Medal of Honor: Archer T. Gammon – World War II – Belgium – January 1945

Name: Archer T. Gammon
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company A, 9th Armored Infantry Battalion, 6th Armored Division
Place: Near Bastogne, Belgium
Entered Service At: Roanoke, Virginia
Born: Chatham, Virginia

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Summary of Action

On 11 January 1945, during the bitter winter fighting near Bastogne, Belgium, Staff Sergeant Archer T. Gammon was leading his platoon across an open, snow-covered field when it was suddenly raked by enemy machine-gun fire. Without hesitation, he charged more than 30 yards through hip-deep snow and destroyed the machine-gun position and its three-man crew with grenades, preventing the platoon from being cut down and allowing it to reach the nearby woods.

Moments later, as the platoon advanced through the trees, another enemy machine gun opened fire while a German Tiger Royal tank on the left flank began firing 88-millimeter shells into the formation. Recognizing the deadly threat, Staff Sergeant Gammon again moved forward alone, crossing the platoon’s skirmish line under intense rifle and automatic-weapons fire in an effort to close with the tank and its supporting infantry.

He assaulted the machine-gun protecting the tank, wiping out its four-man crew with grenades, then pressed on toward the massive armored vehicle. Advancing to within 25 yards, he killed two enemy riflemen with rifle fire as the tank began to withdraw, firing as it backed away. At the moment his fearless, single-handed attack had driven the enemy armor into retreat, Staff Sergeant Gammon was struck and instantly killed by a direct hit from the tank’s heavy gun.

His extraordinary courage and complete devotion to duty broke the enemy defense, cleared the woods of German forces, and opened the way for his platoon to advance. His sacrifice embodied the highest traditions of the United States Army.

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Medal of Honor Citation

He charged 30 yards through hip-deep snow to knock out a machinegun and its 3-man crew with grenades, saving his platoon from being decimated and allowing it to continue its advance from an open field into some nearby woods. The platoon’s advance through the woods had only begun when a machinegun supported by riflemen opened fire and a Tiger Royal tank sent 88mm. shells screaming at the unit from the left flank. S/Sgt. Gammon, disregarding all thoughts of personal safety, rushed forward, then cut to the left, crossing the width of the platoon’s skirmish line in an attempt to get within grenade range of the tank and its protecting foot troops. Intense fire was concentrated on him by riflemen and the machinegun emplaced near the tank. He charged the automatic weapon, wiped out its crew of 4 with grenades, and, with supreme daring, advanced to within 25 yards of the armored vehicle, killing 2 hostile infantrymen with rifle fire as he moved forward. The tank had started to withdraw, backing a short distance, then firing, backing some more, and then stopping to blast out another round, when the man whose single-handed relentless attack had put the ponderous machine on the defensive was struck and instantly killed by a direct hit from the Tiger Royal’s heavy gun. By his intrepidity and extreme devotion to the task of driving the enemy back no matter what the odds, S/Sgt. Gammon cleared the woods of German forces, for the tank continued to withdraw, leaving open the path for the gallant squad leader’s platoon.