In World War II combat three Medal of Honor awards
were awarded to members assigned to the 8th Infantry Division.
In World War II combat three Medal of Honor awards
were awarded to members assigned to the 8th Infantry Division.
PRUSSMAN, ERNEST W. Private First Class, U.S. Army, 13th
Infantry, 8th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Les Coates, Brittany,
France, 8 September 1944. Entered service at: Brighton, Mass. Birth: Baltimore,
Md. G.O. No.: 31, 17 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 September
1944, near Les Coates, Brittany, France. When the advance of the flank
companies of 2 battalions was halted by intense enemy mortar, machinegun, and
sniper fire from a fortified position on his left, Pfc. Prussman maneuvered his
squad to assault the enemy fortifications. Hurdling a hedgerow, he came upon 2
enemy riflemen whom he disarmed. After leading his squad across an open field
to the next hedgerow, he advanced to a machinegun position, destroyed the gun,
captured its crew and 2 riflemen. Again advancing ahead of his squad in the
assault, he was mortally wounded by an enemy rifleman, but as he fell to the
ground he threw a handgrenade, killing his opponent. His superb leadership and
heroic action at the cost of his life so demoralized the enemy that resistance
at this point collapsed, permitting the 2 battalions to continue their advance.
WETZEL, WALTER C. Private First Class, U.S. Army, 13th Infantry, 8th Infantry Division. Place and date: Birken, Germany, 3 April 1945. Entered service at: Roseville, Mich. Birth: Huntington, W. Va. G.O. No.: 21, 26 February 1946. Citation: Pfc. Wetzel, an acting squad leader with the Antitank Company of the 13th Infantry, was guarding his platoon's command post in a house at Birken, Germany, during the early morning hours of 3 April 1945, when he detected strong enemy forces moving in to attack. He ran into the house, alerted the occupants and immediately began defending the post against heavy automatic weapons fire coming from the hostile troops. Under cover of darkness the Germans forced their way close to the building where they hurled grenades, 2 of which landed in the room where Pfc. Wetzel and the others had taken up firing positions. Shouting a warning to his fellow soldiers, Pfc. Wetzel threw himself on the grenades and, as they exploded, absorbed their entire blast, suffering wounds from which he died. The supreme gallantry of Pfc. Wetzel saved his comrades from death or serious injury and made it possible for them to continue the defense of the command post and break the power of a dangerous local counterthrust by the enemy. His superb leadership and heroic action at the cost of his life so demoralized the enemy that resistance at this point collapsed, permitting the two battalions to continue their advance.
Tom Bolick, son of an 8th Vet, writes - "I'm not sure who wrote the account of the battle you have sent me concerning the tanks and all the grenades but it varies from what my father told me about the action. I had him read the official army account of this action many years ago and he said it was not correct and had been written by an officer who was not there at the time. My father had been Wetzel's platoon sgt. since early in 1943 at Fort Jackson.
On the morning of April 3, 1945, before dawn, My father was leading a patrol down the narrow street in the village of Birken, Germany, when a small group of German soldiers fired on them with automatic weapons. The patrol ran into houses and started returning fire. There were several men in the house with my father and Wetzel. A grenade was thrown in the window, someone yelled "grenade", everybody fell to the floor. Wetzel fell on the grenade, blowing up in his stomach area, and saved the rest of the men in the room. A few minutes later the Germans stopped firing and then retreated from the town. Wetzel was still conscious and lived for several minutes after he was wounded. He would pray for a moment, then he would cuss for a while. The last thing Wetzel said was " Sgt., I think the goddam son of a bitches have killed me", and he died.
The patrol stayed in the town until later that morning when a " meat wagon" (medical jeep) came up and took Wetzel's body back to the rear. That was the last man in the platoon to be killed in WWII. Wetzel worked in Detroit, Michigan, mounting tires in an automobile plant. According to my father he had very strong stomach muscles and would let anyone in the company hit him as hard as they could in the stomach without hurting him. He just got married a few weeks before the Regiment left for Europe. While at Fort Jackson he went AWOL back to Detroit. He was arrested by the Detroit Police. The 13th IR sent a two man detail, lead by Cpl Gerald Weimann, to return him to Fort Jackson. He also went AWOL in Northern Ireland and crossed over the border into Ireland. He finally came back on his own and rejoined the company. My father said once he got in combat he was a good soldier. while in France Wetzel received a "dear john letter" from his wife but just a week before he was killed he told my father that he and his wife had gotten things straightened out. In 1990 I took my father back to Birken. He looked for the house they were in but could not find it.
We did get go to the Netherlands Cemetery to visit Wetzel's grave . It was the only time I every saw my father cry. In 1997 I took my daughter back to visit the Netherlands Cemetery. I want to her to remember him also. I have been told this story all my life and told never to forget we owe Wetzel. I have my father's copy of the 1942 Blue Book. His picture is in there in the Anti Tank Co. "
Minick, John W. Staff Sergeant, awareded MOH for actions on 21 Nov 1944 in the Hurtgen Forest, Germany Co. I, 121st Infantry, 8th Infantry Div. KIA 21 Nov 1944. Place and date: Near Hurtgen, Germany, 21 November 1944. Entered service at: Carlisle, Pa. Birth: Wall, Pa. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict with the enemy on 21 November 1944, near Hurtgen, Germany. S/Sgt. Minick's battalion was halted in its advance by extensive minefields, exposing troops to heavy concentrations of enemy artillery and mortar fire. Further delay in the advance would result in numerous casualties and a movement through the minefield was essential. Voluntarily, S/Sgt. Minick led 4 men through hazardous barbed wire and debris, finally making his way through the minefield for a distance of 300 yards. When an enemy machinegun opened fire, he signaled his men to take covered positions, edged his way alone toward the flank of the weapon and opened fire, killing 2 members of the guncrew and capturing 3 others. Moving forward again, he encountered and engaged single-handedly an entire company killing 20 Germans and capturing 20, and enabling his platoon to capture the remainder of the hostile group. Again moving ahead and spearheading his battalion's advance, he again encountered machinegun fire. Crawling forward toward the weapon, he reached a point from which he knocked the weapon out of action. Still another minefield had to be crossed. Undeterred, S/Sgt. Minick advanced forward alone through constant enemy fire and while thus moving, detonated a mine and was instantly killed