World War II Honoree

Robert P. Nett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New Haven, Connecticut

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. CAPTAIN (THEN LIEUTENANT), U.S. ARMY, COMPANY E, 305TH INFANTRY, 77TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR COGNON, LEYTE, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, DECEMBER 14, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA. BIRTH: NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. GO 16, FEBRUARY 8, 1946. CITATION: 'HE COMMANDED COMPANY E IN AN ATTACK AGAINST A REINFORCED ENEMY BATTALION WHICH HAD HELD UP THE AMERICAN ADVANCE FOR 2 DAYS FROM ITS ENTRENCHED POSITIONS AROUND A 3-STORY CONCRETE BUILDING. WITH ANOTHER INFANTRY COMPANY AND ARMORED VEHICLES, COMPANY E ADVANCED AGAINST HEAVY MACHINE GUN AND OTHER AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE WITH LIEUTENANT NETT SPEARHEADING THE ASSAULT AGAINST THE STRONG POINT. DURING THE FIERCE HAND-TO-HAND ENCOUNTER WHICH ENSUED, HE KILLED 7 DEEPLY ENTRENCHED JAPANESE WITH HIS RIFLE AND BAYONET AND, ALTHOUGH SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, GALLANTLY CONTINUED TO LEAD HIS MEN FORWARD, REFUSING TO RELINQUISH HIS COMMAND. AGAIN HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED, BUT, STILL UNWILLING TO RETIRE, PRESSED AHEAD WITH HIS TROOPS TO ASSURE THE CAPTURE OF THE OBJECTIVE. WOUNDED ONCE MORE IN THE FINAL ASSAULT, HE CALMLY MADE ALL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RESUMPTION OF THE ADVANCE, TURNED OVER HIS COMMAND TO ANOTHER OFFICER, AND THEN WALKED UNAIDED TO THE REAR FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT. BY HIS REMARKABLE COURAGE IN CONTINUING FORWARD THROUGH SHEER DETERMINATION DESPITE SUCCESSIVE WOUNDS, LIEUTENANT NETT PROVIDED AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE FOR HIS MEN AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CAPTURE OF A VITAL STRONG POINT.'