JULY 12, 1944

CHEROKEE SGT ROY W. HARMON KILLED IN ACTION-EARNS MEDAL OF HONOR

Born in Talala, Oklahoma, in 1915, Harmon served in the U.S. Army during World War II, assigned to  Company C, 362nd Infantry Regiment, 91st Infantry Division.  Near Casaglia, Italy, while acting as squad leader, he single-handedly attacked three German machinegun positions which were firing on a friendly platoon.  He destroyed one position and, despite being wounded on his approach, continued to silence another.  Despite being hit and knocked back and mortally wounded while attacking the third position, he still managed to hurl his grenade destroying it.  For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on October 2, 1945.  Harmon was buried at the Florence American Cemetery in Florence, Italy. 

Source:  “Roy W. Harmon,”  Medal of Honor recipients – World War II (G–L), United States Army Center of Military History.  Retrieved 7/6/2019, https://history.army.mil/html/moh/wwII-g-l.html
Photo:  U.S. Army, circa 1941-1944.  Public Domain.  Photograph taken by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.