Malcolm L. George
Captain, U.S. Army

Malcolm L. George was born on 7 January 1911 in Vandergrift, PA, the youngest son of H. John and Melda Elder George. He continued his education at State College (now Pennsylvania State University). He married his high school sweetheart, Nelle, in 1930. While attending State College, he took the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) curriculum and attended ROTC Infantry camp, held at Fort George G. Meade, MD. Malcolm did well in ROTC and in September of that year, was appointed Major in the Corps of Cadets of the College. After graduation, he continued to be part of the Officers’ Reserve Corps while working with his father.

In 1938, Malcolm was commissioned as a First Lieutenant of Infantry in the Army of the United States. In May 1941, he was ordered to active duty. Malcolm seemed to thrive on Army life. In October 1941, he received a Commendation from Headquarters, 4th Motorized Division, Fort Benning, GA, for his "demonstrated aptitude and ability" from J. A. Van Fleet, Colonel, 8th Infantry Regiment, Commanding. In December, the War Department ordered the transfer of the personnel of the 4th Motorized Division to Camp Gordon in Augusta, GA, where he became Commander of Company M.

On 7 June 1944, Captain Malcolm L. George was Commanding Officer, Company M, 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, First U.S. Army.

On that day, D-Day+1, CPT George’s Company M was in action against German forces after landing on Utah Beach at Normandy, France the previous day. On the second day of the invasion, the 3rd Battalion was engaged in a desperate battle. A powerful German force with several 88-mm guns and automatic weapons was holding the high ground and impeding the Battalion's advance. CPT George saw that severe casualties were being inflicted by a hidden German machine gun that was firing into the rear and flanks of the advancing troops. After organizing a group of volunteers, CPT George personally led them in a successful assault upon the enemy machine gun positions. While leading the attack, CPT George was Killed in Action. CPT George’s outstanding leadership, courageous actions and extraordinary heroism that day, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

[Some of the above information was excerpted from a short biography written by his daughter, Barbara George, for the World War II Orphans Network. It contains a substantial amount of personal information and can be read at http://www.awon.org/awgeorge.html.]

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
World War II Victory Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation (Synopsis)

Captain (Infantry) Malcolm L. George (ASN: 0-305845), United States Army, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 7 June 1944. On the second day of the invasion the battalion, in which Captain George was planning and training officer, was engaged in a desperate battle. A powerful enemy force with a number of 88mm guns and automatic weapons was holding the high ground and impeding the advance of the battalion. Captain George observed that severe casualties were being inflicted by a hidden enemy machine gun which was firing into the rear and flanks of the advancing troops. Captain George immediately organized a group of volunteers and, with complete disregard for his own safety, personally led them in a successful assault upon this enemy machine gun positions. While leading the attack, Captain George lost his life... The extraordinary heroism, complete devotion to duty and valiant leadership displayed by Captain George reflect great credit upon himself and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces.

General Orders: Headquarters, First U.S. Army, General Orders No. 32 (1944)

Death and Burial

Captain Malcolm L. George is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France, in Plot F, Row 2, Grave 44.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56644827