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Calvary Cemetery
  60-53-1 

Born:  October 19, 1924 at Cleveland, OH

Entered Service in the US Army from Cleveland, OH

Earned The Medal of Honor During World War II For heroism September 21, 1944 at Oosterhout, Holland

The rifle company in which Private Towle served as rocket launcher gunner was occupying a defensive position in the west sector of the recently established Nijmegen bridgehead when a strong enemy force of approximately 100 infantry supported by two tanks and a half-track formed for a counterattack. Private Towle immediately and without orders left his foxhole and moved 200 yards in the face of intense small-arms fire to a position on an exposed dike roadbed. From this position he fired his rocket launcher and hit both tanks to his immediate front. Armored skirting on them prevented penetration by the projectiles, but both vehicles withdrew slightly damaged. Still under intense fire and exposed to the enemy, Private Towle engaged a nearby house which nine Germans had entered and were using as a strongpoint and with one round killed all nine. Replenishing his ammunition, he then rushed approximately 125 yards through grazing enemy fire to an exposed position from which he could engage the enemy half-track with his rocket launcher. While in a kneeling position preparatory to firing on the enemy vehicle, Private Towle was mortally wounded by a mortar shell.