDIERS FROM HIS SQUAD TO THE REAR. WAS SUBSEQUENTLY COMMISSIONED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT. MOVED INTO FRANCE AND BY SEPTEMBER WAS SERVING IN THE RHONE VALLEY. HE LEARNED HE WOULD BE AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR AND CHOSE TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY IN THE FIELD, SO THAT HIS SOLDIERS COULD ATTEND. HE WAS FORMALLY PRESENTED WITH THE MEDAL ON SEPTEMBER 28, 1944, IN ÉPINAL, FRANCE, BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL ALEXANDER PATCH.