World War II Honoree

Walter Firestine

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Myerstown, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Howard Firestine

Relationship

Brother

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE FROM PENNSYLVANIA. CORPORAL, 508TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY. AWARDED THE SILVER STAR MEDAL, POSTHUMOUSLY FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION ON 24 DECEMBER 1944 IN THE VICINITY OF BELGIUM. HE WAS IN CHARGE OF A SECTION OF LIGHT MACHINE GUNS, WHICH FORMED THE BASE OF FIRE FOR A COUNTERATTACK HIS COMPANY LAUNCHED TO RETAKE A BRIDGEHEAD. HE COVERED THE APPROACHES WHILE HIS PLATOON DASHED FORWARD. WHEN HE MOVED HIS GUN BEARER TO THE BRIDGE TO COVER A FURTHER ADVANCE OF THE ASSAULT FORCE, HIS CREW BECAME CASUALTIES AND THE TRIPOD FOR THE GUN WAS LOST. WITHOUT HESITATION, HE PICKED UP THE GUN AND CONTINUED FIRING THE MACHINE GUN FROM HIS HIP. UPON REACHING THE BRIDGE HE FIRED FROM A PRONE POSITION WITH NO TRIPOD, HOLDING THE HOT BARREL WITH HIS LEFT HAND ALTHOUGH IT SEARED HIS PALM, BUT HE DID NOT ALLOW THIS TO INTERFERE WITH HIS FIRE. HIS GALLANT ACTIONS ASSURED THE SUCCESS OF THE COUNTERATTACK AND REFLECTS GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND THE AIRBORNE FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.