Medal of Honor: Van T. Barfoot - World War II - May 23, 1944

Name: Van T. Barfoot
Rank: Second Lieutenant (then Technical Sergeant)
Branch: U.S. Army
War: World War II
Unit: 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division
Date of Action: May 23, 1944
Location: Near Carano, Italy

Summary of Action

On 23 May 1944, Technical Sergeant Van T. Barfoot displayed extraordinary heroism during fierce combat against entrenched German forces near Carano, Italy.

As his platoon assaulted heavily fortified enemy positions on commanding ground, intense machine-gun fire halted the American advance.

Recognizing the danger to his unit, Barfoot left cover and moved alone against the enemy flank.

Crawling forward under fire, he approached the first German machine-gun nest and destroyed it with a perfectly thrown grenade, killing two enemy soldiers and wounding three others.

Without pausing, he continued down the German defensive line toward a second machine-gun emplacement.

Armed with a Thompson submachine gun, Barfoot stormed the position, killing two Germans and capturing three more.

The sudden violence of his assault caused another nearby machine-gun crew to abandon their position and surrender immediately.

Leaving prisoners behind for supporting troops to secure, Barfoot pressed deeper into the enemy defenses, clearing additional positions and capturing more enemy soldiers.

By the end of his one-man attack, he had personally captured seventeen prisoners and shattered the enemy defensive line.

Later that same day, German forces launched a fierce armored counterattack directly against the newly captured American positions.

With enemy tanks advancing toward his platoon, Barfoot seized a bazooka and moved into an exposed firing position directly in front of three advancing Mark VI tanks.

At a range of only seventy-five yards, he fired and disabled the lead tank by destroying its track.

As the remaining tanks turned away, Barfoot killed three members of the disabled tank’s crew with his submachine gun.

Still refusing to stop, he advanced farther into enemy territory and destroyed an abandoned German field gun by placing a demolition charge into the breech.

Exhausted from hours of continuous combat, Barfoot nevertheless helped carry two seriously wounded American soldiers nearly a mile to safety.

His fearless aggression, relentless determination, and extraordinary valor became one of the most remarkable individual combat actions of the Italian Campaign.

Medal of Honor Citation

BARFOOT, VAN T.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944, near Carano, Italy. With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot (then Tech. Sgt.) moved off alone upon the enemy left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machinegun nest and made a direct hit on it with a hand grenade, killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line to another machinegun emplacement, and with his tommygun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machinegun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to 17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground, the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI tanks. From a distance of 75 yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank, effectively disabling it, while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his tommygun. He continued onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German fieldpiece with a demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot, though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts, assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700 yards to a position of safety. Sgt. Barfoot’s extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent valor, and aggressive determination in the face of pointblank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers.