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Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K 18th Infantry,
1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Eisern, Germany, 30 March 1945.
Entered service at: West Winfield, N.Y. Birth: Pittsburgh, Pa. G.O. No.:
88, 17 October 1945. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry during
an attack on powerful enemy positions. He courageously exposed himself
to withering hostile fire to rescue 2 wounded men and then, although painfully
wounded himself, made a third trip to carry another soldier to safety from
an open area. Ignoring the profuse bleeding of his wound, he gallantly
led men of his platoon forward until they were pinned down by murderous
flanking fire from 2 enemy machineguns. He fearlessly crawled alone to
within 30 feet of the first enemy position, killed the crew of 4 and silenced
the gun with accurate grenade fire. He continued to crawl through intense
enemy fire to within 20 feet of the second position where he leaped to
his feet, made a lone, ferocious charge and captured the gun and its 9-man
crew. Observing another platoon pinned down by 2 more German machineguns,
he led a squad on a flanking approach and, rising to his knees in the face
of direct fire, coolly and deliberately lobbed 3 grenades at the Germans,
silencing 1 gun and killing its crew. With tenacious aggressiveness, he
ran toward the other gun and knocked it out with grenade fire. He then
returned to his platoon and led it in a fierce, inspired charge, forcing
the enemy to fall back in confusion. 1st Lt. Will was mortally wounded
in this last action, but his heroic leadership, indomitable courage, and
unflinching devotion to duty live on as a perpetual inspiration to all
those who witnessed his deeds.
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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