World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
John M. Gabbamonte
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Bronx, New York
Honored By
Richard A. La Vigna
Relationship
Family Friend
MEDALS AWARDED: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, SILVER STAR, PURPLE HEART, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN SERVICE MEDALS, AMERICAN SERVICE MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS ON FEBRUARY 2, 1945 FOR HIS HEROISM IN CONNECTION WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST AN ARMED ENEMY. QUOTE FROM GO 28 ON JUNE 23, 1944 DURING ACTION BY THE 357TH INFANTRY NEAR DUPREYS, FRANCE, FIRE FROM AN ENEMY TANK SEVERELY WOUNDED A SOLDIER FIRING A ROCKET LAUNCHER NEAR HIS POSITION. HE QUICKLY RECOVERED THE ROCKET LAUNCHER AND FIRED UPON THE TANK, FORCING IT TO RETREAT. WHEN A SECOND TANK APPROACHED, THE INTREPID SERGEANT HELD HIS POSITION AND PLACED SUCH EFFECTIVE FIRE UPON THE TANK THAT HE SET IT ON FIRE. A THIRD TANK MOVED UP AND OPENED FIRE UPON THE SERGEANT, BUT HE FORCED IT TO WITHDRAW BY SCORING A DIRECT HIT. HIS CONSPICUOUS COURAGE, HEROIC DETERMINATION TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY AND HIS SUPREME DEVOTION TO DUTY EXEMPLIFY THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF MILITARY SERVICE. ON FEBRUARY 3, 1945 AWARDED THE SILVER STAR FOR HIS BRAVERY ON OCTOBER 12, 1944 IN THE VICINITY OF NAZAIRE LES METZ, FRANCE. GENERAL PATTON PERSONALLY AWARDED THE MEDAL STATING 'THE COURAGE AND DISREGARD FOR PERSONAL SAFETY DISPLAYED BY THIS MAN REFLECT THE HIGHEST CREDIT UPON HIMSELF AND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE U.S. DURING THE ATTACK DOWN THE MAIN TWO STREETS IN THE TOWN, HE LED HIS SQUAD THROUGH HEAVY ARTILLERY, MORTAR AND SMALL ARMS FIRE, OPERATING HIS AUTOMATIC WEAPON EFFECTIVELY AND CLEARING HOUSES ACCURATELY WITH GRENADES. WHEN MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM A BARN TEMPORARILY HALTED THE ADVANCE OF A PLATOON, HE CROSSED AN OPEN FIELD AT RISK OF HIS LIFE AND SET FIRE TO THE BUILDING. THE ENSUING BLAZE DESTROYED THE MACHINE GUN, KILLED INNUMERABLE ENEMY, RESULTED IN THE CAPTURE OF ELEVEN OF THE FOE AND PERMITTED THE PLATOON TO TAKE ITS OBJECTIVE. HIS GALLANTRY WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HIGHEST MILITARY TRADITION.