 |
SwiftVets.com
Service to Country
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Rdtf
CNO
Joined: 13 May 2004
Posts: 2209
Location: BUSHville
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:55 pm Post subject: 2LT. Stephen Gregg, WWII Medal of Honor Winner, Passes Away |
 |
|
Thank you for everything!
Washington Post
February 15, 2005
Stephen Gregg Sr. Medal of Honor Winner
Stephen Gregg Sr., 90, who as a soldier won the Medal of Honor for helping rescue seven wounded comrades during the invasion of southern France in World War II, died Feb. 4 at his home in Bayonne, N.J. No cause of death was reported.
The 1945 Medal of Honor citation states that on Aug. 27, 1944, Sgt. Gregg fired his machine guns to cover the advance of riflemen, but German soldiers counterattacked with grenades, wounding seven members of his platoon. Although the enemy was throwing hand grenades at him, Sgt. Gregg remained and fired into the enemy positions, advancing up a hill followed by a medic, who moved the seven wounded men to safety. He also was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and other medals. On Bastille Day in 2001, France honored him with its highest medal, the Legion of Honor.
He worked for the sheriff's office in Hudson County, N.J., for more than 50 years before retiring as chief of court officials.
Last edited by Rdtf on Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:02 pm; edited 2 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
DADESID
Seaman
Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 157
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rdtf
CNO
Joined: 13 May 2004
Posts: 2209
Location: BUSHville
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It's so wonderful I had to post it:
| Quote: | 2LT Stephen R. Gregg, U.S.A.
Citation: Medal of Honor
War: World War II
SECOND LIEUTENANT STEPHEN R. GREGG, U.S. Army, 143d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 27 August 1944, in the vicinity of Montelimar, France. As his platoon advanced upon the enemy positions; the leading scout was fired upon and 2LT Gregg (then a Tech Sgt.) immediately put his machine guns into action to cover the advance of the riflemen. The Germans, who were at close range, threw hand grenades at the riflemen killing some and wounding 7. Each time a medical aid man attempted to reach the wounded, the Germans fired at him. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, 2LT Gregg took 1 of the light .30 caliber machine guns, and firing from the hip, started boldly up the hill with the medical aid man following him. Although the enemy was throwing hand grenades at him, 2LT Gregg remained and fired into the enemy positions while the medical aid man removed the 7 wounded men to safety. When 2LT Gregg had expended all his ammunition, he was covered by 4 Germans who ordered him to surrender. Since the attention of most of the Germans had been diverted by watching this action, friendly riflemen were able to maneuver into firing positions. One, seeing 2LT Gregg's situation, opened fire on his captors. The 4 Germans hit the ground and thereupon 2LT Gregg recovered a machine pistol from one of the Germans and managed to escape to his machine gun positions. He manned a gun, firing at his captors, killed 1 of them and wounded the other. This action so discouraged the Germans that the platoon was able to continue its advance up the hill to achieve its objective. The following morning, just prior to daybreak, the Germans launched a strong attack, supported by tanks, in an attempt to drive Company L from the hill. As these tanks moved along the valley and their foot troops advanced up the hill, 2LT Gregg immediately ordered his mortars into action. During the day by careful observation, he was able to direct effective fire on the enemy, inflicting heavy casualties. By late afternoon he had directed 600 rounds when his communication to the mortars was knocked out. Without hesitation he started checking his wires, although the area was under heavy enemy small arms and artillery fire. When he was within 100 yards of his mortar position, 1 of his men informed him that the section had been captured and the Germans were using the mortars to fire on the company. 2LT Gregg with this man and another nearby riflemen started for the gun position where he could see 5 Germans firing his mortars. He ordered the 2 men to cover him, crawled up, threw a hand grenade into the position, and then charged it. The hand grenade killed 1, injured 2, 2LT Gregg took the other 2 prisoners, and put his mortars back into action.
Mr. Gregg resided in New Jersey. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tom Poole
Vice Admiral
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 914
Location: America
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
Here's the NYT version of Lt. Gregg's Obituary:
| The Dallas Morning News said The New York Times wrote: | Stephen R. Gregg, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II for charging a German outpost in France while he was an Army sergeant, enabling the rescue of seven American soldiers lying wounded on the battlefield, died Friday at his home in Bayonne, N.J. He was 90.
On Aug. 27, 1944, serving in the 143rd Infantry, 36th Infantry Division, during the invasion of southern France, Mr. Gregg was in combat at the town of Montelimar in the Rhone Valley. As his platoon advanced toward a German position on a hill, an onslaught of hand grenades felled seven GIs, and heavy enemy fire prevented medics from reaching them.
"We were close by, and you could hear the men that were hit calling for medics," he told The New York Times in 2000. "I said, 'God! I've got to do something here.' I don't know what got into me, but I picked up this gun.
"I kept firing and firing. I was just thinking, 'I've got to get as many as I can before they get me.' I never thought I'd come out of this thing alive, to be frank with you. The Lord was with me."
Mr. Gregg had picked up a machine gun, and with a medic following him, he headed up the hill toward the Germans, firing from the hip in the face of a hand-grenade barrage. His covering fire enabled the medic to remove the wounded, according to the Medal of Honor citation.
After he used up his ammunition, he was confronted by four German soldiers, who ordered him to surrender. Platoon members opened fire on the Germans, and as they hit the ground, Mr. Gregg escaped to an American machine gun position. He fired away once more, routing the Germans and enabling the Americans to take the hill.
He received the Medal of Honor and a commission as a second lieutenant. Mr. Gregg once said that Medal of Honor winners did not consider themselves heroic figures: "We are just ordinary men who didn't go out to earn this. It was just the spirit of the moment that came upon you to do things." |
We owe these guys and can pay them only by keeping their country safe.
_________________
'58 Airedale HMR(L)-261 VMO-2 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
blue9t3
Admiral
Joined: 23 Aug 2004
Posts: 1246
Location: oregon
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
The spirit of the moment? get real- this was blood and guts fighting and it wasnt a moment, might of felt like 3 weeks. The teddy-bear people would have charged him with pre-med murder! 
_________________
MOPAR-BUYER |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
coldwarvet
Admiral
Joined: 03 Jun 2004
Posts: 1125
Location: Minnetonka, MN
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Tom Poole | Quote: | | We owe these guys and can pay them only by keeping their country safe. |
DITTO
_________________
Defender of the honor of those in harms way keeping us out of harms way.
"Peace is our Profession"
Strategic Air Command - Motto
USAF 75-79 Security Police |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Leeman
PO3
Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 265
Location: Connecticut
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
We sure do owe these guys. God Bless you Lt. Gregg. Thank you for all you did to keep us free.
Boy, I feel good knowing in some little way, I helped to keep a traitor from becoming Commander in Chief. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
