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Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Americal Infantry
Division. Place and date: Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 30 January 1944.
Entered service at: Spokane, Wash. Birth: St. Charles, Mich. G.O. No.:
73, 6 September 1944. Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy
at Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 30 January 1944. S/Sgt. Drowley, a squad
leader in a platoon whose mission during an attack was to remain under
cover while holding the perimeter defense and acting as a reserve for assaulting
echelon, saw 3 members of the assault company fall badly wounded. When
intense hostile fire prevented aid from reaching the casualties, he fearlessly
rushed forward to carry the wounded to cover. After rescuing 2 men, S/Sgt.
Drowley discovered an enemy pillbox undetected by assaulting tanks that
was inflicting heavy casualties upon the attacking force and was a chief
obstacle to the success of the advance. Delegating the rescue of the third
man to an assistant, he ran across open terrain to 1 of the tanks. Signaling
to the crew, he climbed to the turret, exchanged his weapon for a submachine
gun and voluntarily rode the deck of the tank directing it toward the pillbox
by tracer fire. The tank, under constant heavy enemy fire, continued to
within 20 feet of the pillbox where S/Sgt. Drowley received a severe bullet
wound in the chest. Refusing to return for medical treatment, he remained
on the tank and continued to direct its progress until the enemy box was
definitely located by the crew. At this point he again was wounded by small
arms fire, losing his left eye and falling to the ground. He remained alongside
the tank until the pillbox had been completely demolished and another directly
behind the first destroyed. S/Sgt. Drowley, his voluntary mission successfully
accomplished, returned alone for medical treatment.
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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