World War II Honoree

Robert T. Henry

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Greenville, Mississippi

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

ENTERED SERVICE AT GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI. PRIVATE, U.S. ARMY, 16TH INFANTRY, 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOR ACTION AT LUCHEM, GERMANY ON DECEMBER 3, 1944; GO 45, JUNE 12, 1945. CITATION READS, 'NEAR LUCHEM, GERMANY, HE VOLUNTEERED TO ATTEMPT THE DESTRUCTION OF A NEST OF FIVE ENEMY MACHINE GUNS LOCATED IN A BUNKER 150 YARDS TO THE FLANK WHICH HAD STOPPED THE ADVANCE OF HIS PLATOON. STRIPPING OFF HIS PACK, OVERSHOES, HELMET AND OVERCOAT, HE SPRINTED ALONE WITH HIS RIFLE AND HAND GRENADES ACROSS THE OPEN TERRAIN TOWARD THE ENEMY EMPLACEMENT. BEFORE HE HAD GONE HALF THE DISTANCE HE WAS HIT BY A BURST OF MACHINE GUN FIRE. DROPPING HIS RIFLE, HE CONTINUED TO STAGGER FORWARD UNTIL HE FELL MORTALLY WOUNDED ONLY 10 YARDS FROM THE ENEMY EMPLACEMENT. HIS SINGLE-HANDED ATTACK FORCED THE ENEMY TO LEAVE THE MACHINE-GUNS. DURING THIS BREAK IN HOSTILE FIRE THE PLATOON MOVED FORWARD AND OVERRAN THE POSITION. PRIVATE HENRY, BY HIS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AND UTTER DISREGARD FOR HIS OWN LIFE, ENABLED HIS COMPANY TO REACH ITS OBJECTIVE, CAPTURING THIS KEY DEFENSE AND 70 GERMAN PRISONERS'.