LOGAN, JAMES M. - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 36th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Salerno, Italy, 9 September 1943.
Entered Service at:
Luling, Tex. Birth: McNeil, Tex. G.O. No.: 54, 5 July 1944. Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond
the call of duty in action involving actual conflict on 9 September 1943
in the vicinity of Salerno, Italy. As a rifleman of an infantry company,
Sgt. Logan landed with the first wave of the assault echelon on the beaches
of the Gulf of Salerno, and after his company had advanced 800 yards inland
and taken positions along the forward bank of an irrigation canal, the
enemy began a serious counterattack from positions along a rock wall which
ran parallel with the canal about 200 yards further inland. Voluntarily
exposing himself to the fire of a machinegun located along the rock wall,
which sprayed the ground so close to him that he was splattered with dirt
and rock splinters from the impact of the bullets, Sgt. Logan killed the
first 3 Germans as they came through a gap in the wall. He then attacked
the machinegun. As he dashed across the 200 yards of exposed terrain a
withering stream of fire followed his advance. Reaching the wall, he crawled
along the base, within easy reach of the enemy crouched along the opposite
side, until he reached the gun. Jumping up, he shot the 2 gunners down,
hurdled the wall, and seized the gun. Swinging it around, he immediately
opened fire on the enemy with the remaining ammunition, raking their flight
and inflicting further casualties on them as they fled. After smashing
the machinegun over the rocks, Sgt. Logan captured an enemy officer and
private who were attempting to sneak away. Later in the morning, Sgt. Loan
went after a sniper hidden in a house about 150 yards from the company.
Again the intrepid Sgt. ran a gauntlet of fire to reach his objective.
Shooting the lock off the door, Sgt. Loan kicked it in and shot the sniper
who had just reached the bottom of the stairs. The conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity which characterized Sgt. Logan's exploits proved a constant
inspiration to all the men of his company, and aided materially in insuring
the success of the beachhead at Salerno.
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