World War II Honoree

Ernest Childers

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE U.S. ARMY, 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: AT OLIVETO, ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1943. ENTERED SERVICE AT: TULSA, OKLAHOMA. BIRTH: BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA APRIL 8, 1944. CITATION: FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT RISK OF LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN ACTION ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1943, AT OLIVETO, ITALY. ALTHOUGH HE PREVIOUSLY HAD SUFFERED A FRACTURED INSTEP; WITH 8 ENLISTED MEN HE ADVANCED UP A HILL TOWARD ENEMY MACHINE GUN NESTS. THE GROUP ADVANCED TO A ROCK WALL OVERLOOKING A CORNFIELD AND HE ORDERED A BASE OF FIRE LAID ACROSS THE FIELD SO THAT HE COULD ADVANCE. WHEN HE WAS FIRED UPON BY 2 ENEMY SNIPERS FROM A NEARBY HOUSE HE KILLED BOTH OF THEM. HE MOVED BEHIND THE MACHINE GUN NESTS AND KILLED ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE NEARER ONE. HE CONTINUED TOWARD THE 2ND ONE AND THREW ROCKS INTO IT. WHEN THE 2 OCCUPANTS OF THE NEST RAISED UP HE SHOT ONE AND THE OTHER WAS KILLED BY 1 OF THE 8 ENLISTED MEN. HE CONTINUED HIS ADVANCE TOWARD A HOUSE FARTHER UP THE HILL AND SINGLE HANDED CAPTURED AN ENEMY MORTAR OBSERVER. THE EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP, INITIATIVE, CALMNESS UNDER FIRE AND CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY DISPLAYED BY HIM WERE AN INSPIRATION TO HIS MEN.