COOLEY, RAYMOND H.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant,
U.S. Army, Company B, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near
Lumboy, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 24 February 1945. Entered service at: Richard
City, Tenn. Born: 7 May 1914, Dunlap, Tenn. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September
1945.
Citation:
He was a platoon guide in an assault on a camouflaged entrenchment defended by
machineguns, rifles, and mortars. When his men were pinned down by 2 enemy machineguns, he
voluntarily advanced under heavy fire to within 20 yards of 1 of the guns and attacked it
with a hand grenade. The enemy, however, threw the grenade back at him before it could
explode. Arming a second grenade, he held it for several seconds of the safe period and
then hurled it into the enemy position, where it exploded instantaneously, destroying the
gun and crew. He then moved toward the remaining gun, throwing grenades into enemy
foxholes as he advanced. Inspired by his actions, 1 squad of his platoon joined him. After
he had armed another grenade and was preparing to throw it into the second machinegun
position, 6 enemy soldiers rushed at him. Knowing he could not dispose of the armed
grenade without injuring his comrades, because of the intermingling in close combat of the
men of his platoon and the enemy in the melee which ensued, he deliberately covered the
grenade with his body and was severely wounded as it exploded. By his heroic actions,
S/Sgt. Cooley not only silenced a machinegun and so inspired his fellow soldiers that they
pressed the attack and destroyed the remaining enemy emplacements, but also, in complete
disregard of his own safety, accepted certain injury and possible loss of life to avoid
wounding his comrades.
