World War II Honoree

Frank D. Peregory

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Esmont, Virginia

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. TECHNICAL SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, COMPANY K, 116TH INFANTRY, 29TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: GRANDCAMPE, FRANCE, JUNE 8, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. BORN: APRIL 10, 1915, ESMONT, VIRGINIA. GO # 43, MAY 30, 1945. CITATION: 'ON JUNE 8, 1944, THE 3RD BATTALION OF THE 116TH INFANTRY WAS ADVANCING ON THE STRONGLY HELD GERMAN DEFENSES AT GRANDCAMPE, FRANCE, WHEN THE LEADING ELEMENTS WERE SUDDENLY HALTED BY DECIMATING MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM A FIRMLY ENTRENCHED ENEMY FORCE ON THE HIGH GROUND OVERLOOKING THE TOWN. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO NEUTRALIZE THE ENEMY POSITION BY SUPPORTING ARTILLERY AND TANK FIRE HAD PROVED INEFFECTIVE, TECHNICAL SERGEANT PEREGORY, ON HIS OWN INITIATIVE, ADVANCED UP THE HILL UNDER WITHERING FIRE, AND WORKED HIS WAY TO THE CREST WHERE HE DISCOVERED AN ENTRENCHMENT LEADING TO THE MAIN ENEMY FORTIFICATIONS 200 YARDS AWAY. WITHOUT HESITATING, HE LEAPED INTO THE TRENCH AND MOVED TOWARD THE EMPLACEMENT. ENCOUNTERING A SQUAD OF ENEMY RIFLEMEN, HE FEARLESSLY ATTACKED THEM WITH HAND GRENADES AND BAYONET, KILLED 8 AND FORCED 3 TO SURRENDER. CONTINUING ALONG THE TRENCH, HE SINGLE-HANDEDLY FORCED THE SURRENDER OF 32 MORE RIFLEMEN, CAPTURED THE MACHINE GUNNERS, AND OPENED THE WAY FOR THE LEADING ELEMENTS OF THE BATTALION TO ADVANCE AND SECURE ITS OBJECTIVE. THE EXTRAORDINARY GALLANTRY AND AGGRESSIVENESS DISPLAYED BY TECHNICAL SERGEANT PEREGORY ARE EXEMPLARY OF THE HIGHEST TRADITION OF THE ARMED FORCES.'