World War II Honoree

Robert T. Waugh

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Ashton, Rhode Island

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. FIRST LIEUTENANT, U.S. ARMY, 339TH INFANTRY, 85TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: NEAR TREMENSUCLI, ITALY, MAY 11-14, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: AUGUSTA, MAINE. CITATION: 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT RISK OF LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN ACTION WITH THE ENEMY. IN THE COURSE OF AN ATTACK UPON AN ENEMY-HELD HILL ON MAY 11, HE PERSONALLY RECONNOITERED A HEAVILY MINED AREA BEFORE ENTERING IT WITH HIS PLATOON. DIRECTING HIS MEN TO DELIVER FIRE ON 6 BUNKERS GUARDING THIS HILL, HE ADVANCED ALONE AGAINST THEM, REACHED THE FIRST BUNKER, THREW PHOSPHORUS GRENADES INTO IT AND AS THE DEFENDERS EMERGED, KILLED THEM WITH A BURST FROM HIS TOMMY GUN. HE REPEATED THIS PROCESS ON THE 5 REMAINING BUNKERS, KILLING OR CAPTURING THE OCCUPANTS. ON THE MORNING OF MAY 14, HE ORDERED HIS PLATOON TO LAY A BASE OF FIRE ON 2 ENEMY PILLBOXES LOCATED ON A KNOLL WHICH COMMANDED THE ONLY TRAIL UP THE HILL. HE THEN RAN TO THE FIRST PILLBOX, THREW SEVERAL GRENADES INTO IT, DROVE THE DEFENDERS INTO THE OPEN, AND KILLED THEM. THE SECOND PILLBOX WAS NEXT TAKEN BY THIS INTREPID OFFICER BY SIMILAR METHODS. THE FEARLESS ACTIONS OF HE BROKE THE GUSTAV LINE AT THAT POINT, NEUTRALIZING 6 BUNKERS AND 2 PILLBOXES AND HE WAS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF 30 OF THE ENEMY AND THE CAPTURE OF 25 OTHERS. HE WAS LATER KILLED IN ACTION IN ITRI, ITALY, WHILE LEADING HIS PLATOON IN AN ATTACK.'