Stephen R . Gregg Stephen Raymond Gregg , Sr . , ( September 1 , 1914 – February 4 , 2005 ) was a 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 . Gregg joined the Army from Bayonne , New Jersey in February 1942 , and by August 27 , 1944 was serving as a technical sergeant in 143rd Infantry Regiment , 36th Infantry Division . On that day , near Montélimar , France , he provided covering fire for a combat medic who was evacuating wounded men to safety . Gregg was briefly captured by German soldiers , but managed to escape and returned to the fight . The next day , he directed the fire of his mortar section until communications were disabled . Upon learning that the mortar position had been captured and was being used to fire on his own company , he attacked and re - took the mortars . Gregg was subsequently promoted to second lieutenant and , on April 17 , 1945 , awarded the Medal of Honor . His wife Irene died in 2001 , having lived long enough to see Hudson County , New Jersey named a park after her hero husband . Gregg left the Army while still a second lieutenant . He went to work for the Hudson ' s County Sheriff ' s Department and retired as chief of court officers in 1996 , after fifty one years of service . He remained very social with his fellow Medal of Honor recipients attending dinners and fundraisers . He died at age 90 and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery , North Arlington , New Jersey . He is survived by his son , Stephen Gregg Jr . , his daughter , Susan Gregg , and two grandsons , Stephen Gregg III and Adam Gregg . Medal of Honor citation . " The President of the United States of America , in the name of Congress , takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Second Lieutenant ( Infantry ) , [ then Technical Sergeant ] Stephen Raymond Gregg , United States Army , for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 27 August 1944 , while serving with Company L , 143d Infantry Regiment , 36th Infantry Division , in action in the vicinity of Montelimar , France . As his platoon advanced upon the enemy positions ; the leading scout was fired upon and Second Lieutenant Gregg immediately put his machineguns into action to cover the advance of the riflemen . The Germans , who were at close range , threw hand grenades at the riflemen , killing some and wounding seven . Each time a medical aid man attempted to reach the wounded , the Germans fired at him . Realizing the seriousness of the situation , Second Lieutenant Gregg took one of the light . 30 - caliber machineguns , and firing from the hip , started boldly up the hill with the medical aid man following him . Although the enemy was throwing hand grenades at him , Second Lieutenant Gregg remained and fired into the enemy positions while the medical aid man removed the seven wounded men to safety . When Second Lieutenant Gregg had expended all his ammunition , he was covered by four Germans who ordered him to surrender . Since the attention of most of the Germans had been diverted by watching this action , friendly riflemen were able to maneuver into firing positions . One , seeing Second Lieutenant Gregg ' s situation , opened fire on his captors . The four Germans hit the ground and thereupon Second Lieutenant Gregg recovered a machine pistol from one of the Germans and managed to escape to his other machinegun positions . He manned a gun , firing at his captors , killed one of them and wounded the other . This action so discouraged the Germans that the platoon was able to continue its advance up the hill to achieve its objective . The following morning , just prior to daybreak , the Germans launched a strong attack , supported by tanks , in an attempt to drive Company L from the hill . As these tanks moved along the valley and their foot troops advanced up the hill , Second Lieutenant Gregg immediately ordered his mortars into action . During the day by careful observation , he was able to direct effective fire on the enemy , inflicting heavy casualties . By late afternoon he had directed 600 rounds when his communication to the mortars was knocked out . Without hesitation he started checking his wires , although the area was under heavy enemy small arms and artillery fire . When he was within 100 yards of his mortar position , one of his men informed him that the section had been captured and the Germans were using the mortars to fire on the company . Second Lieutenant Gregg with this man and another nearby rifleman started for the gun position where he could see five Germans firing his mortars . He ordered the two men to cover him , crawled up , threw a hand grenade into the position , and then charged it . The hand grenade killed 1 , injured 2 , Second Lieutenant Gregg took the other two prisoners , and put his mortars back into action . "