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Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 41st Tank
Battalion, 11th Armored Division. Place and date: Near Dorrmoschel, Germany,
19 March 1945. Entered service at: Kansas City, Mo. Birth: St. Joseph,
Mo. G.O. No.: 73, 30 August 1945. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry
during action when the tank in which he was bow gunner was hit by an enemy
rocket, which severely wounded the platoon sergeant and forced the remainder
of the crew to abandon the vehicle. Deafened, but otherwise unhurt, S/Sgt.
Burr immediately climbed into the driver's seat and continued on the mission
of entering the town to reconnoiter road conditions. As he rounded a turn
he encountered an 88-mm. antitank gun at pointblank range. Realizing that
he had no crew, no one to man the tank's guns, he heroically chose to disregard
his personal safety in a direct charge on the German weapon. At considerable
speed he headed straight for the loaded gun, which was fully manned by
enemy troops who had only to pull the lanyard to send a shell into his
vehicle. So unexpected and daring was his assault that he was able to drive
his tank completely over the gun, demolishing it and causing its crew to
flee in confusion. He then skillfully sideswiped a large truck, overturned
it, and wheeling his lumbering vehicle, returned to his company. When medical
personnel who had been summoned to treat the wounded sergeant could not
locate him, the valiant soldier ran through a hail of sniper fire to direct
them to his stricken comrade. The bold, fearless determination of S/Sgt.
Burr, his skill and courageous devotion to duty, resulted in the completion
of his mission in the face of seemingly impossible odds.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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