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·. hl5TRICTE.iJ r

HEAIQUAR"'ERS S r.ATH 1 . .Rlv1Y GROUP , . APO 23 , 0 . 3 . J~Ri!ll .. · .. '

GSNERAL OJ{DE,RS. ). . .. '' "' · : . ~ · -" - · .; 25 De cembe r 1944 .

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Award of the Distingui'shed Se i'vi ·ce.· Cross ••••• • • ···• · ~ · • • .•. • ".' • • • • · · T Award , Posth~o.us·, o;r't~e .. ·Silver·Star ••• • . • •• · •..•• . • c~· : : · ~ . -~ ' ; r.- ~. II Award of t,he S.i\ve r Sta:t ~· ~ · ~ :~ · . · · ~ · •••••• i ~ . ~ :: • ,: · , · . ,.;:~:· : .: . . · ~ . ; III Award of the Bronze Star '.lie dal .... ..... . • . •• ·· • • • ~ • : ..... •:· . · • . • . , ~ . •• · · •• • IV Award of th~ Fi:rst, Second· and· Third Oak ~·af Cluste r s to th~ 1\..'i.±-. lVIB .dal ••• : . V J.ward of the First and Second 'Oak , Leaf Ciuste rs to the Air Medal . ·· .: • • • • · •. VI . J,ward of tbe ·Air IVif:J dal. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • · •• ; .. ~ . ·• • • .. .. ' VIT

I -- AWARD · OF :.Tlig' -'niS.TINGUISHED SER,VIC'E CROSS. By dire·ction of .. the. freside nt , - ;. under the provisions··· of Army· Regu:j.ations 600- 45 , 22 Septamber 1943 , as amended , the Distingu,;islied Service· Cross :i,s ·.awarded by the Anny Group Command~r t .6 the: ·· following n<;l.me·d i'rid.:i, vtd.ual :

ALBEJ;tT :P . D~SHAWS , 17122774~ Corporal , Company "G", 3~ Battalion , -*** >P$.ra- ~ chute Infantry., fo:r; ... eftra:o.rdinary .haroism in action during the . initial Stage's .. . . of the airborne Invasion of Southern·France, l5 August 1944, Aft!3r ' ,h~'s·· jum:p ilitQ e nemy-he;Ld ,tEi)rritory nea r Fayence , France , Corporal De shaye s f oun4 · himself sepa- . · rated from . qthe r parachutists of his unit. Thr ough his own initiatl.~e and l"e...;. sourcefu:lness, .. he · co.ht.a ct;e d a Capta in : of the Ame:l:'ican o.s .s . who . was operating in the neighborhood and," in t he following .days,, as. ·i;. membe r of· pa~rois . or~an:rzea: · by :

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the American of:t'i.cer, he aided in the capture ·or 'tllianty~nin.e G-~rman J?r~s~ners '' · and in the . killing ·of many· mo r e . Gn one occasion , Corporal Dee;hayes·and ' anothar 1 .• ' . _, , _

American: so],die r set ·an ambush for . a -group of soidiers ·re turning to the German-held La RochEl g?rrison,· and succeeded : in killing t~:~enty ·of thei.r ·p.UJ?lbe r, . Lata r , when the commanding off~· ce:r' of the garrison ari.nouilCed t ·hat .. n.e · was . r e ady ' to . taik ·over t e rms of sui're n'der ,;· co:rporal · Deshayes was one of three ma n tq go to the. inee·ting, de spite the. ·dange r of_ i· suspected trap. During tho h'e gotiat~cins which last'ed · approximate).y three hours,. Cor.pora1- De shaye s stood guard outside the building opposite ., t e n German guard·s. ~ilthough the b~Hd:lng ·was unde·Ji' constcmt Alne'I'iotin . artillery .fire ~ and· the Ge rman guards l e ft t he ir posts to ta~e ·. cov<;J r, Corporal Deshayes s~eadfastly_ r emaine d at his post uritil negotiation.9 W'!lre .dompla t e d :which resulted in the surrbnder .of 17.4 prisone rs, · l5 machine gun.s, two 20-millimeter gu;ns and 175 r~fle s. Entere-d thEf se rvi-ce from Lincoln, Ne braska.-. ·

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II -- AWARD, '?OSTHUiviciUS, OF :TfiE·S~L-yER S'J;'AR;• By direction o1_ the Preside nt,. under th8 provisiops of A.nny Regul a tions 600-45, 22 Septembar 1943, .as anl.ended,· the .. S ilve r Star is awarded, posth1.1111ously, by tha l'.rmy Group Commande r to 'the following, : named ind.ividua ls: . . . _ . ..

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Ol'viA.R E. SMI'TH, Cf-1289007·, First Lia utenant, · ·Inf. 1 Si;x;th Company; First' · Regiment , ->HH< Special S.J rv:i,ce Force, for gallantry in action naar San Vi t'tore di Lazio, . It aly, on 25 Decombo r 1943 . ' While. in t h3 assembly -area .awaiting t he :hour . of attac~,. Liautenant · smit .::~ l s company wa,s ; ~ubj ecte d t o savc:re ··she lling. Despite this hazard h~ succ0ssfully: move d tha company i nto posi tion~and l?unche d a dawn • attack on Hill 7.20, ' ove rlook-ing San Vi ttore di Laz io and San Pietro I nfirie .

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3 3 / "-I1A ,. 12. ,. 1 2 / T Authority~ J ~\'t\] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By~NARADMe~~5

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GO Nol4 ,HQ SIXAG 25 fuc 44 cont'd

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Approaching the sumrni t of the hill the comp2:ny :ras met by withe ring machina gun fire from .we l).. con,c_eal 0 d: and protected pos~ tions among the numerous rocks, but by supa rior ·e·i+.ploY-ffi(3.rit of his troops Lioutene.nt 3mi th,: ~ov.., rra]l the 4JlOSt forvrar.d .QI).?my positions . : Vl.b:i.b ·adyarfcing to the forward slope t .o • com:platG~Y seclf.r ¥3 . :lii~ . 's ;3 ci_t or, his unit. ·;e~co:unt~r;3~- devastating flanking fire f'rom a:n· a djace n-t;._ ridge,; .and: · ~i8 t.j.ten­ant Sril,itlj. ,was ;subsequently wounded ·i:n · tha QJad by snip.:.lr fi:re ~ . _Do.s.pi.te,:'his .. wound, which late r ' :Pro'ita·ci t 'o on f atal, he 8:mpti·3d his gun a t ·.t.ho , snip8r' ·s .:po.si{:f.6.n, ·. '

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continued to' encourage his m.J n to gr::;M.:Jr e fforts, , and ro:fus.Jd q.ny a9si .&ta:r.cc .for· faar of causing f!,ddi tiona l casualtia s. By his outstand ing galiantcy·' a1:i'd .. supreme. de votion to" q.uty, 'Lioutommt Sm:i th r e fle cts gr aat credit upon himse lf and the country i:ie ·so rve d. Next of.kin: Mr s ; J?milin3 1 .. Smith (Wife },, T.ucopnu, .So\.l,th ... Carolina ... :: ·. . , . ,. .. . ...... ..... _ ' ·· ·· · ' · . ,

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30LOHON M. BIBLOHITZ, D-72006, Staff Sargeant , Ce.na dian Army, Second Company;. · .. : I. • • Third Regi'm~nt , -~PA- Sp~·c_lal Se rvice Fore:; , for gallnntry in action near Mt , Oars, France , ·.on 13 SeptemM'r".:t-944. 1./hil.;) . oh outpost· duty , S:;rgeant Bii.blowi tz .. vol:untee r­e d with ... e . socti'on ·of moh'·t·o :·aiis e.ult 6 mun.Jricelly sup.Hior e nomy force J'lo·c.a·t a d a· ·· short distance f 'rom. the: outpost'~ L::nding th..; assault h..; cha rg3d forwerd .e.ga,inst. dGv~stating e :p.,erriy, f.~ ·~ _; · s~tniti.,ng orders to his m:m nnd firing wit;h deadly :; ff~ c_t _ _ _ his sub-machine g¥ a~ he ~dv, nc::d . So i nt-:;t1so was his own fir3 Rnd. t hP t of hi~ men tha t tha. on9ni.y ·yw.i' forco_d · to wi thdr<J.w. · Still unmindful of th:; r s t'ro c:,t .ing dn0my 1 s fire, ~~'igacn(_Bfbiowitz l3d his 'group in pursuit until l i01 cj:( o'f ammuriit'ion . I

forced him to ·wi'th.iirnW, 'and, w'Q.tle thus · ongag3 d, was fnt2lly shot by a ·snipor. ·· · Through his agg'r:0$sivc l ·Jaddrship,' a· s·trong .e nen:.y, ·Rtte.ck W8.S fr1).~trat0d , a con-. siderable numbe r' '.'d:( _,ca·su:altias·inflict.Jd , c:·nd ·rcsultod in volunta ry surrende r of twonty-fivo ·o f th~ .:~riemY- ·,l e;te r :l.n tn0 day. lJext - of kin: Mrs . Christina Biblowitz, . (TJJ ife ), 4196.'B0:d~~ifd' i>.'vc3_Au~ , Brooklyn, N::nll York •

. ' III-- A1ifARD ' OF 'rHE;.!SILV8R ST1-.R . By diroction · of the.: J?raside nt, under the provi-sions .. of Arrni .. . Rogt.j.l Ction·s 600-45, 22 ~aptomb .H' l943, .as I'Jn,'landed~ the Silvar Star is awarded by 'the ·]~·rilly Group Commande r to th..;' 'following narnJ d individua ls:

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. JIM H~ rvirm;t ; ~5570477 ' Staff Sergeant I Company "B"' --~'-l<* J~rmore d Infantry BattiOllion , ~HH< ·1\:r mo r e d ·Divis' ion; for gP,llantry iri a:ction.· Oif · ~0 ~ovei!j.?~;r 1944, .. n~a;r Turini, .Fr nn co ! 1\ s; signe d the mission of holding the b fi tt ,~lion OP on Hill 1926, .. · · Serg<Hmt . I•Jiinor 1. tho1,1gn twice wounded during r-m enemy oounter- attack , continue d to 1-;r d in the fii'ing 8ge_ins t the ono:rrw , ns wb ll·ns diroct: tbe ·:fire of tlfe .men unde ;r him, un.ti·l · . tJJ.~-' · attcck wa.s .. r o.pulsa d and his Iil;i.ssion accvmpli~hed , l. ·By his conspicu-, ous gallantry, f earless de t 0 rminc tion end disroga rd for . p~ r$()U2l s~fo ,ty , . S.;rgeant, 11-line r contributed . gre, .. tly to tho r e t ention of his bn.ttnlion ' s OJ? against sup3ri'o'r e nemy num. ba rs·. · :i:nt. 3 r e d : the se rvice l'rom Frnnkfo-rt·, Indian "' .. . . . . . . . . . ..

" . . . . " . SHELBY :St:o\ViJEN , 35677256, Sergeant , Sixth Compeny ,: _.Sg cond Re gimqnt, ~~H~ •

SpociRl Service Force , for ge.llP.nt'ry' i h ·e c'ti'orr L'Ct :Vi·ll-eno u.v:J ..... Loubc t, .Fr.a nce. , _on th:: morning of 26 Aug,ust 1944.· Wb.cn p'la co'd 'i!I t·ha t·owu r of <' .building O,CCUP.Yi,n& a comrnr-mding posi t;i.o_n,, f?r tha- purpose of crbge rvi·ng nnd f.ir-ing .upon te.~e.t~ qf. opportunity, ·se rge.c->ri t' ·showdon: r cmr:·ino d Pt. hi's po~;~t d:J spi·t e heavy concantr~t:i.orts , of a namy . .fire on tho structu r e P.nd a dim ct hit on t he towe r. While in the tower he continuelly dis:r:egflrdod the hail of e nemy fira striking all Pround him and so e ffe ctive ly Jmploye d th3 fire of his Johnson . utomatic Rifle a s to force the Rb~ndonmerit · by the 0nerey of an 8.rtille ry pie ce . By this ection Sa rgeP.nt Snowde.If JnPde possible the movement into position of supporting troops with a minimum of crsu <=tltic s. Entered se rvice from Irvine ; KBn'tncky .

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3 3 1 . '{;A '212. -;..rc 2 T Authority ~~{) '"\SD\'1\0 ~=,-.-.....,...--~-=;;i"'F""'~-r'-.~~"!"""""'f"'""'"":'""""'.ii'";;;;;;;;;;;;;-r="T""'W=f'=f=;='l By~ NARA Date~~- d-5

Color Control Patches Green Yellow Red Magenta White

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R .E S .T . R I C T E D _..._ _______ _ ~of GO No 14 HQ SIXAG

' 25 Dec 44 cont'd

CECIL F. SLUSHER, 3567 5513, Sa rg3::1nt, Compnny "B", :1HH:- J·.rmorcd Infentry B". tteJ_ion , ~--l<-'-< il.rmorod Di v.i:sion , for gr ll <>.nt:ry in qCti.on on 20 Novomb.J r 1944, ncnr TuTini , FrnncG. Though t.~T~ce .. :w:oundod du:bng ·'~"n a nemy counter-c.ttRck [-'g::>. inst his Q::" tt ~· lion' s OP on Hill 1926; s~ rg0f'.nt Slush.J r contin.u0d to fire F\gf'. in.s,t. the .:;nemy ~l~d thus S.3t ::n GX2.lllpl_e Of GnCO,U;r:? gJtn'.mt for hiS COinr2dOS in rop<J llli::ig tho PttP.Ck •

. By his . CO:(lSpicuous gnllniit'I'Y in the f Ree of e nern.y fire, f 0nrla ss· d-tto rminF: tion "'n9. disr_;gro. r_Q. for·p.., rsonfll , pilfo ty, SJ rgePnt SlushJr mnd.J possible the r ot cmtion of .. t .ho br.ttnlion ·OP r gr>inst' sup0 rior :m omy numbers. i!::ntored tho sa rvice from 'Tirisl ?Y, K;entuc_lcy; - -·.. ·

ill:NRY K. 'T'QG!IJ\U, 38352027, Corporr~l·, F: , Br:ttory B, 1HH~ Fie ld .hrtillo ;ry Br tt;lion, for gPll ':'.ntry i ·n ::c t ion. on 18 Octob Jr l CJ 44. Corporr:l Togami we s a 'i:ne mb .n of c.n .r:~rtill.,; ry forwc.'rd obse.rv.; r pr-,rty supporting thG Fl ttE: ck of Rn infr.ntry compr ny whose mission 'we s · to cr:pturo t hJ town of Bruy.::Jre s, Frf'.nco, ~:ud 8lso P.

cornrrn nding hill to. the north of t hPt towno Wl:-.J n tho ntt ~ ck of the comp r> ny be gnn t,ho .Jn3my imn3 di <'. t J ly plr> c.J d mr. chin>J gun , mort .-. r ;' nd '1rtill.3 ry fire on tho hill whor o obsa rv,.. tion wns b0 ing Qstnbli-sh.:J d, r.nd in the vicinity of the F'. tt e.cking troops. Unde r this hor.vy· conoe ntr tion of hostile fire , Corporc;l Togruni coaly dirGct3d th:; o st f" blishmoit; of communic ~ tions ~·nd .th0 org.~nizLtion of the OP. On numJ rpus occr'lsions durin,g tho ne xt- fi v.J hours he volunt r rily 13ft th0 comp2.r P.ti ve s r.'f e ty Of his f•oxholG 1 f'.nd work.J d his W'ly fonv r· rd S3 :Vo r r.l hundr :; d y c; rds, Without protGctiqn of the int .ntry, to s oGk· p.osi tion s for bc:J tto r obs:; rvPtiori'. This GnRbled him to,loc ·~ te e mmy t :'. rg0ts, bring offuctivo :1rtille ry tim to bo<'T, · ~nd dded the co,mpcny in t r·, king i ·t$ obj o ctiv:; s. During on3 of tha so movammts ha r o ce ive d pPin­ful shrr.pml wounds but h0 do t orminodly mm1' i m d in his hPz ~ rdous· position until his mission wr: s complo t Gd. Ent o r :; d sa rvice from Blue ·~ vr "' t J r, Now IVIexic'o.

, VHLLD.LI F. Hh.NHI.HJN, A- 20717; Priyt: t G, C"tn r:~di ".n Army, Sixth CompP.ny, Third Re gim~ nt, ~~B'> Spe ci n. l So rvico ForcG, for g::cllr.ntry in "· ction noc.r CP"stillon, France, on 9 Se ptembe r 1944. During nn .:m en:y counte r-R.tt r:ck which r esulto'd ·in ·compl0t e .;ncirclem:mt of Privr. t .J. Han:J;'P h~·.n's plntoon , tho light ' me. chino, gun :Prote ~ting its ri ght fl f' nk f r ila d· to function due to 8 dof e ctiV·3 ext.r n ctor • . · Scoing thP. t both mJmbors of thG gm1 . crew we r e out of R..ction nnd th,. t th::J. entire right fl r:nk of t):lo pl"' tOOJ;l wr-~ s d~ng-J rously e xpos0d, PriVF'. t 3 Hanrr.h ::> n r cn to t he gun, complGt 3ly dis­r ogr rding intenso oncmy firo , quickl y dis r: ssemble d it, r e plRced the ·broka n e xtrP.ctor -'llld r or. ssomblGd the w ::.pan. The n op:a r r ting the ·gun by him$olf' he r o turne d th8 'e n3my fir~, sile ncing on3 c nomi'mnchinc gun ~nd driving off the e ne my who h? d succee ded in ro r- ching h< d gron f'ldG r r:.ngo . The coolne ss nnd brnvc ry displP.ye d by Priv".t a R".nr?.hP.n s n. va d is plqtoon from de struc t ion , r- nd is worthy of the hi gh::J st prc.ise . Ento r o d the J rvic.J from London, On~ r. ri,o, Cnned<i .

· IV -- A~'lLRD OF THE By dire ction of the Preside nt, under the pro:visions of ~.r:my egulPc tions 600-45, 22 September i943, P S Flillended, the Bronze St r r Med~ l is Pw:ud d by the Lrmy Group Commender to the following n2.llled individuals:

EDN.:.RD H. THOl\1.\S , 0-391315, Ma jor 1 Fi,rst B~.tt' 'lion, Se cond . Regiment, ~HH'r

·Speci Al .Service Force, for me ritorious nchieveme nt in support of combFI't operr tions on Mt . Ln Difensfl , ne nr l.. i t:n11no,· Itrly on 25-26 Novemb~r ' l943. ·Entered the service .from' N~shville, Te nne ssee .

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33 / 2_.tf;A '212.. C 8 2 T Authority ~N\) ~SD\1\0 ~==r--....,---.......... ..-=-;;I"T"""~-r'~~~~..,....'":7"""ir~==--F'7""5'Ff'"""'f'~~f'"'] By~ N ARA Date ~'. ;}.5

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