Medal of Honor: Berger Loman, World War I, October 9, 1918
When machine-gun fire stopped his company cold, Private Berger Loman crawled alone through the storm—killed the crew, seized their gun, and turned it on the fleeing enemy.
October 9, 2025
Name: Berger Loman
Rank: Private
War: World War I
Date of Action: October 9, 1918
Unit: Company H, 132nd Infantry Regiment, 33rd Division
Entered Service At: Chicago, Illinois
Born: August 24, 1886, Bergen, Norway
Summary of Action
The 33rd Division had fought its way into the crucible of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive when Private Berger Loman’s company found itself pinned down by the fire of a German machine gun only a hundred yards from its objective. The deadly bursts raked the open ground, halting the advance and forcing men to hug the mud for cover.
Loman—a Norwegian immigrant serving his adopted country—refused to stay down. On his own initiative, he began crawling forward through shattered earth and tangled wire, inching toward the muzzle flashes that spat death into his line. Alone, and under unbroken fire, he flanked the enemy nest, rose up suddenly, and stormed the emplacement. Within seconds, the German gun crew lay dead or captured. Without hesitation, Loman swung the captured machine gun around and opened fire on the retreating enemy, clearing the path for his company to resume its advance.
His one-man assault was the spark that reignited the movement of the 132nd Infantry that day—a testament to courage born of quiet resolve and the immigrant’s fierce loyalty to his new flag.
Medal of Honor Citation
LOMAN, BERGER
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company H, 132d Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date: Near Consenvoye, France, 9 October 1918. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 24 August 1886, Bergen, Norway. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: When his company had reached a point within 100 yards of its objective, to which it was advancing under terrific machinegun fire, Pvt. Loman voluntarily and unaided made his way forward after all others had taken shelter from the direct fire of an enemy machinegun. He crawled to a flank position of the gun and, after killing or capturing the entire crew, turned the machinegun on the retreating enemy.
