GALT, WILLIAM WYLIE - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 168th Infantry, 34th Infantry
Division. Place and date: At Villa Crocetta, Italy, 29 May 1944. Entered
service at: Stanford, Mont. Birth: Geyser, Mont. G.O. No.: 1, 1 February
1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond
the call of duty. Capt. Galt, Battalion S3, at a particularly critical
period following 2 unsuccessful attacks by his battalion, of his own volition
went forward and ascertained just how critical the situation was. He volunteered,
at the risk of his life, personally to lead the battalion against the objective.
When the lone remaining tank destroyer refused to go forward, Capt. Galt
jumped on the tank destroyer and ordered it to precede the attack. As the
tank destroyer moved forward, followed by a company of riflemen, Capt.
Galt manned the .30-caliber machinegun in the turret of the tank destroyer,
located and directed fire on an enemy 77mm. anti-tank gun, and destroyed
it. Nearing the enemy positions, Capt. Galt stood fully exposed in the
turret, ceaselessly firing his machinegun and tossing hand grenades into
the enemy zigzag series of trenches despite the hail of sniper and machinegun
bullets ricocheting off the tank destroyer. As the tank destroyer moved,
Capt. Galt so maneuvered it that 40 of the enemy were trapped in one trench.
When they refused to surrender, Capt. Galt pressed the trigger of the machinegun
and dispatched every one of them. A few minutes later an 88mm shell struck
the tank destroyer and Capt. Galt fell mortally wounded across his machinegun.
He had personally killed 40 Germans and wounded many more. Capt. Galt pitted
his judgment and superb courage against overwhelming odds, exemplifying
the highest measure of devotion to his country and the finest traditions
of the U.S. Army.
Browse Records by Era / War / Subject |
