"He led a squad when his unit moved forward in darkness to meet the
threat of a breakthrough by elements of the 17th German Panzer Grenadier Division. Assigned to protect the left flank, he discovered hostile
troops digging in. As he reported this information, several German
machine guns opened fire, stopping the American advance. Knowing the
position of the enemy, Sgt. MacGillivary volunteered to knock out one of
the guns while another company closed in from the right to assault the
remaining strong points. He circled from the left through woods and snow,
carefully worked his way to the emplacement, and shot the two
camouflaged gunners at a range of three feet as other enemy forces
withdrew. Early in the afternoon of the same day, Sgt. MacGillivary was
dispatched on reconnaissance and found that Company I was being opposed
by about six machine guns reinforcing a company of fanatically fighting
Germans. His unit began to attack but was pinned down by furious
automatic and small-arms fire. With a clear idea of where the enemy guns
were placed, he voluntarily embarked on a lone combat patrol.
Skillfully taking advantage of all available cover, he stalked the
enemy, reached a hostile machine gun, and blasted its crew with a
grenade. He picked up a sub-machine gun from the battlefield and pressed
on to within 10 yards of another machine gun, where the enemy crew
discovered him and feverishly tried to swing their weapon into line to
cut him down. He charged ahead, jumped into the midst of the Germans,
and killed them with several bursts. Without hesitation, he moved on to
still another machine gun, creeping, crawling, and rushing from tree to
tree, until close enough to toss a grenade into the emplacement and
close with its defenders. He dispatched this crew also, but was himself
seriously wounded. Through his indomitable fighting spirit, great
initiative, and utter disregard for personal safety in the face of
powerful enemy resistance, Sgt. MacGillivary destroyed four hostile
machine guns and immeasurably helped his company to continue on its
mission with minimum casualties."
From Sgt. MacGillivary's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on August 23, 1945.
May you be at peace,
Brian & Mel
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