Medal of Honor: Beryl R. Newman - World War II - May 26, 1944

Name: Beryl R. Newman
Rank: First Lieutenant
Branch: U.S. Army
War: World War II
Unit: 133d Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division
Date of Action: May 26, 1944
Location: Near Cisterna, Italy

Summary of Action

On 26 May 1944, First Lieutenant Beryl R. Newman displayed extraordinary heroism during the Allied breakout from the Anzio beachhead near Cisterna, Italy.

Leading his platoon against the heavily defended German Anzio-Nettuno line, Newman suddenly came under intense fire from two enemy machine guns positioned on a hill approximately one hundred yards ahead.

The four scouts with him immediately dropped to the ground for cover.

Newman did not.

Remaining fully exposed to enemy fire, he stood upright so he could identify the German positions and direct his platoon behind him.

After locating the enemy emplacements, he ordered one squad to advance toward him while directing another to flank the Germans from the right.

Still standing in the open beneath direct machine-gun fire, Newman opened fire with his Thompson submachine gun against the enemy nests.

When one of his squads became pinned down by the heavy German fire, Newman realized the attack would fail unless the guns were silenced immediately.

Without hesitation, he charged the enemy positions alone.

Advancing directly into the machine-gun fire, he continued firing his tommy gun and succeeded in wounding a German soldier in each enemy nest.

The remaining defenders fled toward a nearby house.

At that moment, three additional German soldiers emerged from the building and attempted to man a third machine gun.

Newman relentlessly pressed forward and shot two of them before they could bring the weapon into action.

The surviving German fled back into the house.

Covering his movement with bursts fired through the windows and doorway, Newman stormed the building by himself and demanded the occupants surrender.

Reaching the entrance, he kicked in the door and entered the house alone.

Inside were eleven armed German soldiers carrying rifles and machine pistols.

Intimidated by the fearless American officer standing before them, all eleven surrendered without resistance.

By the end of the action, Newman had single-handedly silenced three machine guns, wounded two enemy soldiers, killed two others, and captured eleven prisoners.

His extraordinary courage inspired the inexperienced soldiers around him and embodied the highest traditions of the United States Army.

Medal of Honor Citation

NEWMAN, BERYL R.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 26 May 1944. Attacking the strongly held German Anzio-Nettuno defense line near Cisterna, Italy, 1st Lt. Newman, in the lead of his platoon, was suddenly fired upon by 2 enemy machineguns located on the crest of a hill about 100 yards to his front. The 4 scouts with him immediately hit the ground, but 1st Lt. Newman remained standing in order to see the enemy positions and his platoon then about 100 yards behind. Locating the enemy nests, 1st Lt. Newman called back to his platoon and ordered 1 squad to advance to him and the other to flank the enemy to the right. Then, still standing upright in the face of the enemy machinegun fire, 1st Lt. Newman opened up with his tommygun on the enemy nests. From this range, his fire was not effective in covering the advance of his squads, and 1 squad was pinned down by the enemy fire. Seeing that his squad was unable to advance, 1st Lt. Newman, in full view of the enemy gunners and in the face of their continuous fire, advanced alone on the enemy nests. He returned their fire with his tommygun and succeeded in wounding a German in each of the nests. The remaining 2 Germans fled from the position into a nearby house. Three more enemy soldiers then came out of the house and ran toward a third machinegun. 1st Lt. Newman, still relentlessly advancing toward them, killed 1 before he reached the gun, the second before he could fire it. The third fled for his life back into the house. Covering his assault by firing into the doors and windows of the house, 1st Lt. Newman, boldly attacking by himself, called for the occupants to surrender to him. Gaining the house, he kicked in the door and went inside. Although armed with rifles and machine pistols, the 11 Germans there, apparently intimidated, surrendered to the lieutenant without further resistance, 1st Lt. Newman, single-handed, had silenced 3 enemy machineguns, wounded 2 Germans, killed 2 more, and took 11 prisoners. This demonstration of sheer courage, bravery, and willingness to close with the enemy even in the face of such heavy odds, instilled into these green troops the confidence of veterans and reflects the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.