World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
George J. Hall
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Stoneham, Massachusetts
Honored By
Ralph Bozorth
AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. STAFF SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, 135TH INFANTRY, 34TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE; NEAR ANZIO, ITALY ON MAY 23, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. GO NUMBER; 24, APRIL 6, 1945. RECEIVED CITATION FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT RISK OF LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. ATTACKING ACROSS FLAT, OPEN TERRAIN UNDER DIRECT ENEMY OBSERVATION, STAFF SERGEANT HALL'S COMPANY WAS PINNED DOWN BY GRAZING FIRE FROM 3 ENEMY MACHINE GUNS AND HARASSING SNIPER FIRE. STAFF SERGEANT HALL VOLUNTEERED TO ELIMINATE THESE OBSTACLES IN THE PATH OF ADVANCE. CRAWLING ALONG A PLOWED FURROW THROUGH FURIOUS MACHINE GUN FIRE, HE MADE HIS WAY TO A POINT WITHIN HAND GRENADE RANGE OF 1 OF THE ENEMY POSITIONS. HE POUNDED THE ENEMY WITH 4 HAND GRENADES AND WHEN THE SMOKE HAD DIED AWAY, STAFF SERGEANT HALL AND 2 DEAD GERMANS OCCUPIED THE POSITION, WHILE 4 OF THE ENEMY WERE CRAWLING BACK TO OUR LINES AS PRISONERS. DISCOVERING A QUANTITY OF GERMAN POTATO MASHER GRENADES IN THE POSITION, STAFF SERGEANT HALL ENGAGED THE SECOND ENEMY NEST IN A DEADLY EXCHANGE OF GRENADES. EACH TIME HE EXPOSED HIMSELF TO THROW A GRENADE THE GERMANS FIRED MACHINE GUN BURSTS AT HIM. THE VICIOUS DUEL FINALLY ENDED IN STAFF SERGEANT HALL'S FAVOR WITH 5 OF THE ENEMY SURRENDERED AND 5 OTHERS LAY DEAD. TURNING HIS ATTENTION TO THE THIRD MACHINE GUN, STAFF SERGEANT HALL LEFT HIS POSITION AND CRAWLED ALONG A FURROW, THE ENEMY FIRING FRANTICALLY IN AN EFFORT TO HALT HIM. AS HE NEARED HIS FINAL OBJECTIVE, AN ENEMY ARTILLERY CONCENTRATION FELL ON THE AREA AND STAFF SERGEANT HALL'S RIGHT LEG WAS SEVERED BY A SHELL BURST. WITH 2 ENEMY MACHINE GUNS ELIMINATED, HIS COMPANY WAS ABLE TO FLANK THE THIRD AND CONTINUE ITS ADVANCE WITHOUT INCURRING EXCESSIVE CASUALTIES. STAFF SERGEANT HALL'S FEARLESSNESS, HIS DETERMINED FIGHTING SPIRIT AND HIS PRODIGIOUS COMBAT SKILL EXEMPLIFY THE HEROIC TRADITION OF THE AMERICAN INFANTRYMAN.