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First Name: Roy

Last Name: Harmon

Birthplace: Talala, OK, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Home of Record: Pixley, CA
Middle Name: W.



Date of Birth: 1915

Date of Death: 12 July 1944

Rank: Sergeant

Years Served:
Roy W. Harmon

   
Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

Roy W. Harmon
Sergeant, U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Recipient
World War II

Sergeant Roy W. Harmon (1915 - 12 July 1944) was a U.S. Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during World War II.

Roy W. Harmon was born in 1915 at Talala, OK. He joined the Army from Pixley, CA. On 12 July 1944, he was serving as a Sergeant in Company C, 362nd Infantry Regiment, 91st Infantry Division. On that day near Casaglia, Italy, he single-handedly attacked three German positions which were firing on a friendly platoon. He destroyed one position and, despite being wounded on his approach, continued on to silence another. He was killed while attacking the third position. For these heroic actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 362nd Infantry, 91st Infantry Division.

Place and date: Near Casaglia, Italy, 12 July 1944.

Citation: He was an acting squad leader when heavy machinegun fire from enemy positions, well dug in on commanding ground and camouflaged by haystacks, stopped his company's advance and pinned down 1 platoon where it was exposed to almost certain annihilation. Ordered to rescue the beleaguered platoon by neutralizing the German automatic fire, he led his squad forward along a draw to the right of the trapped unit against 3 key positions which poured murderous fire into his helpless comrades. When within range, his squad fired tracer bullets in an attempt to set fire to the 3 haystacks which were strung out in a loose line directly to the front, 75, 150, and 250 yards away. Realizing that this attack was ineffective, Sgt. Harmon ordered his squad to hold their position and voluntarily began a 1-man assault. Carrying white phosphorus grenades and a submachine gun, he skillfully took advantage of what little cover the terrain afforded and crept to within 25 yards of the first position. He set the haystack afire with a grenade, and when 2 of the enemy attempted to flee from the inferno, he killed them with his submachine gun. Crawling toward the second machinegun emplacement, he attracted fire and was wounded; but he continued to advance and destroyed the position with hand grenades, killing the occupants. He then attacked the third machinegun, running to a small knoll, then crawling over ground which offered no concealment or cover. About halfway to his objective, he was again wounded. But he struggled ahead until within 20 yards of the machinegun nest, where he raised himself to his knees to throw a grenade. He was knocked down by direct enemy fire. With a final, magnificent effort, he again arose, hurled the grenade and fell dead, riddled by bullets. His missile fired the third position, destroying it. Sgt. Harmon's extraordinary heroism, gallantry, and self-sacrifice saved a platoon from being wiped out, and made it possible for his company to advance against powerful enemy resistance.

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor
Purple Heart

Death and Burial

Sergeant Roy W. Harmon was killed in action on 12 July 1944. He is buried at the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial in Florence, Italy, in Plot A, Row 4, Grave 37.



Honoree ID: 1428   Created by: MHOH

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