World War II Honoree

Beryl R. Newman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Baraboo, Wisconsin

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. FIRST LIEUTENANT, U.S. ARMY, 133D INFANTRY, 34TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR CISTERNA, ITALY, MAY 26, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: BARABOO, WISCONSIN. BIRTH: BARABOO, WISCONSIN. GO 5, JANUARY 15, 1945. CITATION: FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY ON MAY 26, 1944. ATTACKING THE STRONGLY HELD GERMAN ANZIO-NETTUNO DEFENSE LINE NEAR CISTERNA, ITALY, FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN, IN THE LEAD OF HIS PLATOON, WAS SUDDENLY FIRED UPON BY 2 ENEMY MACHINE GUNS LOCATED ON THE CREST OF A HILL ABOUT 100 YARDS TO HIS FRONT. THE 4 SCOUTS WITH HIM IMMEDIATELY HIT THE GROUND, BUT FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN REMAINED STANDING IN ORDER TO SEE THE ENEMY POSITIONS AND HIS PLATOON THEN ABOUT 100 YARDS BEHIND. LOCATING THE ENEMY NESTS, FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN CALLED BACK TO HIS PLATOON AND ORDERED 1 SQUAD TO ADVANCE TO HIM AND THE OTHER TO FLANK THE ENEMY TO THE RIGHT. THEN, STILL STANDING UPRIGHT IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY MACHINE GUN FIRE, FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN OPENED UP WITH HIS TOMMY GUN ON THE ENEMY NESTS. FROM THIS RANGE, HIS FIRE WAS NOT EFFECTIVE IN COVERING THE ADVANCE OF HIS SQUADS, AND 1 SQUAD WAS PINNED DOWN BY THE ENEMY FIRE. SEEING THAT HIS SQUAD WAS UNABLE TO ADVANCE, FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN, IN FULL VIEW OF THE ENEMY GUNNERS AND IN THE FACE OF THEIR CONTINUOUS FIRE, ADVANCED ALONE ON THE ENEMY NESTS. HE RETURNED THEIR FIRE WITH HIS TOMMY GUN AND SUCCEEDED IN WOUNDING A GERMAN IN EACH OF THE NESTS. THE REMAINING 2 GERMANS FLED FROM THE POSITION INTO A NEARBY HOUSE. THREE MORE ENEMY SOLDIERS THEN CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND RAN TOWARD A THIRD MACHINE GUN. FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN, STILL RELENTLESSLY ADVANCING TOWARD THEM, KILLED 1 BEFORE HE REACHED THE GUN, THE SECOND BEFORE HE COULD FIRE IT. THE THIRD FLED FOR HIS LIFE BACK INTO THE HOUSE. COVERING HIS ASSAULT BY FIRING INTO THE DOORS AND WINDOWS OF THE HOUSE, FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN, BOLDLY ATTACKING BY HIMSELF, CALLED FOR THE OCCUPANTS TO SURRENDER TO HIM. GAINING THE HOUSE, HE KICKED IN THE DOOR AND WENT INSIDE. ALTHOUGH ARMED WITH RIFLES AND MACHINE PISTOLS, THE 11 GERMANS THERE, APPARENTLY INTIMIDATED, SURRENDERED TO THE LIEUTENANT WITHOUT FURTHER RESISTANCE, FIRST LIEUTENANT NEWMAN, SINGLE-HANDED, HAD SILENCED 3 ENEMY MACHINE GUNS, WOUNDED 2 GERMANS, KILLED 2 MORE, AND TOOK 11 PRISONERS. THIS DEMONSTRATION OF SHEER COURAGE, BRAVERY, AND WILLINGNESS TO CLOSE WITH THE ENEMY EVEN IN THE FACE OF SUCH HEAVY ODDS, INSTILLED INTO THESE GREEN TROOPS THE CONFIDENCE OF VETERANS AND REFLECTS THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES.'