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Rank and
organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
Company L, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division.
Place and date: Sigolsheim, France, 27 December
1944. Entered service at: Georgetown, Tex.
Birth: Florence, Tex. G.O. No.: 79, 14 September
1945. Citation: While leading his platoon on 27
December 1944, in savage house-to-house fighting
through the fortress town of Sigolsheim, France,
he attacked a building through a street swept by
withering mortar and automatic weapons fire. He
was hit and severely wounded in the arm and
shoulder; but he charged into the house alone
and killed its 2 defenders. Hurling smoke and
fragmentation grenades before him, he reached
the next house and stormed inside, killing 2 and
capturing 11 of the enemy. He continued leading
his platoon in the extremely dangerous task of
clearing hostile troops from strong points along
the street until he reached a building held by
fanatical Nazi troops. Although suffering from
wounds which had rendered his left arm useless,
he advanced on this strongly defended house, and
after blasting out a wall with bazooka fire,
charged through a hail of bullets. Wedging his
submachinegun under his uninjured arm, he rushed
into the house through the hole torn by his
rockets, killed 5 of the enemy and forced the
remaining 12 to surrender. As he emerged to
continue his fearless attack, he was again hit
and critically wounded. In agony and with 1 eye
pierced by a shell fragment, he shouted for his
men to follow him to the next house. He was
determined to stay in the fighting, and remained
at the head of his platoon until forcibly
evacuated. By his disregard for personal safety,
his aggressiveness while suffering from severe
wounds, his determined leadership and superb
courage, 1st Lt. Whiteley killed 9 Germans,
captured 23 more and spearheaded an attack which
cracked the core of enemy resistance in a vital
area. |