"Commanding the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, attacking a strongly held
enemy position on a hill near Sigolsheim, France, on 26 December 1944,
found that 1 of his assault companies had been stopped and forced to dig
in by a concentration of enemy artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire. The company had suffered casualties in attempting to take the hill. Realizing that his men must be inspired to new courage, Lt. Col. Ware
went forward 150 yards beyond the most forward elements of his command,
and for 2 hours reconnoitered the enemy positions, deliberately drawing
fire upon himself which caused the enemy to disclose his dispositions. Returning to his company, he armed himself with an automatic rifle and
boldly advanced upon the enemy, followed by 2 officers, 9 enlisted men,
and a tank. Approaching an enemy machinegun, Lt. Col. Ware shot 2 German
riflemen and fired tracers into the emplacement, indicating its
position to his tank, which promptly knocked the gun out of action. Lt. Col. Ware
turned his attention to a second machinegun, killing 2 of its
supporting riflemen and forcing the others to surrender. The tank
destroyed the gun. Having expended the ammunition for the automatic
rifle, Lt. Col. Ware took up an M-1 rifle, killed a German
rifleman, and fired upon a third machinegun 50 yards away. His tank
silenced the gun. Upon his approach to a fourth machinegun, its
supporting riflemen surrendered and his tank disposed of the gun. During
this action Lt. Col. Ware's small assault group was fully
engaged in attacking enemy positions that were not receiving his direct
and personal attention. Five of his party of 11 were casualties and Lt. Col. Ware
was wounded but refused medical attention until this important hill
position was cleared of the enemy and securely occupied by his command."
From Lt. Col. Ware's Medal of Honor citation, awarded in April of 1945.
May you be at peace,
Brian & Melonie
Keith L. Ware Award of Journalism
Ware parade field at Fort Riley, Kansas
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