On Sep 2, 5:57 am, (charles bash) wrote:
Jose M. Lopez
Rank and organization:Sergeant, U.S. Army, 23d Infantry, 2d Infantry
Division
Place and date:Near Krinkelt, Belgium, 17 December 1944
Entered service at:Brownsville, Texas
Born:Mission, Texas
G.O. No.: 47, 18 June 1945
Citation:
"On his own initiative, he carried his heavy machinegun from Company
K's
right flank to its left, in order to protect that flank which was in
danger
of being overrun by advancing enemy infantry supported by tanks.
Occupying a
shallow hole offering no protection above his waist, he cut down a
group of
10 Germans. Ignoring enemy fire from an advancing tank, he held his
position
and cut down 25 more enemy infantry attempting to turn his flank.
Glancing
to his right, he saw a large number of infantry swarming in from the
front.
Although dazed and shaken from enemy artillery fire which had crashed
into
the ground only a few yards away, he realized that his position soon
would
be outflanked. Again, alone, he carried his machinegun to a position
to the
right rear of the sector; enemy tanks and infantry were forcing a
withdrawal. Blown over backward by the concussion of enemy fire, he
immediately reset his gun and continued his fire. Single-handed he
held off
the German horde until he was satisfied his company had effected its
retirement. Again he loaded his gun on his back and in a hail of small
arms
fire he ran to a point where a few of his comrades were attempting to
set up
another defense against the onrushing enemy. He fired from this
position
until his ammunition was exhausted. Still carrying his gun, he fell
back
with his small group to Krinkelt. Sgt. Lopez's gallantry and
intrepidity, on
seemingly suicidal missions in which he killed at least 100 of the
enemy,
were almost solely responsible for allowing Company K to avoid being
enveloped, to withdraw successfully and to give other forces coming up
in
support time to build a line which repelled the enemy drive.[4]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_M._Lopez
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