Dean James AMERICA’S FREEDOM FIGHTERS –
A Medal of Honor recipient and World War II veteran, who was hailed a hero for almost single-handedly holding off counter attacks by elite German troops, died on Tuesday in Washington State.
Wilburn K. Ross, who was originally from Kentucky, was 94.
FOX News reports that Pvt. Ross was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 23, 1945 for his actions that went “beyond the call of duty” near St. Jacques, France six months earlier, according to his Medal of Honor citation.
“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty near St. Jacques, France.
At 11:30 a.m. on 30 October 1944, after his company had lost 55 out of 88 men in an attack on an entrenched, full-strength German company of elite mountain troops, Pvt. Ross placed his light machinegun 10 yards in advance of the foremost supporting riflemen in order to absorb the initial impact of an enemy counterattack.
With machinegun and small-arms fire striking the earth near him, he fired with deadly effect on the assaulting force and repelled it. Despite the hail of automatic fire and the explosion of rifle grenades within a stone’s throw of his position, he continued to man his machinegun alone, holding off 6 more German attacks.
When the eighth assault was launched, most of his supporting riflemen were out of ammunition. They took positions in echelon behind Pvt. Ross and crawled up, during the attack, to extract a few rounds of ammunition from his machinegun ammunition belt.
Pvt. Ross fought on virtually without assistance and, despite the fact that enemy grenadiers crawled to within 4 yards of his position in an effort to kill him with handgrenades, he again directed accurate and deadly fire on the hostile force and hurled it back. After expending his last rounds, Pvt. Ross was advised to withdraw to the company command post, together with 8 surviving riflemen, but, as more ammunition was expected, he declined to do so.
The Germans launched their last all-out attack, converging their fire on Pvt. Ross in a desperate attempt to destroy the machinegun which stood between them and a decisive breakthrough. As his supporting riflemen fixed bayonets for a last-ditch stand, fresh ammunition arrived and was brought to Pvt. Ross just as the advance assault elements were about to swarm over his position. He opened murderous fire on the oncoming enemy; killed 40 and wounded 10 of the attacking force; broke the assault single-handedly, and forced the Germans to withdraw.
Having killed or wounded at least 58 Germans in more than 5 hours of continuous combat and saved the remnants of his company from destruction, Pvt. Ross remained at his post that night and the following day for a total of 36 hours.
His actions throughout this engagement were an inspiration to his comrades and maintained the high traditions of the military service.”
Join us on Facebook at Nation In Distress
Ross returned to Kentucky after the war was over and became a highway patrolman with the state. He eventually returned to the Army and became a Master Sergeant. During a stint in Korea, his last combat duty, he was badly wounded. The injury was the fourth time he was wounded in the line of duty, UPI reported.
He eventually retired and settled in DuPont, Washington, where he became a bus driver for a Veterans Administration hospital.
He was twice honored with a commemorative stamp, in 1983 and 2013. Ross, a widower, is survived by his six children.
There are 73 Medal of Honor recipients alive today, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
Source– AFF
Facebook Has Banned Us!
The leftists at Facebook decided they didn’t like our message, so they removed our page and are censoring us. Help us fight back and subscribe to our newsletter so that you can stay up-to-date with everything Facebook doesn’t want you to see!
Disqus Comments