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Rank and organization: Captain (then Lieutenant), U.S. Army, Company
E, 305th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Cognon,
Leyte, Philippine Islands, 14 December 1944. Entered service at: Lynchburg,
Va. Birth: New Haven, Conn. G.O. No.: 16, 8 February 1946. Citation: He
commanded Company E in an attack against a reinforced enemy battalion which
had held up the American advance for 2 days from its entrenched positions
around a 3-story concrete building. With another infantry company and armored
vehicles, Company E advanced against heavy machinegun and other automatic
weapons fire with Lt. Nett spearheading the assault against the strongpoint.
During the fierce hand-to-hand encounter which ensued, he killed 7 deeply
entrenched Japanese with his rifle and bayonet and, although seriously
wounded, gallantly continued to lead his men forward, refusing to relinquish
his command. Again he was severely wounded, but, still unwilling to retire,
pressed ahead with his troops to assure the capture of the objective. Wounded
once more in the final assault, he calmly made all arrangements for the
resumption of the advance, turned over his command to another officer,
and then walked unaided to the rear for medical treatment. By his remarkable
courage in continuing forward through sheer determination despite successive
wounds, Lt. Nett provided an inspiring example for his men and was instrumental
in the capture of a vital strongpoint.
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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