LEE, DANIEL W. - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Troop A, 117th Cavalry
Reconnaissance Squadron. Place and date: Montreval, France, 2 September
1944. Entered service at: Alma, Ga. Birth: 23 June 1919, Alma, Ga. G.O.
No.: 14, 4 February 1946. Citation: 1st Lt. (then 2d Lt. ) Daniel W. Lee
was leader of Headquarters Platoon, Troop A, 117th Cavalry Reconnaissance
Squadron, Mechanized, at Montreval, France, on 2 September 1944, when the
Germans mounted a strong counterattack, isolating the town and engaging
its outnumbered defenders in a pitched battle. After the fight had raged
for hours and our forces had withstood heavy shelling and armor-supported
infantry attacks, 2d Lt. Lee organized a patrol to knock out mortars which
were inflicting heavy casualties on the beleaguered reconnaissance troops.
He led the small group to the edge of the town, sweeping enemy riflemen
out of position on a ridge from which he observed 7 Germans manning 2 large
mortars near an armored half-track about 100 yards down the reverse slope.
Armed with a rifle and grenades, he left his men on the high ground and
crawled to within 30 yards of the mortars, where the enemy discovered him
and unleashed machine-pistol fire which shattered his right thigh. Scorning
retreat, bleeding and suffering intense pain, he dragged himself relentlessly
forward He killed 5 of the enemy with rifle fire and the others fled before
he reached their position. Fired on by an armored car, he took cover behind
the German half-track and there found a panzerfaust with which to neutralize
this threat. Despite his wounds, he inched his way toward the car through
withering machinegun fire, maneuvering into range, and blasted the vehicle
with a round from the rocket launcher, forcing it to withdraw. Having cleared
the slope of hostile troops, he struggle back to his men, where he collapsed
from pain and loss of blood. 2d Lt. Lee's outstanding gallantry, willing
risk of life, and extreme tenacity of purpose in coming to grips with the
enemy, although suffering from grievous wounds, set an example of bravery
and devotion to duty in keeping with the highest traditions of the military
service.
Browse Records by Era / War / Subject |
