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Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 339th Infantry,
85th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Tremensucli, Italy, 11-14
May 1944. Entered service at: Augusta, Maine. Birth: Ashton, R.I. G.O.
No.: 79, 4 October 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy.
In the course of an attack upon an enemy-held hill on 11 May, 1st Lt. Waugh
personally reconnoitered a heavily mined area before entering it with his
platoon. Directing his men to deliver fire on 6 bunkers guarding this hill,
1st Lt. Waugh advanced alone against them, reached the first bunker, threw
phosphorus grenades into it and as the defenders emerged, killed them with
a burst from his tommygun. He repeated this process on the 5 remaining
bunkers, killing or capturing the occupants. On the morning of 14 May,
1st Lt. Waugh ordered his platoon to lay a base of fire on 2 enemy pillboxes
located on a knoll which commanded the only trail up the hill. He then
ran to the first pillbox, threw several grenades into it, drove the defenders
into the open, and killed them. The second pillbox was next taken by this
intrepid officer by similar methods. The fearless actions of 1st Lt. Waugh
broke the Gustav Line at that point, neutralizing 6 bunkers and 2 pillboxes
and he was personally responsible for the death of 30 of the enemy and
the capture of 25 others. He was later killed in action in Itri, Italy,
while leading his platoon in an attack.
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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