World War II Honoree

Carlton W. Barrett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Fulton, New York

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

ENTERED SERVICE AT ALBANY, NEW YORK, GO 78, OCTOBER 2, 1944. PRIVATE, U.S. ARMY, 18TH INFANTRY, 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION. SERVED NEAR ST. LAURENT-SUR-MER, FRANCE ON JUNE 6, 1944. AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. CITATION READS, ' FOR GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY ON JUNE 6, 1944, IN THE VICINITY OF ST. LAURENT-SUR-MER, FRANCE. ON THE MORNING OF D-DAY, LANDED IN THE FACE OF EXTREMELY HEAVY ENEMY FIRE, WAS FORCED TO WADE ASHORE THROUGH NECK-DEEP WATER. DISREGARDING THE PERSONAL DANGER, HE RETURNED TO THE SURF AGAIN AND AGAIN TO ASSIST HIS FLOUNDERING COMRADES AND SAVE THEM FROM DROWNING. REFUSING TO REMAIN PINNED DOWN BY THE INTENSE BARRAGE OF SMALL-ARMS AND MORTAR FIRE POURED AT THE LANDING POINTS, WORKED WITH FIERCE DETERMINATION AND SAVED MANY LIVES BY CARRYING CASUALTIES TO AN EVACUATION BOAT LYING OFFSHORE. IN ADDITION TO HIS ASSIGNED MISSION AS GUIDE, HE CARRIED DISPATCHES THE LENGTH OF THE FIRE-SWEPT BEACH. HE ASSISTED THE WOUNDED, CALMED THE SHOCKED; HE AROSE AS A LEADER IN THE STRESS OF THE OCCASION. HIS COOLNESS AND HIS DAUNTLESS DARING COURAGE WHILE CONSTANTLY RISKING HIS LIFE DURING A PERIOD OF MANY HOURS HAD AN INESTIMABLE EFFECT ON HIS COMRADES AND IS IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. ARMY'.