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TAPS
Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky,
Gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Then good night, Peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn
Shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night. |
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BORN:
June 08, 1916 at Johnstown, PA
Entered Service in the US
Army from Johnstown, PA
Earned
The Medal of Honor During World War II For heroism on
November 23, 1944 at St. Pravel, France
DIED: November
19, 1955 at the age of 39
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First
Lieutenant Silk commanded a weapons platoon when the end
battalion was assigned the mission of seizing high ground
overlooking Moyenmoutier, France, prior to an attack on the city
itself. His company jumped off in the lead at dawn and by noon
reached the edge of a woods where scouts saw an enemy sentry
guarding a farmhouse in a valley below. One squad was pinned
down by intense enemy fire from the house. Deploying his
machinegun section, Lieutenant Silk returned fire, but when 15
minutes had elapsed decided to eliminate the strong point by a
one-man attack. Running 100 yards across an open field to a low
stone wall in front of the farmhouse, he fired into the door and
windows and then vaulted the wall and dashed 50 yards through a
hail of bullets to the left side of the house. He then hurled a
grenade through a window and killed the two gunners. He drew
fire from a second machinegun in a woodshed but rushed this
position in the face of direct fire and killed the gunners. His
supply of grenades exhausted, he dashed back to the side of the
farmhouse and threw rocks through a window, demanding the
surrender of the remaining enemy. Twelve Germans, confused by
his unorthodox methods, gave up to the lone American.
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