Medal of Honor: Joseph F. Merrell – World War II – April 18, 1945

Name: Joseph F. Merrell
Rank: Private
Branch: U.S. Army
War: World War II
Unit: Company I, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division
Date of Action: April 18, 1945
Location: Near Lohe, Germany

Summary of Action

On 18 April 1945, Private Joseph F. Merrell distinguished himself near Lohe, Germany.

His unit was attempting to seize hostile hill positions that would open the road to Nuremberg before German defenders could organize.

The advance was stopped cold by brutal fire from rifles, machine pistols, and two heavy machine guns.

Without orders and entirely on his own initiative, Merrell launched a lone assault.

He sprinted one hundred yards through concentrated enemy fire, narrowly escaping death with every step.

At point-blank range, he engaged four German machine-pistol troops with his rifle and killed them all while bullets tore through his uniform.

As he moved forward again, a sniper’s bullet smashed his rifle.

Now armed only with three grenades, he did not stop.

He zigzagged another two hundred yards through a storm of bullets to within ten yards of the first machine-gun nest.

Throwing two grenades, he then charged the position ready to fight barehanded if necessary.

Inside the emplacement, he seized a Luger pistol and killed the surviving defenders.

Rearmed, he crawled toward the second machine gun thirty yards away.

Along the way he killed four Germans hidden in camouflaged foxholes, but suffered a critical wound to the abdomen.

Bleeding heavily and staggering forward, he ignored bullets ripping through his clothing and glancing from his helmet.

He hurled his final grenade into the second machine-gun nest and then stumbled forward to finish the crew.

Moments after completing the mission, he was killed instantly by a burst from a machine pistol.

In his one-man attack, Merrell killed six Germans in the first emplacement, seven in the second, and ten more infantrymen blocking his path.

By destroying the weapons that would have devastated his company, he enabled his comrades to continue the advance to victory.

His fearless sacrifice reflected the highest traditions of the United States Army.

Medal of Honor Citation

MERRELL, JOSEPH F.

He made a gallant, 1-man attack against vastly superior enemy forces near Lohe, Germany. His unit, attempting a quick conquest of hostile hill positions that would open the route to Nuremberg before the enemy could organize his defense of that city, was pinned down by brutal fire from rifles, machine pistols, and 2 heavy machineguns. Entirely on his own initiative, Pvt. Merrell began a single-handed assault. He ran 100 yards through concentrated fire, barely escaping death at each stride, and at pointblank range engaged 4 German machine pistolmen with his rifle, killing all of them while their bullets ripped his uniform. As he started forward again, his rifle was smashed by a sniper’s bullet, leaving him armed only with 3 grenades. But he did not hesitate. He zigzagged 200 yards through a hail of bullets to within 10 yards of the first machinegun, where he hurled 2 grenades and then rushed the position ready to fight with his bare hands if necessary. In the emplacement he seized a Luger pistol and killed what Germans had survived the grenade blast. Rearmed, he crawled toward the second machinegun located 30 yards away, killing 4 Germans in camouflaged foxholes on the way, but himself receiving a critical wound in the abdomen. And yet he went on, staggering, bleeding, disregarding bullets which tore through the folds of his clothing and glanced off his helmet. He threw his last grenade into the machinegun nest and stumbled on to wipe out the crew. He had completed this self-appointed task when a machine pistol burst killed him instantly. In his spectacular 1-man attack Pvt. Merrell killed 6 Germans in the first machinegun emplacement, 7 in the next, and an additional 10 infantrymen who were astride his path to the weapons which would have decimated his unit had he not assumed the burden of the assault and stormed the enemy positions with utter fearlessness, intrepidity of the highest order, and a willingness to sacrifice his own life so that his comrades could go on to victory.