EVERHART, FORREST E.
Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant,
U.S. Army, Company H, 359th Infantry, 90th Infantry Division. Place and date:
Near Kerling, France, 12 November 1944. Entered service at: Texas City, Tex. Birth:
Bainbridge, Ohio. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945.
Citation:
He commanded a platoon that bore the brunt of a desperate enemy counterattack near
Korling, France, before dawn on 12 November 1944. When German tanks and self-propelled
guns penetrated his left flank and overwhelming infantry forces threatened to overrun the
1 remaining machinegun in that section, he ran 400 yards through woods churned by
artillery and mortar concentrations to strengthen the defense. With the 1 remaining
gunner, he directed furious fire into the advancing hordes until they swarmed close to the
position. He left the gun, boldly charged the attackers and, after a 15-minute exchange of
hand grenades, forced them to withdraw leaving 30 dead behind. He re-crossed the
fire-swept terrain to his then threatened right flank, exhorted his men and directed
murderous fire from the single machinegun at that position. There, in the light of
bursting mortar shells, he again closed with the enemy in a hand grenade duel and, after a
fierce 30-minute battle, forced the Germans to withdraw leaving another 20 dead. The
gallantry and intrepidity of T/Sgt. Everhart in rallying his men and refusing to fall back
in the face of terrible odds were highly instrumental in repelling the fanatical enemy
counterattack directed at the American bridgehead across the Moselle River.
