MoH Recipients
# of Medal of Honor Recipients from Virginia Tech
8
Drill organization at VT titled after a MoH Recipient
The Gregory Guard
Interim Commandant of Cadets
Brigadier General Dwayne R. Edwards
Commandant of Cadets
Major General William H. Seely III
Marine
EGA - Eagle, Globe, & Anchor
Actions as an Army corporal at the Battle of San Mateo during the Philippine Insurrection. His Medal of Honor citation reads: “Attempted under a heavy fire of the enemy to swim a river for the purpose of obtaining and returning with a canoe.”
Captain Antione A.M. Gaujot
Action against enemy Japanese forces during the battle at the Koromokina River, Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands, on Nov. 7, 1943, in World War II. Although several of his men were struck by enemy bullets as he led his squad through jungle undergrowth in the face of hostile machine gun fire, he destroyed two enemy machine gun positions. Halted by a third enemy machine gun, he positioned his men to rush the enemy after he threw a hand grenade. He threw the grenade only to have the jungle vines drop it back among his men. He flung himself upon it to smother the explosion, sacrificing his life for his comrades.
Sergeant Herbert J. Thomas
4th Battalion Commandant
Lieutenant Colonel Travis Sheets
Master Gunnery Sergeant Lance Jones
Navy
Anchor
Actions on the Mexican border in 1911. He is the only soldier ever awarded the Medal for actions of a peacekeeping nature. His Medal of Honor citation reads: “Crossed the field of fire to obtain the permission of the rebel commander 94 to receive the surrender of the surrounded forces of Mexican Federals and escort such forces, together with 5 Americans held as prisoners, to the American line.”
Colonel Julien E. Gaujot
While on a mission in Germany, the B-17 bomber on which he served as navigator was struck by three enemy antiaircraft shells. The plane suffered serious damage and he was severely wounded by shell fragments that penetrated his side and back. In spite of extreme pain and great loss of blood, he refused an offered injection of morphine. Unable to rise from the floor, he asked to be propped up to see his charts and instruments. He successfully guided the lone bomber through six course changes around enemy antiaircraft concentrations for 2 1/2 hours to avoid enemy flack and returned to the field without further damage.
Second Lieutenant Robert E. Femoyer
1st Battalion Deputy Commandant
Colonel Craig J. Alia
1st Battalion Senior Enlisted Advisor
Command Sergeant Major Daniel R. Willey
VPI
Crossed Cannons or Sabers
The medal was awarded for gallantry at Bois de Consenvoye, north of Verdun, France, on Oct. 18, 1918. With the remark, “I will get them” he seized a rifle and a trench-mortar shell that he used as a hand grenade, left his detachment, and advanced ahead of the infantry. He captured weapons and 19 of the enemy.
Sergeant Earle D. Gregory
On the night of July 6, he was supervising the reinforcement of defensive positions when the enemy attacked. Voluntarily going to the area most threatened, he led a counterattack. In the bitter fighting that ensued, he killed two enemy soldiers with his trench knife. He fought side by side with his men through the night. Despite heavy losses, the hostile force made an all-out attempt at dawn to overrun friendly elements. On the afternoon of July 7, after 18 hours of heavy fighting and having lost key personnel through casualties, he rallied a group of 20 men and again charged the enemy. Wounded in the action, he continued to move among the defenders of Pork Chop Hill. When the assaulting element was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire, he rushed the emplacement and, firing his carbine and lobbing grenades, neutralized the weapon and killed three of the enemy soldiers single-handedly. He coordinated and directed a holding action throughout the night and the following morning. On July 8, the enemy attacked again. Despite additional wounds he launched a determined counterattack and was last seen in close hand-to-hand combat with the enemy.
First Lieutenant Richard Thomas Shea Jr.
2nd Battalion Deputy Commandant
Commander Nate Brown
2nd Battalion Senior Enlisted Advisor
Command Master Chief Richard M. Curtis
Army
Crossed Rifles
He landed with the initial assault waves on the coast of France under heavy enemy fire. Without regard for his own safety, he continually moved up and down the beach, reorganizing men for further assault. He led the assault over a narrow protective ledge and across the flat, exposed terrain to the comparative safety of a cliff. Retracing his steps across the field to the beach, he moved over to where two tanks were buttoned up and blind under violent enemy artillery and machine gun fire. Completely exposed to the intense fire, he led the tanks on foot through a minefield and into firing positions.
First Lieutenant Jimmie W. Monteith Jr.
He was serving as a platoon leader at night when his company ambushed a hostile force infiltrating from Cambodian sanctuaries. After contact was broken, he led a reconnaissance patrol to search the area for enemy casualties. As the group advanced, it was attacked and he was seriously wounded. During the fight, an enemy grenade was thrown into the midst of his group. He threw himself on it, absorbing the force of the explosion with his body. His action saved nearby members of his patrol.
First Lieutenant Gary Lee Miller
3rd Battalion Deputy Commandant
Colonel Robert A. Shelton
3rd Battalion Senior Enlisted Advisor
Master Sergeant Charles Lilly
Air Force
Prop & Wings