The Decoy Doughboy

Souvenir Edition -- Printed in Czechoslovakia

May 23, 1945. -- Publishes by and for the men of the 18th Combat Team. -- First Infantry Division, U. S. Army.

Sgt. Thompson Latest Medal of Honor Man

'K' Company has been unofficially notified that one of its platoon sergeants, T/Sgt. Max Thompson, has been awarded the Nation's highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, for his "one-man riot-act" around the pillboxes of Ravels "B" during the bitter battle of Aachen last fall.

The formal citation order can not tell the full story of his work on that cold and rainy day back in October, but an eye witness account by Staff Sergeant James E. Osborne, his fighting buddy and member of the platoon at the time, gives a realistic picture of the action.

"It was on the morning of October 18th, 1944, that the Krauts threw a helluva big counterattack at the battalion; trying to drive us off the hill, which we nicknamed, "Ravels B". They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us in one hour before they sent one of the biggest infantry attacks I have ever seen before or since. They used more tanks than I like to count at one time and more half-tracks."

"God, it was miserable! I mean the weather; wet, muddy, and cold, some of our weapons wouldn't operate. Jerry machine guns opened up, and the casualties were starting to mount. One of the guys mentioned surrender and then Max started in. He said, "When you're the last man up here, then you can do what you want, but until then we'll keep fighting".

Then he went into his act. He was like a tiger on the loose; he led a squad against a Jerry machine-gun, and he, himself, xxxx xxx out the crew. He'd run out of ammo and then get himself another weapon from a dead buddy. He fired M-1s, carbine bazookas and even an abandoned 60 mm mortar.

"All day long he was into it with the Jerries. I don't know how one guy could do it but I can verify that he personally knocked out two tanks with rifle grenades and bazooka. He killed scores of Kraut with that crazy courage of his and the strangest part if it was his tirelesness. He kept going hour after hour, keeping our guys punching, always in the thick of it, until darkness. Even then he still had one more deal to pull."

"It's hard to believe but what was left of us, saw it. He took out a patrol to recapture a pillbox that night. Most of the Hun had taken off when the counterattack was repulsed but one pill box remained in Jerry hands. We were all so tired we could hardly walk, but the thought of one mistake and we'd all be goners, kept us on our toes."

"Less than 100 yards from the "box", Nazi machinegun fire opened up. We hit the dirt, but not Max. He fingered his grenade bag and took off. Throwing grenades as he ran, he was wounded by their shrapnel, but he never quit. He got up to that pill box and threw two more grenades. The Krauts inside waved the white flag and hollered "kamerad". I half-think the Jerries in that box recognized Max's voice from the previous afternoon and figured they damn well give up."

That was the story as told by a member of Sgt. Thompson's platoon. A story of the muddy, weary, shell-hardened doughboy who was inspired to deed of great heroism.

Thompson's award of the Medal of Honor is, the fifth to be a member of the 18th Infantry Regiment. Other holders of America's highest award are: Pvt Carlton W. Barrett, for his work on the beach June 6, 1944, Lt. Walter D. Ehlers (then Staff Sergeant) for a series of acts June 9 and 10, 1944 while  the Regiment was fighting inland to the La-Vacquerie-Caumont sector:

S/Sergeant Arthur F. DeFranzo (posthumously) For action near Vaubadon, France, June 10, 1944.