"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 machine gun 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 machine gun. 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 machine gun over the
rocks, Sgt. Logan captured an enemy officer and private who were
attempting to sneak away. Later in the morning, Sgt. Logan 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. Logan 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."
From Sgt. Logan's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on July 5, 1944.
May you be at peace,
Brian & Mel
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