"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and
beyond the call of duty. On 22 January 1944, Company F had the mission
of crossing the Rapido River in the vicinity of San Angelo, Italy, and
attacking the well-prepared German positions to the west. For the
defense of these positions the enemy had prepared a network of
machine gun positions covering the terrain to the front with a pattern of
withering machine gun fire, and mortar and artillery positions zeroed in on the defilade
areas. S/Sgt. McCall commanded a machine gun section that was to provide
added fire support for the riflemen. Under cover of darkness, Company F
advanced to the river crossing site and under intense enemy mortar,
artillery, and machine gun fire crossed an ice-covered bridge which was
continually the target for enemy fire. Many casualties occurred on
reaching the west side of the river and reorganization was imperative. Exposing himself to the deadly enemy machine gun and small arms fire that
swept over the flat terrain, S/Sgt. McCall, with unusual calmness,
encouraged and welded his men into an effective fighting unit. He then
led them forward across the muddy, exposed terrain. Skillfully he guided
his men through a barbed-wire entanglement
to reach a road where he personally placed the weapons of his two
squads into positions of vantage, covering the battalion's front. A
shell landed near one of the positions, wounding the gunner, killing the
assistant gunner, and destroying the weapon. Even though enemy shells
were falling dangerously near, S/Sgt. McCall crawled across the
treacherous terrain and rendered first aid to the wounded man, dragging
him into a position of cover with the help of another man. The gunners
of the second machine gun had been wounded from the fragments of an enemy
shell, leaving S/Sgt. McCall the only remaining member of his
machine gun section. Displaying outstanding aggressiveness, he ran
forward with the weapon on his hip, reaching a point 30 yards from the
enemy, where he fired 2 bursts of fire into the nest, killing or
wounding all of the crew and putting the gun out of action. A second
machine gun now opened fire upon him and he rushed its position, firing
his weapon from the hip, killing 4 of the gun crew. A third machine gun,
50 yards in rear of the first two, was delivering a tremendous volume of
fire upon our troops. S/Sgt. McCall spotted its position and valiantly
went toward it in the face of overwhelming enemy fire. He was last seen
courageously moving forward on the enemy position, firing his machine gun
from his hip. S/Sgt. McCall's intrepidity and unhesitating willingness
to sacrifice his life exemplify the highest traditions of the Armed Forces."
From S/Sgt. McCall's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on April 17, 1945.
May you be at peace,
Brian
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