World War II Honoree

Sherwood H. Hallman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Spring City, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Peg & Ralph Bozorth

POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. STAFF SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, 175TH INFANTRY, 29TH INFANTRY DIVISION. BREST, BRITTANY, FRANCE, SEPTEMBER 13, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT SPRING CITY, PENNSYLVANIA. BORN SPRING CITY, PENNSYLVANIA. GO 31, APRIL 17, 1945. CITATION, 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.' SEPTEMBER 13, 1944, IN BRITTANY, FRANCE, THE 2ND BATTALION IN ITS ATTACK ON THE FORTIFIED CITY OF BREST WAS HELD UP BY A STRONGLY DEFENDED ENEMY POSITION WHICH HAD PREVENTED ITS ADVANCE DESPITE REPEATED ATTACKS EXTENDING OVER A 3-DAY PERIOD. FINALLY, COMPANY F ADVANCED TO WITHIN SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS OF THE ENEMY POSITION BUT WAS AGAIN HALTED BY INTENSE FIRE. HE ORDERED HIS SQUAD TO COVER HIS MOVEMENTS WITH FIRE WHILE HE ADVANCED ALONE TO A POINT FROM WHICH HE COULD MAKE THE ASSAULT. HE THEN LEAPED OVER A HEDGEROW INTO A SUNKEN ROAD. FIRING HIS CARBINE AND HURLING GRENADES HE KILLED OR WOUNDED 4 OF THE ENEMY, THEN ORDERED THE REMAINDER TO SURRENDER. IMMEDIATELY THE POSITION WAS SHORTLY SECURED BY THE REMAINDER OF HIS COMPANY. ABOUT 75 OF THE ENEMY IN THE VICINITY SURRENDERED. THIS RESULTED IN THE IMMEDIATE ADVANCE OF THE ENTIRE BATTALION FOR A DISTANCE OF 2,000 YARDS TO A POSITION FROM WHICH FORT KERANROUX WAS CAPTURED LATER THE SAME DAY. BURIED IN THE U.S. CEMETERY IN BRITTANY.