Medal of Honor: Robert E. Gerstung – World War II – December 19, 1944

Name: Robert E. Gerstung
Rank: Technical Sergeant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company H, 313th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division
Place and Date: Siegfried Line near Berg, Germany – 19 December 1944
Entered Service At: Chicago, Illinois
Born: August 6, 1915 – Chicago, Illinois
Departed: Survived
Accredited To: Illinois

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Summary of Action

On December 19, 1944, during an attack against the outer defenses of the Siegfried Line near Berg, Germany, Technical Sergeant Robert E. Gerstung was ordered to support an infantry company with his heavy machine-gun squad. Almost immediately, his position came under devastating artillery and mortar fire while enemy troops closed in close enough to hurl hand grenades into the emplacement.

For eight continuous hours, Gerstung maintained his position under fire so intense it rendered the emplacement nearly untenable. One by one, every other member of his squad was killed or wounded, yet Gerstung remained at his gun, continuing to fire in support of the attacking infantry. When his ammunition was exhausted, he dashed across open, bullet-swept ground to a disabled American tank to obtain more rounds.

Enemy fire pierced the water jacket of his machine gun, but he continued firing until the weapon overheated and jammed. Rather than withdraw, Gerstung crawled fifty yards across completely exposed ground to another machine gun whose entire crew had been killed. Taking over the weapon, he resumed firing, providing desperately needed support.

At one point, a German tank fired directly at him, an armor-piercing round tearing the glove from his hand, yet he remained in position and continued firing. When American forces were ordered to withdraw, Gerstung stayed behind, delivering the only covering fire available.

Only after the withdrawal was complete did he disengage. Cradling the heavy machine gun in his left arm and slinging a belt of ammunition over his shoulder, he walked toward safety, firing short bursts at the enemy as he moved. Just one hundred yards from safety, he was struck in the leg by a mortar shell. Refusing to abandon his weapon, Gerstung crawled the remaining distance, dragging the gun with him.

His perseverance, courage, and absolute devotion under fire provided decisive support to his comrades during a critical engagement against fortified enemy positions.

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Medal of Honor Citation

On 19 December 1944 he was ordered with his heavy machinegun squad to the support of an infantry company attacking the outer defense of the Siegfried Line near Berg, Germany. For 8 hours he maintained a position made almost untenable by the density of artillery and mortar fire concentrated upon it and the proximity of enemy troops who threw hand grenades into the emplacement. While all other members of his squad became casualties, he remained at his gun. When he ran out of ammunition, he fearlessly dashed across bullet-swept, open terrain to secure a new supply from a disabled friendly tank. A fierce barrage pierced the water jacket of his gun, but he continued to fire until the weapon overheated and jammed. Instead of withdrawing, he crawled 50 yards across coverless ground to another of his company’s machineguns which had been silenced when its entire crew was killed. He continued to man this gun, giving support vitally needed by the infantry. At one time he came under direct fire from a hostile tank, which shot the glove from his hand with an armor-piercing shell but could not drive him from his position or stop his shooting. When the American forces were ordered to retire to their original positions, he remained at his gun, giving the only covering fire. Finally withdrawing, he cradled the heavy weapon in his left arm, slung a belt of ammunition over his shoulder, and walked to the rear, loosing small bursts at the enemy as he went. One hundred yards from safety, he was struck in the leg by a mortar shell; but, with a supreme effort, he crawled the remaining distance, dragging along the gun which had served him and his comrades so well. By his remarkable perseverance, indomitable courage, and heroic devotion to his task in the face of devastating fire, T/Sgt. Gerstung gave his fellow soldiers powerful support in their encounter with formidable enemy forces.