KISTERS, GERRY H. - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant (then Sergeant), U.S. Army,
2d Armored Division. Place and date: Near Gagliano, Sicily, 31 July 1943.
Entered service at: Bloomington, Ind. Birth: Salt Lake City, Utah. G.O.
No.: 13, 18 February 1944. Citation: On 31 July 1943, near Gagliano, Sicily,
a detachment of 1 officer and 9 enlisted men, including Sgt. Kisters, advancing
ahead of the leading elements of U.S. troops to fill a large crater in
the only available vehicle route through Gagliano, was taken under fire
by 2 enemy machineguns. Sgt. Kisters and the officer, unaided and in the
face of intense small arms fire, advanced on the nearest machinegun emplacement
and succeeded in capturing the gun and its crew of 4. Although the greater
part of the remaining small arms fire was now directed on the captured
machinegun position, Sgt. Kisters voluntarily advanced alone toward the
second gun emplacement. While creeping forward, he was struck 5 times by
enemy bullets, receiving wounds in both legs and his right arm. Despite
the wounds, he continued to advance on the enemy, and captured the second
machinegun after killing 3 of its crew and forcing the fourth member to
flee. The courage of this soldier and his unhesitating willingness to sacrifice
his life, if necessary, served as an inspiration to the command.
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