“With complete disregard for his own safety”
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America 250 on Mostly Aesthetics, Part 5: Omaha Beach
General Eisenhower wrote this to his wife, during the war:
I have never believed in revenge, but I have the strongest possible belief in justice, and the need to impose it on evil-doers.
Everything is always complicated—granted; but this war was a war against evil, and America was fighting for justice, and whatever else is true, that is something Americans may be proud of today.
There is “poetry in the raw” commemorating the Americans who fought in that war, hidden in government-issued documents, especially the awards for heroism and valor, like the Medal of Honor, or the Distinguished Service Cross. These four are from D-Day; there are more.
Stanley Appleby
disembarked from his craft some fifty yards from the beach under a hail of artillery shells and machine gun fire. A large number of casualties were sustained and, but for Technician Fourth Grade Appleby’s prompt and courageous action, would have perished in the surf. With complete disregard for his own safety, he on numerous occasions waded into the surf to lead them ashore and immediately administered aid.
George Bowen,
disregarding his own safety, stopped in his efforts to reach the shore, waded through the mined and fire-swept water to go to a wounded man who was drowning and dragged the man to shore.
Later, some men were wounded trying to take a machine gun nest “high on the slopes of a cliff”; Bowen
crossed an uncharted minefield and moved through vicious enemy fire to within fifteen yards of the enemy’s machine gun nest to render first aid to the stricken men.
Theodore Wilk
voluntarily left his position of safety and advanced boldly to a position from which he placed well-aimed fire upon an enemy pillbox. With utter disregard for his safety, he crawled closer through intense automatic weapons and small arms fire and, while delivering accurate fire which silenced the enemy, he was seriously wounded by sniper fire. Despite his wounds, he refused medical aid and pushed inland with his comrades.
Victor Peterson’s landing craft
was subjected to devastating fire from heavy shore emplacements causing numerous casualties to men on board. Voluntarily and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, Private First Class Peterson plunged into the fire-swept water and, assisted by a comrade, carried a heavy piece of vital communications equipment toward shore. When his companion was instantly killed by machine gun fire, Private First Class Peterson courageously and single-handedly dragged the heavy equipment through the mine-infested water. Midway to the beach, he was mortally wounded. With great determination, he continued forward and safely delivered the equipment upon the beach. Refusing medical attention, he made frequent trips into the water, through heavy artillery, mortar and small arms fire, and rescued wounded comrades until he collapsed upon the beach.