- Van T. Barfoot
Infobox Military Person
name=Van T. Barfoot
born=
died=
placeofbirth=Edinburg, Mississippi
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=
caption= Van T. Barfoot, Medal of Honor recipient
nickname=
allegiance=United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Colonel
commands=
unit=157th Infantry Regiment , 45th Infantry Division
battles=World War II
awards=Medal of Honor
relations=
laterwork=Van T. Barfoot is a retired
United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—theMedal of Honor —for his actions inWorld War II .Biography
Barfoot joined the Army from
Carthage, Mississippi , and byMay 23 1944 was serving as atechnical sergeant in the157th Infantry Regiment , 45th Infantry Division. On that day, nearCarano ,Italy , he single-handedly destroyed two German machine gun nests, took seventeen prisoners, and disabled an enemy tank. Barfoot was subsequently commissioned as a second lieutenant and, onOctober 4 1944 , awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.Barfoot reached the rank of colonel before retiring from the Army.
Medal of Honor citation
Second Lieutenant Barfoot's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
:For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944, near Carano, Italy. With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot (then Tech. Sgt.) moved off alone upon the enemy left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machinegun nest and made a direct hit on it with a
hand grenade , killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line to another machinegun emplacement, and with his tommygun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machinegun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to 17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground, the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing abazooka , Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancingMark VI tanks. From a distance of 75 yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank, effectively disabling it, while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his tommygun. He continued onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German fieldpiece with a demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot, though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts, assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700 yards to a position of safety. Sgt. Barfoot's extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent valor, and aggressive determination in the face of pointblank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers.ee also
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War IIReferences
*cite web
publisher = Congressional Medal of Honor Society
title = Full List of Living Recipients
url = http://www.cmohs.org/recipients/living_list_full.htm
accessdate = 2007-08-02
*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (A-F)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date =July 16 2007
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/wwII-a-f.html
accessdate = 2007-08-02
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