Herbert F Christian
Herbert was born in Byesville, Ohio, on the 18th of June 1912, and although not much of his early life is documented, it is known that he spent time in the Ohio Boy’s Industrial School, a reform school for juvenile male offenders. After his time there, Herbert worked as a truck driver and was married to Katherine in January of 1939 and the couple had a son the following year. In November of 1942, he was drafted into the US Army, and nineteen months later, he would find himself deployed to Italy in support of World War 2. It was his actions with Company E, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division that would cost him his life and later earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 2-3 June 1944, at 1:00 A.M., Pvt. Christian elected to sacrifice his life in order that his comrades might extricate themselves from an ambush. Braving massed fire of about 60 riflemen, three machine guns, and three tanks from positions only 30 yards distant, he stood erect and signaled to the patrol to withdraw. The whole area was brightly illuminated by enemy flares. Although his right leg was severed above the knee by cannon fire, Pvt. Christian advanced on his left knee and the bloody stump of his right thigh, firing his submachine gun. Despite excruciating pain, Pvt. Christian continued on his self-assigned mission. He succeeded in distracting the enemy and enabled his 12 comrades to escape. He killed three enemy soldiers almost at once. Leaving a trail of blood behind him, he made his way forward 20 yards, halted at a point within 10 yards of the enemy, and despite intense fire killed a machine-pistol man. Reloading his weapon, he fired directly into the enemy position. The enemy appeared enraged at the success of his ruse, concentrated 20-mm machine-gun, machine-pistol and rifle fire on him, yet he refused to seek cover. Maintaining his erect position, Pvt. Christian fired his weapon to the very last. Just as he emptied his submachine gun, the enemy bullets found their mark and Pvt. Christian slumped forward dead. The courage and spirit of self-sacrifice displayed by this soldier were an inspiration to his comrades and are keeping with the highest traditions of the Armed Forces.
While the citation implies that Herbert acted alone in these actions, he was actually joined by Elden Johnson, the patrol’s Browning Automatic Rifle man. Both men would receive the Medal of Honor posthumously and Herbert’s son was presented his father’s Medal on the 18th of June 1945, in a ceremony at Fort Hayes, Ohio. That day would have been Herbert’s 33rd birthday. Herbert Franklyn Christian is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in his hometown of Byesville, Ohio.
