HALL, GEORGE J.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S.
Army, 135th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Anzio, Italy, 23
May 1944. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Born: 9 January 1921, Stoneham,
Mass. G.O. No: 24, 6 April 1945.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of
duty. Attacking across flat, open terrain under direct enemy observation, S/Sgt. Hall's
company was pinned down by grazing fire from 3 enemy machineguns and harassing sniper
fire. S/Sgt. Hall volunteered to eliminate these obstacles in the path of advance.
Crawling along a plowed furrow through furious machinegun fire, he made his way to a point
within hand grenade range of 1 of the enemy positions. He pounded the enemy with 4 hand
grenades, and when the smoke had died away, S/Sgt. Hall and 2 dead Germans occupied the
position, while 4 of the enemy were crawling back to our lines as prisoners. Discovering a
quantity of German potato-masher grenades in the position, S/Sgt. Hall engaged the second
enemy nest in a deadly exchange of grenades. Each time he exposed himself to throw a
grenade the Germans fired machinegun bursts at him. The vicious duel finally ended in
S/Sgt. Hall's favor with 5 of the enemy surrendered and 5 others lay dead. Turning his
attention to the third machinegun, S/Sgt. Hall left his position and crawled along a
furrow, the enemy firing frantically in an effort to halt him. As he neared his final
objective, an enemy artillery concentration fell on the area, and S/Sgt. Hall's right leg
was severed by a shellburst. With 2 enemy machineguns eliminated, his company was able to
flank the third and continue its advance without incurring excessive casualties. S/Sgt.
Hall's fearlessness, his determined fighting spirit, and his prodigious combat skill
exemplify the heroic tradition of the American Infantryman.
