Wilburn K . Ross Wilburn Kirby Ross ( born May 12 , 1922 ) is a retired United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in World War II . Biography . Ross Wilburn was born May 12 , 1922 in Strunk , Kentucky and later joined the United States Army . By October 30 , 1944 , he was serving as a private in Company G , 30th Infantry Regiment , 3rd Infantry Division . On that day , near Saint - Jacques , France , Ross manned a machinegun through repeated German assaults , holding off the enemy even after his supporting riflemen had run out of ammunition . For his actions during the battle , he was issued the Medal of Honor six months later , on April 14 , 1945 . Ross reached the rank of Master Sergeant before retiring from the Army . Medal of Honor citation . Private Ross ' official Medal of Honor citation reads : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty near St . Jacques , France . At 11 : 30 a . m . on 30 October 1944 , after his company had lost 55 out of 88 men in an attack on an entrenched , full - strength German company of elite mountain troops , Pvt . Ross placed his light machinegun 10 yards in advance of the foremost supporting riflemen in order to absorb the initial impact of an enemy counterattack . With machinegun and small - arms fire striking the earth near him , he fired with deadly effect on the assaulting force and repelled it . Despite the hail of automatic fire and the explosion of rifle grenade s within a stone ' s throw of his position , he continued to man his machinegun alone , holding off 6 more German attacks . When the eighth assault was launched , most of his supporting riflemen were out of ammunition . They took positions in echelon behind Pvt . Ross and crawled up , during the attack , to extract a few rounds of ammunition from his machinegun ammunition belt . Pvt . Ross fought on virtually without assistance and , despite the fact that enemy grenadiers crawled to within 4 yards of his position in an effort to kill him with handgrenades , he again directed accurate and deadly fire on the hostile force and hurled it back . After expending his last rounds , Pvt . Ross was advised to withdraw to the company command post , together with 8 surviving riflemen , but , as more ammunition was expected , he declined to do so . The Germans launched their last all - out attack , converging their fire on Pvt . Ross in a desperate attempt to destroy the machinegun which stood between them and a decisive breakthrough . As his supporting riflemen fixed bayonets for a last - ditch stand , fresh ammunition arrived and was brought to Pvt . Ross just as the advance assault elements were about to swarm over his position . He opened murderous fire on the oncoming enemy ; killed 40 and wounded 10 of the attacking force ; broke the assault single - handedly , and forced the Germans to withdraw . Having killed or wounded at least 58 Germans in more than 5 hours of continuous combat and saved the remnants of his company from destruction , Pvt . Ross remained at his post that night and the following day for a total of 36 hours . His actions throughout this engagement were an inspiration to his comrades and maintained the high traditions of the military service .