World War II Honoree

Ray E. Eubanks

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Snow Hill, North Carolina

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, COMPANY D, 503RD PARACHUTE INFANTRY. PLACE AND DATE: AT NOEMFOOR ISLAND, DUTCH NEW GUINEA, JULY 23, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: LA GRANGE, NORTH CAROLINA. CITATION: 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AT NOEMFOOR ISLAND, DUTCH NEW GUINEA, JULY 23, 1944. WHILE MOVING TO THE RELIEF OF A PLATOON ISOLATED BY THE ENEMY, HIS COMPANY ENCOUNTERED A STRONG ENEMY POSITION SUPPORTED BY MACHINE-GUN, RIFLE, AND MORTAR FIRE. SERGEANT EUBANKS WAS ORDERED TO MAKE AN ATTACK WITH 1 SQUAD TO NEUTRALIZE THE ENEMY BY FIRE IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE ADVANCE OF HIS COMPANY. HE MANEUVERED HIS SQUAD TO WITHIN 30 YARDS OF THE ENEMY WHERE HEAVY FIRE CHECKED HIS ADVANCE. DIRECTING HIS MEN TO MAINTAIN THEIR FIRE, HE AND 2 SCOUTS WORKED THEIR WAY FORWARD UP A SHALLOW DEPRESSION TO WITHIN 25 YARDS OF THE ENEMY. DIRECTING THE SCOUTS TO REMAIN IN PLACE, SERGEANT EUBANKS ARMED HIMSELF WITH AN AUTOMATIC RIFLE AND WORKED HIMSELF FORWARD OVER TERRAIN SWEPT BY INTENSE FIRE TO WITHIN 15 YARDS OF THE ENEMY POSITION WHEN HE OPENED FIRE WITH TELLING EFFECT. THE ENEMY, HAVING LOCATED HIS POSITION, CONCENTRATED THEIR FIRE WITH THE RESULT THAT HE WAS WOUNDED AND A BULLET RENDERED HIS RIFLE USELESS. IN SPITE OF HIS PAINFUL WOUNDS HE IMMEDIATELY CHARGED THE ENEMY AND USING HIS WEAPON AS A CLUB KILLED 4 OF THE ENEMY BEFORE HE WAS HIMSELF AGAIN HIT AND KILLED. SERGEANT EUBANKS' HEROIC ACTION, COURAGE, AND EXAMPLE IN LEADERSHIP SO INSPIRED HIS MEN THAT THEIR ADVANCE WAS SUCCESSFUL. THEY KILLED 45 OF THE ENEMY AND DROVE THE REMAINDER FROM THE POSITION, THUS EFFECTING THE RELIEF OF OUR BELEAGUERED TROOPS'.