"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty. On 9 October 1944, at about noon, near La Forge, France, 1st Lt. Kandle, while leading a reconnaissance patrol into enemy territory, engaged in a duel at pointblank range with a German field officer
and killed him. Having already taken 5 enemy prisoners that morning, he
led a skeleton platoon of 16 men, reinforced with a light machine gun
squad, through fog and over precipitous mountain terrain to fall on the
rear of a German quarry stronghold which had checked the advance of an infantry battalion
for 2 days. Rushing forward, several yards ahead of his assault
elements, 1st Lt. Kandle fought his way into the heart of the enemy strong point, and, by his boldness and audacity, forced the Germans to
surrender. Harassed by machine gun fire from a position which he had
bypassed in the dense fog, he moved to within 15 yards of the enemy,
killed a German machine gunner with accurate rifle fire and led his men
in the destruction of another machine gun crew and its rifle security
elements. Finally, he led his small force against a fortified house held
by 2 German officers and 30 enlisted men. After establishing a base of
fire, he rushed forward alone through an open clearing in full view of
the enemy, smashed through a barricaded door, and forced all 32 Germans
to surrender. His intrepidity and bold leadership resulted in the
capture or killing of 3 enemy officers and 54 enlisted men, the
destruction of 3 enemy strong points, and the seizure of enemy positions
which had halted a battalion attack."
May you be at peace,
Brian
1LT Victor L. Kandle Hall in the USARC in Tacoma, WA
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