Truman Kimbro

Infobox Military Person
name=Truman Kimbro
born=
died=death date|1944|12|19
placeofbirth=Madisonville, Texas
placeofdeath=near Rocherath, Belgium
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Technician Fourth Grade
commands=
unit=2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division
battles=World War II
awards=Medal of Honor Purple Heart
relations=
laterwork=

Truman Kimbro (died December 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

Kimbro joined the Army from Houston, Texas, and by December 19 1944 was serving as a technician fourth grade in Company C, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. On that day, he was assigned to lead a squad in the mining of a crossroads near Rocherath, Belgium. Finding that the area was covered by enemy forces, he left his men in a protected position and went forward alone. Although wounded on his approach, he continued on his mission and successfully laid mines across the road before being killed by enemy fire. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor five months later, on May 24 1945.

Kimbro was buried at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.

Medal of Honor citation

Technician Fourth Grade Kimbro's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

On 19 December 1944, as scout, he led a squad assigned to the mission of mining a vital crossroads near Rocherath, Belgium. At the first attempt to reach the objective, he discovered it was occupied by an enemy tank and at least 20 infantrymen. Driven back by withering fire, Technician 4th Grade Kimbro made 2 more attempts to lead his squad to the crossroads but all approaches were covered by intense enemy fire. Although warned by our own infantrymen of the great danger involved, he left his squad in a protected place and, laden with mines, crawled alone toward the crossroads. When nearing his objective he was severely wounded, but he continued to drag himself forward and laid his mines across the road. As he tried to crawl from the objective his body was riddled with rifle and machinegun fire. The mines laid by his act of indomitable courage delayed the advance of enemy armor and prevented the rear of our withdrawing columns from being attacked by the enemy.

Honored in ship naming

The U.S. Army ship USAT "Sgt. Truman Kimbro" which served 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

*cite web
publisher = American Battle Monuments Commission
title = Truman Kimbro
work = World War II Burial Listing
url = http://www.abmc.gov/search/wwii.php
accessdate = 2008-01-23

*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (G-L)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = July 16 2007
url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-g-l.html
accessdate = 2008-01-23

Persondata
NAME= Kimbro, Truman
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=