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Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company E, 305th
Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Ozato, Okinawa,
19 June 1945. Entered service at: Jersey City, N.J. Birth: Jersey City,
N.J. G.O. No.: 60, 26 June 1946. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. In the heat of the fight,
he mounted an assault tank, and, with bullets splattering about him, designated
targets to the gunner. Seeing an enemy soldier carrying an explosive charge
dash for the tank treads, he shouted fire orders to the gunner, leaped
from the tank, and bayoneted the charging soldier. Knocked unconscious
and his rifle destroyed, he regained consciousness, secured a machinegun
from the tank, and began a furious 1-man assault on the enemy. Firing from
his hip, moving through vicious crossfire that ripped through his clothing,
he charged the nearest pillbox, killing 6. Going on amid the hail of bullets
and grenades, he dashed for a second enemy gun, running out of ammunition
just as he reached the position. He grasped his empty gun by the barrel
and in a violent onslaught killed the crew. By his fearless assaults T/Sgt.
Meagher single-handedly broke the enemy resistance, enabling his platoon
to take its objective and continue the advance.
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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