World War II Honoree

David C. Waybur

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oakland, California

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. FIRST LIEUTENANT, U.S. ARMY, 3RD RECONNAISSANCE TROOP, 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR AGRIGENTO, SICILY JULY 17, 1943. ENTERED SERVICE OCTOBER 21, 1943. CITATION:' FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN ACTION INVOLVING ACTUAL CONFLICT WITH THE ENEMY. COMMANDER OF A RECONNAISSANCE PLATOON, HE VOLUNTEERED TO LEAD A 3-VEHICLE PATROL INTO ENEMY-HELD TERRITORY TO LOCATE AN ISOLATED RANGER UNIT. PROCEEDING UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS, OVER ROADS KNOWN TO BE HEAVILY MINED AND STRONGLY DEFENDED BY ROAD BLOCKS AND MACHINE GUN POSITIONS, THE PATROL'S PROGRESS WAS HALTED AT A BRIDGE WHICH HAD BEEN DESTROYED BY ENEMY TROOPS AND WAS SUDDENLY CUT OFF FROM ITS SUPPORTING VEHICLES BY 4 ENEMY TANKS. ALTHOUGH HOPELESSLY OUTNUMBERED AND OUT-GUNNED AND HIMSELF AND HIS MEN COMPLETELY EXPOSED, HE QUICKLY DISPERSED HIS VEHICLES AND ORDERED HIS GUNNERS TO OPEN FIRE WITH THEIR .30 AND .50 CALIBER MACHINE GUNS. THEN, WITH AMMUNITION EXHAUSTED, 3 OF HIS MEN HIT AND HIMSELF SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, HE SEIZED HIS .45 CALIBER THOMPSON SUBMACHINE GUN AND STANDING IN THE BRIGHT MOONLIGHT DIRECTLY IN THE LINE OF FIRE, ALONE ENGAGED THE LEADING TANK AT 30 YARDS AND SUCCEEDED IN KILLING THE CREW MEMBERS, CAUSING THE TANK TO RUN ONTO THE BRIDGE AND CRASH INTO THE STREAM BED. AFTER DISPATCHING 1 OF THE MEN FOR AID HE RALLIED THE REST TO COVER AND WITHSTOOD THE CONTINUED FIRE OF THE TANKS UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF AID THE FOLLOWING MORNING.'