Joe E. Mann

Infobox Military Person
name=Joe E. Mann
born=birth date|1922|7|8
died=death date and age|1944|9|19|1922|7|8
placeofbirth=Reardan, Washington
placeofdeath=Best, the Netherlands
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Private First Class
commands=
unit=502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
battles=World War II
awards=Medal of Honor Bronze Star Purple Heart (5)
relations=
laterwork=

Joe E. Mann (July 8, 1922 – September 19, 1944) 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

Mann joined the Army from Seattle, Washington, and by September 18, 1944 was serving as a private first class in Company H, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. On that day, in Best, the Netherlands, he single-handedly destroyed an enemy emplacement and continued to fire on the enemy from an exposed position until being wounded. Despite his wounds, he insisted on serving guard duty during the night. The next morning, during an enemy attack, Mann smothered the blast of a hand grenade with his body, sacrificing himself to protect those around him. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on August 30, 1945.

Mann, aged 22 at his death, was buried in Greenwood Memorial Terrace, Spokane, Washington.

Medal of Honor citation

Private First Class Mann's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

He distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. On 18 September 1944, in the vicinity of Best, Holland, his platoon, attempting to seize the bridge across the Wilhelmina Canal, was surrounded and isolated by an enemy force greatly superior in personnel and firepower. Acting as lead scout, Pfc. Mann boldly crept to within rocket-launcher range of an enemy artillery position and, in the face of heavy enemy fire, destroyed an 88mm. gun and an ammunition dump. Completely disregarding the great danger involved, he remained in his exposed position, and, with his M-1 rifle, killed the enemy one by one until he was wounded 4 times. Taken to a covered position, he insisted on returning to a forward position to stand guard during the night. On the following morning the enemy launched a concerted attack and advanced to within a few yards of the position, throwing hand grenades as they approached. One of these landed within a few feet of Pfc. Mann. Unable to raise his arms, which were bandaged to his body, he yelled "grenade" and threw his body over the grenade, and as it exploded, died. His outstanding gallantry above and beyond the call of duty and his magnificent conduct were an everlasting inspiration to his comrades for whom he gave his life.

Honored in ship naming

The U.S. Army ship USAT Pvt. "Joe E. Mann" which operated in the Pacific Ocean at the end of World War II was named in his honor.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

References

*findagrave|7869726 Retrieved on 2008-01-21

*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (M-S)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = July 16, 2007
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/wwII-m-s.html
accessdate = 2008-01-08

Persondata
NAME= Mann, Joe E.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=