Evening star., 1945-10-12
Heroes
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Corps, he performed so many feats
of heroism in aiding wounded COM
rades on the battlefields of Guam
Leyte and Okinawa that his name
became symbol of gallantry
throughout the 77th Infantry Divi-
sion.
Brig. Gen. Edwin H. Randle, di-
vision commander, was quoted in q
War Department announcement OF
the award as saying that Corpl
DoSs' actions were "the more note
worthy" since he is conscientious
objector and refused to carry arms
or even touch a weapon"
In one battle on Okinawa, he was
credited with Drawing intense enemy
fire to evacuate rs casualties one by
one from a cliff by means of rope
litter.
Sees Nation in Men.
II would rather do what I have
been doing this morning than any
other one of my arduous duties" Mr..
Truman said after presenting the
medals.
When you look at these young
men," he added, you see the United
States of America, the greatest re-
public on earth, the country that can
meet any situation when it becomes
necessary.
These young men were doing
their duty. They didn't think they
were being heroes. They didn't think
they were doing anything unusual
They were just doing what the sit
uation called for.
Now these young men will go
back and become citizens of this
great country, and they will make
good citizens; and you won't find
any Of them Dragging about what
they have done or what they pro-
pose to do. They are Just going to
be good citizens of the United States,
and they are going to help lis take
this republic to its leadership in the
world, where it belongs, and where
it has belonged for the past Is
years"
Indianan Is Youngest.
Other heroes honored were:
Corpl. Melvin E. Biddle, Ander-
son, 1nd.-at % the youngest of the
group-who led his entire battalion
to break the German grasp on the
town of Hotton, Belgium, last
December.
Sergt. Dexter J. Kerstetter. Gen.
tralia, Wash, credited with cleaning
out strongly entrenched japanese
from tunnel and cave positions on
Luzon in the spring of 1914.
Corpi. Thomas E. Atkins, Campo
bello, S. c., who continued firing
his rife against the enemy after
being seriously wounded in a bat
tie with Japanese on Luzon last
March 10.
MISergt. Nicholas Oresko. Bay
onne, N. j.. who used hand grenades
and rifle to destroy two Nazi
machine guns and their crews last
January %.
Sergt. Christos H. Karaberis
Manchester, N. H., who advanced
through heavy enemy fire to elimi-
nate five German machine guns on
an Italian hill, October, 1914. He
killed 8 Germans and took % pris-
oners in his one-man attack.
Second 1t. John C. Sjogren, Rock
ford, Mich, who killed 43 Japanese
and destroyed nine pillboxes in a
SINGLE attack In the Philip
pines.
Capt. James NJ. Burt, South Lee.
Mass, who directed combined in
fantry and armored forces in 10
days Of fierce fighting which closed
the Aachen gap in Germany last
October.
Threw Rocks at Nazis.
Corpl. Edward A. Bennett, Mid
dleport, Ohio, who single-handedly
destroyed a German strong point
last February, enabling his company
to sweep aside all resistance from
the town of Heckhuscheid.
First 1t. Edward A. Silk, Johns
town, Pa, who threw rocks through
a window after his ammunition was
exhausted in a single handed at
tack on a German farmhouse posi-
ton in France last November, per-
suading II Germans to surrender
after he had killed four.
Pfc. William A. Soderman, West
haven, Conn, who stood alone with
bazooka and knocked out three
German tanks at a key road juno
tion in Belgium last December.
Corpl. Clarence B. Craft, Santa
Ana, Calf, who killed at least Is
Japanese in a one-man attack that
crumpled Japanese resistance at one
point on Okinawa last May.
S/Sergt. Freeman v. Horner, Sha-
mokin, Pa. who destroyed three
enemy machine guns to demoralize
German resistance to his company's
advance near Wurselen last Novem-
ber.
Sergt. Thomas j. Kelly, Brook
lyn. a medical aid man, who made
separate trips through direct ma