Medal of Honor: Walter D. Ehlers – World War II, June 9–10, 1944

Walter David Ehlers
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army
Conflict: World War II
Unit: Company E, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division (“Big Red One”)
Date of Action: June 9–10, 1944
Location: Near Goville, Normandy, France

Summary of Action:
D-Day was only the beginning. By June 9, 1944 — deep in the hedgerows of Normandy — Staff Sergeant Walter Ehlers was already etching his name into legend.

Leading his squad ahead of the main assault force, Ehlers didn’t wait for orders. He took initiative under fire. He ambushed a German patrol alone, killing four. Crawled through bullets to destroy a machine gun nest. Stormed a mortar position, took out three more. Then, as if driven by some unshakable inner fire, he rose once again to charge and silence another enemy machine gun—all while exposed and vastly outnumbered.

The next day brought even greater danger. Ehlers’ platoon was cut off, pinned down behind enemy lines. As chaos erupted around them, he refused to leave a single man behind. While his squad withdrew, Ehlers stayed behind, laying down deadly cover fire. A bullet tore into him—but he kept fighting. When one of his men fell wounded, Ehlers hoisted him up and carried him to safety through a hail of gunfire. Then, bleeding and battered, he went back under mortar fire to retrieve the fallen man’s automatic rifle.

He refused evacuation. Got patched up. And went right back into the fight.

It wasn’t about glory. It was about loyalty. Duty. Brotherhood. Walter Ehlers showed the world what one soldier, fueled by resolve and love for his men, could accomplish against impossible odds.

Medal of Honor Citation:
*"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 9 and 10 June 1944, near Goville, France. Staff Sergeant Ehlers, always acting as the spearhead of the attack, repeatedly led his men against heavily defended enemy strongpoints, exposing himself to deadly hostile fire whenever the situation required heroic and courageous leadership.

Without waiting for an order, Staff Sergeant Ehlers, far ahead of his men, led his squad against a strongly defended enemy strongpoint, personally killing four of the enemy and putting the rest to flight. Turning his attention to a nearby machinegun nest which had opened fire on his platoon, he led his men through a hail of bullets to kill the four-man gun crew. After mopping up the enemy remnants in the area, he led his men to yet another machinegun nest, where he personally killed three of the enemy and drove the others to cover, capturing the position.

On the following day, having advanced deep into enemy territory, the platoon of which Staff Sergeant Ehlers was a member finding itself dangerously exposed to an enemy counterattack, was ordered to withdraw. Staff Sergeant Ehlers, after his squad had covered the withdrawal of the remainder of the platoon, stood up and, fully exposed to enemy fire, deliberately drew the attention of the enemy and provided covering fire which enabled his men to withdraw safely.

At this point, he was wounded himself, but nevertheless recovered the automatic rifle from a wounded comrade and continued to give covering fire to the platoon’s withdrawal. After having his wound treated, he refused to be evacuated and returned to lead his squad. The intrepid leadership, indomitable courage, and fearless determination of Staff Sergeant Ehlers in the face of overwhelming enemy forces serve as an inspiration to others and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States."*