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Medal of
Honor Charles P. Murray, Jr.
A
First Lieutenant in the Army, Mr. Murray received his Medal of Honor for bravery
in Kaysersberg, France in 1944. He selflessly attacked a force much
greater than he, prevented a counterattack, and was severely wounded from a
grenade attack. At 88, Mr. Murray is fortunately still with us.
Please take a moment to read the citation of a hero…
Rank: First Lieutenant
Organization: U.S. Army
Company: Company C
Division:
30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division
Born: Baltimore, Md.
Departed: No
Entered Service At: Wilmington, N.C.
G.O. Number: 63
Date of Issue: 08/01/1945
Place / Date: Near Kaysersberg, France, 16 December 1944
“For commanding Company C, 30th Infantry, displaying supreme courage and
heroic initiative near Kaysersberg, France, on 16 December 1944, while leading a
reinforced platoon into enemy territory. Descending into a valley beneath
hilltop positions held by our troops, he observed a force of 200 Germans pouring
deadly mortar, bazooka, machinegun, and small arms fire into an American
battalion occupying the crest of the ridge.
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The
enemy's position in a sunken road, though hidden from the ridge, was open to a
flank attack by 1st Lt. Murray's patrol but he hesitated to commit so small a
force to battle with the superior and strongly disposed enemy. Crawling out
ahead of his troops to a vantage point, he called by radio for artillery fire.
His shells bracketed the German force, but when he was about to correct the
range his radio went dead. He returned to his patrol, secured grenades and a
rifle to launch them and went back to his self-appointed outpost. His first
shots disclosed his position; the enemy directed heavy fire against him as he
methodically fired his missiles into the narrow defile. Again he returned to his
patrol. With an automatic rifle and ammunition, he once more moved to his
exposed position. Burst after burst he fired into the enemy, killing 20,
wounding many others, and completely disorganizing its ranks, which began to
withdraw. He prevented the removal of 3 German mortars by knocking out a truck.
By that time a mortar had been brought to his support. 1st Lt. Murray directed
fire of this weapon, causing further casualties and confusion in the German
ranks. Calling on his patrol to follow, he then moved out toward his original
objective, possession of a bridge and construction of a roadblock. He captured
10 Germans in foxholes. An eleventh, while pretending to surrender, threw a
grenade which knocked him to the ground, inflicting 8 wounds. Though suffering
and bleeding profusely, he refused to return to the rear until he had chosen the
spot for the block and had seen his men correctly deployed. By his single-handed
attack on an overwhelming force and by his intrepid and heroic fighting, 1st Lt.
Murray stopped a counterattack, established an advance position against
formidable odds, and provided an inspiring example for the men of his
command.”
