Medal of Honor: Ernest Childers, World War II, September 22, 1943

Name: Ernest Childers
Rank: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army
War: World War II
Date of Action: September 22, 1943
Unit: 45th Infantry Division
Place: Oliveto, Italy
Born: February 1, 1918, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Summary of Action

On September 22, 1943, during the Allied push through southern Italy, Second Lieutenant Ernest Childers, already suffering from a fractured instep, advanced with eight enlisted men toward German positions near Oliveto. The hill they faced was guarded by multiple machine-gun nests, snipers, and mortar support.

Reaching a stone wall that overlooked a cornfield, Childers ordered covering fire across the field so he could push forward alone. Two enemy snipers opened fire from a nearby house—he calmly shot and killed both. Advancing behind the first machine-gun nest, he killed its occupants, then pressed on to the second, tossing rocks into the position to flush out the crew. When the two gunners rose, he shot one, while his men killed the other.

Still pressing forward despite his injury, Childers advanced to a house farther up the hill. There he single-handedly captured a German mortar observer, crippling the enemy’s ability to coordinate fire.

Childers’ leadership, fearlessness, and initiative turned the tide of the assault. His gallantry under fire became an inspiration to his men and remains a lasting example of the warrior spirit.

Official Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action on 22 September 1943, at Oliveto, Italy. Although 2d Lt. Childers previously had just suffered a fractured instep he, with 8 enlisted men, advanced up a hill toward enemy machinegun nests. The group advanced to a rock wall overlooking a cornfield and 2d Lt. Childers ordered a base of fire laid across the field so that he could advance. When he was fired upon by 2 enemy snipers from a nearby house he killed both of them. He moved behind the machinegun nests and killed all occupants of the nearer one. He continued toward the second one and threw rocks into it. When the 2 occupants of the nest raised up, he shot 1. The other was killed by 1 of the 8 enlisted men. 2d Lt. Childers continued his advance toward a house farther up the hill, and single-handed, captured an enemy mortar observer. The exceptional leadership, initiative, calmness under fire, and conspicuous gallantry displayed by 2d Lt. Childers were an inspiration to his men.