Medal of Honor: Andrew Miller – World War II – November 16–29, 1944
Across thirteen brutal days, from Woippy to Metz to the German frontier, one squad leader became a one-man wrecking crew. Staff Sergeant Andrew Miller led from the front, broke the enemy’s will, and gave his life so his men could break through.
November 19, 2025
Name: Andrew Miller
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company G, 377th Infantry, 95th Infantry Division
Campaign: Woippy, Metz, and Kerprich Hemmersdorf, France/Germany
Place and Date: 16–29 November 1944
Entered Service At: Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Born: December 11, 1916 – Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Departed: Killed in Action, November 29, 1944
Accredited to: Wisconsin
Summary of Action
Over nearly two weeks of continuous combat, Staff Sergeant Andrew Miller became the driving force of his company’s advance across northern France and into Germany. As the 95th Infantry Division fought its way toward Metz, enemy machine guns, fortified barracks, and desperate counterattacks tried to halt the American drive. Miller refused to yield an inch.
On November 16 near Woippy, his squad was trapped in a deadly crossfire. Ordering his men to stay under cover, Miller attacked alone—storming a building, capturing five Germans at bayonet point, then taking a second machine gun position with grenades. The next day, as confusion rocked his platoon, he stayed behind to fight off a German machine gun and buy his comrades time to regroup.
On November 19, Miller led the assault on a massive enemy barracks. Crawling forward under fire, he climbed inside a window, captured six enemy soldiers, and opened the way for his entire company to sweep the building—seizing seventy-five prisoners. He then volunteered to take down Gestapo officers preventing German units from surrendering. Running through machine gun fire, he entered the building and convinced all four officers to lay down their arms.
Through every engagement, Miller continued to expose himself to fire to silence guns, rally his men, and lead from the front. On November 29, as Company G advanced toward Kerprich Hemmersdorf, enemy fire pinned them to the hillside. Miller didn’t hesitate. He rose, pushed ahead with his squad, and inspired the entire line to rise and attack with him. The advance succeeded—but the leader who made it possible fell in the final fight.
Staff Sergeant Andrew Miller’s relentless courage, aggressive leadership, and willingness to face danger alone shattered enemy resistance across multiple towns and saved countless American lives. His sacrifice secured the momentum of the Allied advance into Germany.
Medal of Honor Citation
Citation:
For performing a series of heroic deeds from 16–29 November 1944, during his company’s relentless drive from Woippy, France, through Metz to Kerprich Hemmersdorf, Germany. As he led a rifle squad on 16 November at Woippy, a crossfire from enemy machineguns pinned down his unit. Ordering his men to remain under cover, he went forward alone, entered a building housing one of the guns and forced five Germans to surrender at bayonet point. He then took the second gun single-handedly by hurling grenades into the enemy position, killing two, wounding three more, and taking two additional prisoners. At the outskirts of Metz the next day, when his platoon, confused by heavy explosions and the withdrawal of friendly tanks, retired, he fearlessly remained behind armed with an automatic rifle and exchanged bursts with a German machinegun until he silenced the enemy weapon. His quick action in covering his comrades gave the platoon time to regroup and carry on the fight. On 19 November S/Sgt. Miller led an attack on large enemy barracks. Covered by his squad, he crawled to a barracks window, climbed in and captured six riflemen occupying the room. His men, and then the entire company, followed through the window, scoured the building, and took seventy-five prisoners. S/Sgt. Miller volunteered, with three comrades, to capture Gestapo officers who were preventing the surrender of German troops in another building. He ran a gauntlet of machinegun fire and was lifted through a window. Inside, he found himself covered by a machine pistol, but he persuaded the four Gestapo agents confronting him to surrender. Early the next morning, when strong hostile forces punished his company with heavy fire, S/Sgt. Miller assumed the task of destroying a well-placed machinegun. He was knocked down by a rifle grenade as he climbed an open stairway in a house, but pressed on with a bazooka to find an advantageous spot from which to launch his rocket. He discovered that he could fire only from the roof, a position where he would draw tremendous enemy fire. Facing the risk, he moved into the open, coolly took aim and scored a direct hit on the hostile emplacement, wreaking such havoc that the enemy troops became completely demoralized and began surrendering by the score. The following day, in Metz, he captured twelve more prisoners and silenced an enemy machinegun after volunteering for a hazardous mission in advance of his company’s position. On 29 November, as Company G climbed a hill overlooking Kerprich Hemmersdorf, enemy fire pinned the unit to the ground. S/Sgt. Miller, on his own initiative, pressed ahead with his squad past the company’s leading element to meet the surprise resistance. His men stood up and advanced deliberately, firing as they went. Inspired by S/Sgt. Miller’s leadership, the platoon followed, and then another platoon arose and grimly closed with the Germans. The enemy action was smothered, but at the cost of S/Sgt. Miller’s life. His tenacious devotion to the attack, his gallant choice to expose himself to enemy action rather than endanger his men, his limitless bravery, assured the success of Company G.
