**** Medal of Honor Monday! 
****
On this day in 1944, Captain Matt Urban finishes hitchhiking his way from England back to France. His unit was in need! There was no way he was going to stay in the hospital where the Army had taken him.
Urban arrived in France just in time to lead his men in an extremely difficult action against the Germans. D-Day had occurred mere weeks before, and Allied forces were then struggling to get a solid foothold in France.
Urban already knew all of this, of course. He’d been with the forces who landed in Normandy in early June. On June 14, his company encountered two German tanks, which were “unmercifully raking his unit’s positions and inflicting heavy casualties.” Urban wasn’t going to let those tanks get the better of his men! He armed himself with a bazooka and worked his way toward them. He was exposing himself to enemy fire and risking his life, but he finally got close enough to destroy both tanks.
It was enough to turn the tide, and his company soon routed that detachment of German infantry.
There were more Germans just around the corner, of course. The efforts in France continued and Urban was wounded in the leg later that day. He refused to be evacuated, instead helping his men to set up a defensive posture for the night. Finally, at 5:00 the next morning, another serious wound forced his evacuation to England.
He must not have been too happy about that! Within a matter of weeks, he’d checked himself out of the hospital. He was still recovering and using a cane, but he was determined to go back and help his unit. He’d heard that many of the officers had been wounded or killed. They needed leaders.
He arrived just as a planned break-out at St. Lô was beginning. Operation Cobra would prove to be important—and Urban was one of its heroes!
As Urban arrived on the scene, he found soldiers under attack. Two of their tanks had been destroyed and one was usable, but mostly unmanned. Urban watched as a lieutenant and a sergeant were killed trying to get to the turret gun. He knew he couldn’t send any more soldiers to “certain death.” There was only one thing to do: He’d have to try himself.
And that’s exactly what he did. Except he made it! Machine-gun bullets were pelting at him the whole way. Once inside the tank, he realized that he’d need to stick his head up again if he planned to fire the gun. The Germans were so shocked when he stood up and began firing that it gave him an advantage.
Urban’s bravery didn’t end there. For weeks, he led his men heroically, refusing evacuation despite several wounds. Finally, on September 3, he received a life-threatening wound to his neck. Even then, he still resisted evacuation until his battalion had secured its objective.
For all these actions, Urban would receive the Medal of Honor. It wasn’t his only military honor—not by a long shot! Indeed, some people claim that Urban is America’s most combat-decorated soldier. Others contend that Audie Murphy retains that distinction or that the two men are tied.
A bit odd that the controversy hasn’t been fully resolved, isn’t it?
Either way, both men represent America at her finest. RIP, gentlemen.
-------------
Gentle reminder: History posts are copyright © 2013-2016 by Tara Ross
Permalink: http://www.taraross.com/2016/07/medal-of-honor-monday-matt-urban-most-decorated-soldier
@AZZMAN75 @tcavol @PredVol @Eyes4Vols @stonewall_jackson @DMS-PMS
****On this day in 1944, Captain Matt Urban finishes hitchhiking his way from England back to France. His unit was in need! There was no way he was going to stay in the hospital where the Army had taken him.
Urban arrived in France just in time to lead his men in an extremely difficult action against the Germans. D-Day had occurred mere weeks before, and Allied forces were then struggling to get a solid foothold in France.
Urban already knew all of this, of course. He’d been with the forces who landed in Normandy in early June. On June 14, his company encountered two German tanks, which were “unmercifully raking his unit’s positions and inflicting heavy casualties.” Urban wasn’t going to let those tanks get the better of his men! He armed himself with a bazooka and worked his way toward them. He was exposing himself to enemy fire and risking his life, but he finally got close enough to destroy both tanks.
It was enough to turn the tide, and his company soon routed that detachment of German infantry.
There were more Germans just around the corner, of course.
The efforts in France continued and Urban was wounded in the leg later that day. He refused to be evacuated, instead helping his men to set up a defensive posture for the night. Finally, at 5:00 the next morning, another serious wound forced his evacuation to England.He must not have been too happy about that! Within a matter of weeks, he’d checked himself out of the hospital. He was still recovering and using a cane, but he was determined to go back and help his unit. He’d heard that many of the officers had been wounded or killed. They needed leaders.
He arrived just as a planned break-out at St. Lô was beginning. Operation Cobra would prove to be important—and Urban was one of its heroes!
As Urban arrived on the scene, he found soldiers under attack. Two of their tanks had been destroyed and one was usable, but mostly unmanned. Urban watched as a lieutenant and a sergeant were killed trying to get to the turret gun. He knew he couldn’t send any more soldiers to “certain death.” There was only one thing to do: He’d have to try himself.
And that’s exactly what he did. Except he made it! Machine-gun bullets were pelting at him the whole way. Once inside the tank, he realized that he’d need to stick his head up again if he planned to fire the gun. The Germans were so shocked when he stood up and began firing that it gave him an advantage.
Urban’s bravery didn’t end there. For weeks, he led his men heroically, refusing evacuation despite several wounds. Finally, on September 3, he received a life-threatening wound to his neck. Even then, he still resisted evacuation until his battalion had secured its objective.
For all these actions, Urban would receive the Medal of Honor. It wasn’t his only military honor—not by a long shot! Indeed, some people claim that Urban is America’s most combat-decorated soldier. Others contend that Audie Murphy retains that distinction or that the two men are tied.
A bit odd that the controversy hasn’t been fully resolved, isn’t it?
Either way, both men represent America at her finest. RIP, gentlemen.
-------------
Gentle reminder: History posts are copyright © 2013-2016 by Tara Ross
Permalink: http://www.taraross.com/2016/07/medal-of-honor-monday-matt-urban-most-decorated-soldier
@AZZMAN75 @tcavol @PredVol @Eyes4Vols @stonewall_jackson @DMS-PMS
