World War II Honoree

Edward A. Bennett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Middleport, Ohio

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. CORPORAL U.S. ARMY, COMPANY B, 358TH INFANTRY, 90TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: HECKHUSCHEID, GERMANY IN FEBRUARY 1945. ENTERED SERVICE AT MIDDLEPORT, OHIO. CITATION: HE WAS ADVANCING WITH COMPANY B, ACROSS OPEN GROUND TO ASSAULT HECKHUSCHEID, GERMANY, JUST AFTER DARK WHEN VICIOUS ENEMY MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM A HOUSE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TOWN PINNED DOWN THE GROUP AND CAUSED SEVERAL CASUALTIES. HE BEGAN CRAWLING TO THE EDGE OF THE FIELD IN AN EFFORT TO FLANK THE HOUSE, PERSISTING IN THIS MANEUVER EVEN WHEN THE HOSTILE MACHINE GUNNERS LOCATED HIM BY THE LIGHT OF BURNING BUILDINGS AND ATTEMPTED TO CUT HIM DOWN AS HE MADE FOR THE PROTECTION OF SOME TREES. REACHING SAFETY, HE STEALTHILY MADE HIS WAY BY A CIRCUITOUS ROUTE TO THE REAR OF THE BUILDING OCCUPIED BY THE GERMAN GUNNERS. WITH HIS TRENCH KNIFE, HE KILLED A SENTRY ON GUARD THERE AND THEN CHARGED INTO THE DARKENED HOUSE. IN A FURIOUS HAND-TO-HAND STRUGGLE, HE STORMED ABOUT A SINGLE ROOM WHICH HARBORED 7 GERMANS. HE KILLED 3 WITH RIFLE FIRE, ANOTHER HE CLUBBED TO DEATH WITH THE BUTT OF HIS GUN AND THE 3 OTHERS HE DISPATCHED WITH HIS .45 CALIBER PISTOL. HIS FEARLESS INITIATIVE, STALWART COMBAT ABILITY AND OUTSTANDING GALLANTRY, ELIMINATED THE ENEMY FIRE WHICH WAS DECIMATING HIS COMPANY'S RANKS AND MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE AMERICANS TO SWEEP ALL RESISTANCE FROM THE TOWN.