16DEC1944: They didn't know it, butTSgt Vernon McGarity and his men of the 99th Infantry Division were about to face down the last major German counter-attack of the war. With temperatures hovering around zero degrees, the sky opened up and artillery fire rained all around McGarity and his men. Wounded in the initial barrage, he moved back to the aid station for treatment but refused evacuation to get back to his men, who found themselves in a fight. With their communications cut off, McGarity and the 393rd Infantry Regiment were facing the brunt of the German attack outside the town of Krinkelt, Belgium. As the waves came on, TSgt McGarity braved the enemy fire to rescue multiple Soldiers, wounded and cut off from friendly lines. After a day of fighting, he saw German tanks advancing to his position. Taking a bazooka and running forward, McGarity fired at close range, destroying the lead tank and forcing the other three to withdraw. Now running low on ammunition, McGarity ran through fire to a nearby ammunition dump. Grabbing as much as he could carry to bring back to his men, some on their last rounds as the Germans continued to attack. Noticing an enemy machine gun setting up to their rear, McGarity assaulted the position. He quickly killed the crew and stayed in a position preventing anyone else from manning the automatic weapon. Outnumbered in some cases five to one, McGarity and his men were eventually overrun and captured. TSgt Vernon McGarity would spend the next four months in a POW camp before being liberated in April of 1945. He would survive the war and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions right at the start of the Battle of the Bulge.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related