BURT, James M.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company B,
66th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Division.
Place and date: Near Wurselen, Germany, 13 October 1944.
Citation: Capt. James M. Burt was in command of Company
B, 66th Armored Regiment on the western outskirts of Wurselen, Germany,
on 13 October 1944, when his organization participated in a coordinated
infantry-tank attack destined to isolate the large German garrison which
was tenaciously defending the city of Aachen. In the first day's action,
when infantrymen ran into murderous small-arms and mortar fire, Capt. Burt
dismounted from his tank about 200 yards to the rear and moved forward on
foot beyond the infantry positions, where, as the enemy concentrated a tremendous
volume of fire upon him, he calmly motioned his tanks into good firing positions.
As our attack gained momentum, he climbed aboard his tank and directed the
action from the rear deck, exposed to hostile volleys which finally wounded
him painfully in the face and neck. He maintained his dangerous post despite
pointblank self-propelled gunfire until friendly artillery knocked out these
enemy weapons, and then proceeded to the advanced infantry scouts' positions
to deploy his tanks for the defense of the gains which had been made. The
next day, when the enemy counterattacked, he left cover and went 75 yards
through heavy fire to assist the infantry battalion commander who was seriously
wounded. For the next 8 days, through rainy, miserable weather and under
constant, heavy shelling, Capt. Burt held the combined forces together,
dominating and controlling the critical situation through the sheer force
of his heroic example. To direct artillery fire, on 15 October, he took
his tank 300 yards into the enemy lines, where he dismounted and remained
for 1 hour giving accurate data to friendly gunners. Twice more that day
he went into enemy territory under deadly fire on reconnaissance. In succeeding
days he never faltered in his determination to defeat the strong German
forces opposing him. Twice the tank in which he was riding was knocked out
by enemy action, and each time he climbed aboard another vehicle and continued
the fight. He took great risks to rescue wounded comrades and inflicted
prodigious destruction on enemy personnel and materiel even though suffering
from the wounds he received in the battle's opening phase. Capt. Burt's
intrepidity and disregard of personal safety were so complete that his own
men and the infantry who attached themselves to him were inspired to overcome
the wretched and extremely hazardous conditions which accompanied one of
the most bitter local actions of the war. The victory achieved closed the
Aachen gap. |
KISTERS, Gerry H.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant (then Sergeant),
U.S. Army, 2d Armored Division.
Place and date: Near Gagliano, Sicily, 31 July 1943.
Citation: On 31 July 1943, near Gagliano, Sicily, a detachment
of 1 officer and 9 enlisted men, including Sgt. Kisters, advancing ahead
of the leading elements of U.S. troops to fill a large crater in the only
available vehicle route through Gagliano, was taken under fire by 2 enemy
machineguns. Sgt. Kisters and the officer, unaided and in the face of intense
small arms fire, advanced on the nearest machinegun emplacement and succeeded
in capturing the gun and its crew of 4. Although the greater part of the
remaining small arms fire was now directed on the captured machinegun position,
Sgt. Kisters voluntarily advanced alone toward the second gun emplacement.
While creeping forward, he was struck 5 times by enemy bullets, receiving
wounds in both legs and his right arm. Despite the wounds, he continued
to advance on the enemy, and captured the second machinegun after killing
3 of its crew and forcing the fourth member to flee. The courage of this
soldier and his unhesitating willingness to sacrifice his life, if necessary,
served as an inspiration to the command. |
WHITTINGTON, HULON B.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 41st Armored
Infantry, 2d Armored Division.
Place and date: Near Grimesnil, France, 29 July 1944.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On the night of 29 July
1944, near Grimesnil, France, during an enemy armored attack, Sgt. Whittington,
a squad leader, assumed command of his platoon when the platoon leader and
platoon sergeant became missing in action. He reorganized the defense and,
under fire, courageously crawled between gun positions to check the actions
of his men. When the advancing enemy attempted to penetrate a roadblock,
Sgt. Whittington, completely disregarding intense enemy action, mounted
a tank and by shouting through the turret, directed it into position to
fire pointblank at the leading Mark V German tank. The destruction of this
vehicle blocked all movement of the remaining enemy column consisting of
over 100 vehicles of a Panzer unit. The blocked vehicles were then destroyed
by handgrenades, bazooka, tank, and artillery fire and large numbers of
enemy personnel were wiped out by a bold and resolute bayonet charge inspired
by Sgt. Whittington. When the medical aid man had become a casualty, Sgt.
Whittington personally administered first aid to his wounded men. The dynamic
leadership, the inspiring example, and the dauntless courage of Sgt. Whittington,
above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions
of the military service. |
| Headquarters & Headquarters Company |
15.07.1940-end of war |
| Hq & Hq Company, Division Trains |
08.01.1942-end of war |
| Hq & Hq Company, Combat Command A (CCA) |
08.01.1942-end of war |
| Hq & Hq Company, Combat Command B (CCB) |
08.01.1942-end of war |
| 48th Signal Company |
15.07.1940-07.01.1942 |
| 142nd Armored Signal Company |
08.01.1942-end of war |
| 17th Armored Engineer Battalion |
15.07.1940-end of war |
| 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion |
15.07.1940-07.01.1942 |
| CO: Maj. Isaac D. White |
15.07.1940-00.00.0000 |
| 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion |
08.01.1942-end of war |
| 17th Ordnance Battalion |
15.07.1940-07.01.1942 |
| 2nd Ordnance Maintenance Battalion |
08.01.1942-end of war |
| 48th Armored Medical Battalion |
15.07.1940-end of war |
| 14th Armored Quartermaster Battalion |
15.07.1940-07.01.1942 |
| Supply Battalion |
08.01.1942-end of war |
| Service Company |
15.07.1940-end of war |
| Military Police Platoon |
00.00.0000-00.00.0000 |
| 65th Armored FA Battalion |
03.07.1944-08.07.1944 & 13.07.1944-30.09.1944
& 05.10.1944-21.12.1944 & 05.02.1945-10.03.1945 & 27.03.1945-19.04.1945 |
| 62nd Armored FA Battalion |
25.07.1944-22.09.1944 & 06.10.1944-25.10.1944 |
| 258th FA Battalion (155mm Gun) |
06.08.1944-26.08.1944 & 03.10.1944-30.10.1944 |
| 70th FA Battalion (105mm Howitzer) |
25.10.1944-03.11.1944 |
| 557th FA Battalion (155mm Gun) |
30.10.1944-08.11.1944 |
| 83rd Armored FA Battalion |
04.11.1944-24.11.1944 |
| 380th FA Battalion, 102nd Infantry Division (105mm Howitzer) |
17.11.1944-25.11.1944 |
| 957th FA Battalion (155mm Howitzer) |
22.12.1944-17.01.1945 |
| 87th Armored FA Battalion |
22.12.1944-19.01.1945 |
| 696th Armored FA Battalion |
06.02.1945-10.03.1945 & 26.03.1945-19.04.1945 |
| 258th FA Group |
26.02.1945-05.03.1945 |
| 113th FA Battalion, 30th
Infantry Division (155mm Howitzer) |
02.04.1945-05.04.1945 |
| 197th FA Battalion, 30th
Infantry Division (105mm Howitzer) |
02.04.1945-17.04.1945 |
| 22nd CT, 4th
Infantry Division |
21.07.1944-01.08.1944 |
| - 44th FA Battalion, 4th
Infantry Division (105mm Howitzer) |
21.07.1944-01.08.1944 |
| - 1st Platoon, C Company, 4th Engineer Combat Battalion,
4th Infantry Division |
21.07.1944-01.08.1944 |
| 2nd Battalion, 119th
Infantry Regiment, 30th
Infantry Division |
02.08.1944-12.08.1944 & 11.11.1944-28.11.1944 |
| 3rd Battalion, 119th
Infantry Regiment, 30th
Infantry Division |
03.08.1944-04.08.1944 |
| 3rd Battalion, 120th
Infantry Regiment, 30th
Infantry Division |
09.08.1944-12.08.1944 |
| 3rd Battalion, 8th
Infantry Regiment, 4th
Infantry Division |
11.08.1944-14.08.1944 |
| 99th Infantry Battalion |
15.08.1944-18.09.1944 |
| 3rd Battalion, 116th
Infantry Regiment, 29th
Infantry Division |
04.10.1944-29.10.1944 |
| 2nd Battalion, 116th
Infantry Regiment, 29th
Infantry Division |
08.10.1944-11.10.1944 |
| 405th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division |
26.10.1944-03.11.1944 |
| 1st Battalion, 405th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division |
03.11.1944-06.11.1944 |
| 406th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division (less 1st
Battalion |
06.11.1944-25.11.1944 |
| 1st Battalion, 406th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division |
09.11.1944-25.11.1944 |
| 335th CT, 84th Infantry Division |
22.11.1944-24.11.1944 |
| 1st Battalion, 119th
Infantry Regiment, 30th
Infantry Division |
25.11.1944-03.12.1944 |
| 60th CT, 9th
Infantry Division |
22.12.1944-23.12.1944 |
| 2nd Battalion, 291st
Infantry Regiment, 75th
Infantry Division |
25.12.1944-28.12.1944 |
| 1st, 2nd & 3rd Battalions, 335th Infantry Regiment, 84th
Infantry Division |
01.01.1945-10.01.1945 |
| 335th Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division |
01.01.1945-11.01.1945 |
| 1st & 2nd Battalion, 333rd Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry
Division |
10.01.1945-17.01.1945 |
| 3rd Battalion, 333rd Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division |
10.01.1945-17.01.1945 |
| 331st Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division |
28.02.1945-01.03.1945 |
| - 908th FA Battalion, 83rd Infantry Division (105mm Howitzer) |
28.02.1945-01.03.1945 |
| - C Company, 308th Engineer Combat Battalion |
28.02.1945-01.03.1945 |
| 379th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division |
01.03.1945-04.03.1945 |
| 337th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division |
29.03.1945-02.04.1945 |
| 119th Infantry Regiment,
30th Infantry Division |
02.04.1945-17.04.1945 |
| 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment |
101st Airborne Division |
16.06.1944-28.06.1944 |
| 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment |
83rd Infantry Division |
28.06.1944-06.07.1944 |
| CCA |
XIX Corps |
28.07.1944-16.08.1944 |
| G Company, 66th Armored Regiment |
113th Cavalry Group |
22.09.1944-01.10.1944 |
| 3rd Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment |
30th Infantry Division |
12.10.1944-22.10.1944 |
| A Company, 67th Armored Regiment |
7th Armored Group |
18.12.1944-22.12.1944 |
| 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion |
4th Cavalry Group |
19.01.1945-21.01.1945 |
| 78th Armored FA Battalion |
4th Cavalry Group |
19.01.1945-21.01.1945 |
| 2nd Armored Divisional Artillery |
30th Infantry Division |
07.02.1945-27.02.1945 |
| CCB |
3rd Infantry Division |
26.02.1945-27.02.1945 |
| E Company, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion |
1153rd Engineer Combat Group |
09.03.1945-31.03.1945 |
| 2nd Armored Divisional Artillery |
113th Cavalry Group |
11.03.1945-26.03.1945 |
| CCR |
83rd Infantry Division |
14.04.1945-20.04.1945 |
| 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment |
83rd Infantry Division |
19.04.1945-30.04.1945 |