Medal of Honor: Raymond H. Cooley – U.S. Army – World War II

Name: Raymond H. Cooley
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Branch: U.S. Army
Unit: Company B, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division
Place: Near Lumboy, Luzon, Philippine Islands
Entered Service At: Richard City, Tennessee
Born: 7 May 1914, Dunlap, Tennessee
G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945

Summary of Action

During an assault on a camouflaged Japanese entrenchment defended by machineguns, rifles, and mortars, S/Sgt. Raymond H. Cooley’s platoon was pinned down by two enemy machineguns.

Without waiting for orders, Cooley advanced alone through heavy fire to within 20 yards of one of the guns and hurled a grenade. The enemy threw it back before it detonated.

Undeterred, he armed a second grenade and held it several seconds to shorten the fuse. He then threw it into the position, where it exploded instantly, destroying the machinegun and its crew.

He pressed forward toward the second gun, throwing grenades into foxholes as he advanced. Inspired by his fearless action, a squad of his platoon joined him.

As he prepared to throw another grenade into the remaining machinegun position, six enemy soldiers rushed him. In the violent close combat that followed, his men and the enemy became intermingled.

Realizing he could not throw the armed grenade without endangering his comrades, Cooley deliberately fell upon it. The explosion severely wounded him.

His courage silenced a machinegun, inspired his platoon to overrun the remaining enemy positions, and spared his fellow soldiers from injury at the risk of his own life.

Medal of Honor Citation

COOLEY, RAYMOND H.

He was a platoon guide in an assault on a camouflaged entrenchment defended by machineguns, rifles, and mortars. When his men were pinned down by 2 enemy machineguns, he voluntarily advanced under heavy fire to within 20 yards of 1 of the guns and attacked it with a hand grenade. The enemy, however, threw the grenade back at him before it could explode. Arming a second grenade, he held it for several seconds of the safe period and then hurled it into the enemy position, where it exploded instantaneously, destroying the gun and crew. He then moved toward the remaining gun, throwing grenades into enemy foxholes as he advanced. Inspired by his actions, 1 squad of his platoon joined him. After he had armed another grenade and was preparing to throw it into the second machinegun position, 6 enemy soldiers rushed at him. Knowing he could not dispose of the armed grenade without injuring his comrades, because of the intermingling in close combat of the men of his platoon and the enemy in the melee which ensued, he deliberately covered the grenade with his body and was severely wounded as it exploded. By his heroic actions, S/Sgt. Cooley not only silenced a machinegun and so inspired his fellow soldiers that they pressed the attack and destroyed the remaining enemy emplacements, but also, in complete disregard of his own safety, accepted certain injury and possible loss of life to avoid wounding his comrades.