Walter J. Williams

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Walter J. Will, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry during an attack on powerful enemy positions on 30 March 1945, while serving with Company K, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action at Eisern, Germany. First Lieutenant Will courageously exposed himself to withering hostile fire to rescue two wounded men and then, although painfully wounded himself, made a third trip to carry another soldier to safety from an open area. Ignoring the profuse bleeding of his wound, he gallantly led men of his platoon forward until they were pinned down by murderous flanking fire from two enemy machineguns. He fearlessly crawled alone to within 30 feet of the first enemy position, killed the crew of four and silenced the gun with accurate grenade fire. He continued to crawl through intense enemy fire to within 20 feet of the second position where he leaped to his feet, made a lone, ferocious charge and captured the gun and its nine-man crew. Observing another platoon pinned down by two more German machineguns, he led a squad on a flanking approach and, rising to his knees in the face of direct fire, coolly and deliberately lobbed three grenades at the Germans, silencing one gun and killing its crew. With tenacious aggressiveness, he ran toward the other gun and knocked it out with grenade fire. He then returned to his platoon and led it in a fierce, inspired charge, forcing the enemy to fall back in confusion. First Lieutenant Will was mortally wounded in this last action, but his heroic leadership, indomitable courage, and unflinching devotion to duty live on as a perpetual inspiration to all those who witnessed his deeds.

General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 88, October 17, 1945

Action Date: 30-Mar-45

Service: Army

Rank: First Lieutenant

Company: Company K

Regiment: 18th Infantry Regiment

Division: 1st Infantry Division