World War II Honoree

Henry F. Warner

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Troy, North Carolina

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. CORPORAL U.S. ARMY, ANTI-TANK COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 26TH INFANTRY, 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR DOM BUTGENBACH, BELGIUM, DECEMBER 20TH TO 21ST IN 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: TROY, NORTH CAROLINA. GO NUMBER: 48, JUNE 23, 1945. CITATION: SERVING AS 57-MM ANTI-TANK GUNNER WITH THE 2ND BATTALION, HE WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN STOPPING ENEMY TANKS DURING HEAVY ATTACKS AGAINST THE BATTALION POSITION NEAR DOM BUTGENBACH, BELGIUM, DECEMBER 20-21, 1944. IN THE FIRST ATTACK LAUNCHED IN THE EARLY MORNING OF THE 20TH, ENEMY TANKS SUCCEEDED IN PENETRATING PARTS OF THE LINE. DISREGARDING THE CONCENTRATED CANNON AND MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM 2 TANKS BEARING DOWN ON HIM AND IGNORING THE IMMINENT DANGER OF BEING OVERRUN BY THE INFANTRY MOVING UNDER TANK COVER, DESTROYED THE FIRST TANK AND SCORED A DIRECT AND DEADLY HIT UPON THE SECOND. A THIRD TANK APPROACHED TO WITHIN 5 YARDS OF HIS POSITION WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR A JAMMED BREACH LOCK. JUMPING FROM HIS GUN PIT, HE ENGAGED IN A PISTOL DUEL WITH THE TANK COMMANDER STANDING IN THE TURRET, KILLING THE ENEMY AND FORCING THE TANK TO WITHDRAW. THE FOLLOWING DAY AND NIGHT DURING WHICH OUR FORCES WERE SUBJECTED TO CONSTANT SHELLING, MORTAR BARRAGES AND NUMEROUS UNSUCCESSFUL INFANTRY ATTACKS, THE ENEMY STRUCK IN GREAT FORCE ON THE EARLY MORNING OF DECEMBER 21. SEEING A MARK IV TANK LOOMING OUT OF THE MIST AND HEADING TOWARD HIS POSITION, HE SCORED A DIRECT HIT. DISREGARDING HIS INJURIES HE ENDEAVORED TO FINISH THE LOADING AND AGAIN FIRE AT THE TANK WHOSE MOTOR WAS NOW AFLAME, WHEN A SECOND MACHINE GUN BURST KILLED HIM. HIS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY CONTRIBUTED MATERIALLY TO THE SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE AGAINST THE ENEMY ATTACKS.