World War II Honoree

Herbert F. Christian

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Byersville, Ohio

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

ENTERED SERVICE AT STEUBENVILLE, OHIO. PRIVATE, U.S. ARMY, 15TH INFANTRY, 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOR ACTION NEAR VALMONTONE, ITALY, JUNE 2-3, 1944; GO 43, MAY 30, 1945. CITATION READS, 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT RISK OF LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. ON JUNE 2-3, 1944, AT 1:00 A.M., PRIVATE CHRISTIAN ELECTED TO SACRIFICE HIS LIFE IN ORDER THAT HIS COMRADES MIGHT EXTRICATE THEMSELVES FROM AN AMBUSH. BRAVING MASSED FIRE OF ABOUT SIXTY RIFLEMEN, THREE MACHINE GUNS AND THREE TANKS FROM POSITIONS ONLY 30 YARDS DISTANT, HE STOOD ERECT AND SIGNALED TO THE PATROL TO WITHDRAW. THE WHOLE AREA WAS BRIGHTLY ILLUMINATED BY ENEMY FLARES. ALTHOUGH HIS RIGHT LEG WAS SEVERED ABOVE THE KNEE BY CANNON FIRE, PRIVATE CHRISTIAN ADVANCED ON HIS LEFT KNEE AND THE BLOODY STUMP OF HIS RIGHT THIGH, FIRING HIS SUBMACHINE GUN. DESPITE EXCRUCIATING PAIN, PRIVATE CHRISTIAN CONTINUED ON HIS SELF-ASSIGNED MISSION. HE SUCCEEDED IN DISTRACTING THE ENEMY AND ENABLED HIS 12 COMRADES TO ESCAPE. HE KILLED THREE ENEMY SOLDIERS ALMOST AT ONCE. LEAVING A TRAIL OF BLOOD BEHIND HIM, HE MADE HIS WAY FORWARD 20 YARDS, HALTED AT A POINT WITHIN 10 YARDS OF THE ENEMY AND DESPITE INTENSE FIRE, KILLED A MACHINE-PISTOL MAN. RELOADING HIS WEAPON, HE FIRED DIRECTLY INTO THE ENEMY POSITION. THE ENEMY APPEARED ENRAGED AT THE SUCCESS OF HIS RUSE, CONCENTRATED 20MM MACHINE GUN, MACHINE-PISTOL AND RIFLE FIRE ON HIM, YET HE REFUSED TO SEEK COVER. MAINTAINING HIS ERECT POSITION, PRIVATE CHRISTIAN FIRED HIS WEAPON TO THE VERY LAST. JUST AS HE EMPTIED HIS SUBMACHINE GUN, THE ENEMY BULLETS FOUND THEIR MARK AND PRIVATE CHRISTIAN SLUMPED FORWARD DEAD. THE COURAGE AND SPIRIT OF SELF-SACRIFICE DISPLAYED BY THIS SOLDIER WERE AN INSPIRATION TO HIS COMRADES AND ARE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE ARMED FORCES.'