World War II Honoree

John W. Minick

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Wall, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. SERVED AS STAFF SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, COMPANY I, 121ST INFANTRY, 8TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE; NEAR HUERTGEN, GERMANY, NOVEMBER 21, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA. CITATION: 'DISPLAYED CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS OWN LIFE, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY, IN ACTION INVOLVING ACTUAL CONFLICT WITH THE ENEMY ON NOVEMBER 21, 1944, NEAR HUERTGEN, GERMANY. STAFF SERGEANT MINICK'S BATTALION WAS HALTED IN ITS ADVANCE BY EXTENSIVE MINEFIELDS, EXPOSED TROOPS TO HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ENEMY ARTILLERY AND MORTAR FIRE. FURTHER DELAY IN THE ADVANCE WOULD RESULT IN NUMEROUS CASUALTIES AND A MOVEMENT THROUGH THE MINEFIELD WAS ESSENTIAL. VOLUNTARILY, STAFF SERGEANT MINICK LED 4 MEN THROUGH HAZARDOUS BARBED WIRE AND DEBRIS, FINALLY MADE HIS WAY THROUGH THE MINEFIELD FOR A DISTANCE OF 300 YARDS. WHEN AN ENEMY MACHINE GUN OPENED FIRE, HE SIGNALED HIS MEN TO TAKE COVERED POSITIONS, EDGED HIS WAY ALONE TOWARD THE FLANK OF THE WEAPON AND OPENED FIRE, KILLING 2 MEMBERS OF THE GUN CREW AND CAPTURING 3 OTHERS. MOVING FORWARD AGAIN, HE ENCOUNTERED AND ENGAGED SINGLE HANDEDLY AN ENTIRE COMPANY KILLING 20 GERMANS AND CAPTURING 20 AND ENABLING HIS PLATOON TO CAPTURE THE REMAINDER OF THE HOSTILE GROUP. AGAIN MOVING AHEAD AND SPEARHEADING HIS BATTALION'S ADVANCE, HE AGAIN ENCOUNTERED MACHINE GUN FIRE. CRAWLING FORWARD TOWARD THE WEAPON, HE REACHED A POINT FROM WHICH HE KNOCKED THE WEAPON OUT OF ACTION. STILL ANOTHER MINEFIELD HAD TO BE CROSSED. UNDETERRED, STAFF SERGEANT MINICK ADVANCED FORWARD ALONE THROUGH CONSTANT ENEMY FIRE AND WHILE THUS MOVING, DETONATED A MINE AND WAS INSTANTLY KILLED.'