Medal of Honor Recipient: Second Lieutenant Robert Craig
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant , U.S.
Army, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Favoratta , Sicily ,
11 July 1943 .
Entered service at: Toledo ,
Ohio . Birth: Scotland . G.O.
No.: 41, 26 May 1944 .
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, on11
July 1943 at Favoratta ,
Sicily . 2d Lt. Craig voluntarily
undertook the perilous task of locating and destroying a hidden enemy machinegun
which had halted the advance of his company. Attempts by 3 other officers to
locate the weapon had resulted in failure, with each officer receiving wounds.
2d Lt. Craig located the gun and snaked his way to a point within 35 yards of
the hostile position before being discovered. Charging headlong into the
furious automatic fire, he reached the gun, stood over it, and killed the 3
crew members with his carbine. With this obstacle removed, his company
continued its advance. Shortly thereafter while advancing down the forward
slope of a ridge, 2d Lt. Craig and his platoon, in a position devoid of cover
and concealment, encountered the fire of approximately 100 enemy soldiers.
Electing to sacrifice himself so that his platoon might carry on the battle, he
ordered his men to withdraw to the cover of the crest while he drew the enemy
fire to himself. With no hope of survival, he charged toward the enemy until he
was within 25 yards of them. Assuming a kneeling position, he killed 5 and
wounded 3 enemy soldiers. While the hostile force concentrated fire on him, his
platoon reached the cover of the crest. 2d Lt. Craig was killed by enemy fire,
but his intrepid action so inspired his men that they drove the enemy from the
area, inflicting heavy casualties on the hostile force
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, on
<< Home