*GRABIARZ, WILLIAM J.
Rank and organization: Private First Class,
U.S. Army. Troop E, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Manila,
Luzon, Philippine Islands, 23 February 1945. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Birth:
Buffalo, N.Y. G.O. No: 115, 8 December 1945.
Citation:
He was a scout when the unit advanced with tanks along a street in Manila, Luzon,
Philippine Islands. Without warning, enemy machinegun and rifle fire from concealed
positions in the Customs building swept the street, striking down the troop commander and
driving his men to cover. As the officer lay in the open road, unable to move and
completely exposed to the pointblank enemy fire, Pfc. Grabiarz voluntarily ran from behind
a tank to carry him to safety, but was himself wounded in the shoulder. Ignoring both the
pain in his injured useless arm and his comrades' shouts to seek the cover which was only
a few yards distant, the valiant rescuer continued his efforts to drag his commander out
of range. Finding this impossible, he rejected the opportunity to save himself and
deliberately covered the officer with his own body to form a human shield, calling as he
did so for a tank to maneuver into position between him and the hostile emplacement. The
enemy riddled him with concentrated fire before the tank could interpose itself. Our
troops found that he had been successful in preventing bullets from striking his leader,
who survived. Through his magnificent sacrifice in gallantly giving his life to save that
of his commander, Pfc. Grabiarz provided an outstanding and lasting inspiration to his
fellow soldiers.
