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World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Tech Sergeant Vernon McGarity, US Army
CITATION:
Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company L, 393d Infantry, 99th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Krinkelt, Belgium, 16 December 1944. Entered service at: Model, Tenn. Born: 1 December 1921, Right, Tenn. G.O. No.: 6, 11 January 1946. Citation: He was painfully wounded in an artillery barrage that preceded the powerful counteroffensive launched by the Germans near Krinkelt, Belgium, on the morning of 16 December 1944. He made his way to an aid station, received treatment, and then refused to be evacuated, choosing to return to his hard-pressed men instead. The fury of the enemy's great Western Front offensive swirled about the position held by T/Sgt. McGarity's small force, but so tenaciously did these men fight on orders to stand firm at all costs that they could not be dislodged despite murderous enemy fire and the breakdown of their communications. During the day the heroic squad leader rescued 1 of his friends who had been wounded in a forward position, and throughout the night he exhorted his comrades to repulse the enemy's attempts at infiltration. When morning came and the Germans attacked with tanks and infantry, he braved heavy fire to run to an advantageous position where he immobilized the enemy's lead tank with a round from a rocket launcher. Fire from his squad drove the attacking infantrymen back, and 3 supporting tanks withdrew. He rescued, under heavy fire, another wounded American, and then directed devastating fire on a light cannon which had been brought up by the hostile troops to clear resistance from the area. When ammunition began to run low, T/Sgt. McGarity, remembering an old ammunition hole about 100 yards distant in the general direction of the enemy, braved a concentration of hostile fire to replenish his unit's supply. By circuitous route the enemy managed to emplace a machinegun to the rear and flank of the squad's position, cutting off the only escape route. Unhesitatingly, the gallant soldier took it upon himself to destroy this menace single-handedly. He left cover, and while under steady fire from the enemy, killed or wounded all the hostile gunners with deadly accurate rifle fire and prevented all attempts to reman the gun. Only when the squad's last round had been fired was the enemy able to advance and capture the intrepid leader and his men. The extraordinary bravery and extreme devotion to duty of T/Sgt. McGarity supported a remarkable delaying action which provided the time necessary for assembling reserves and forming a line against which the German striking power was shattered.
(L-R) Charles Coolidge, Paul B. Huff, Charlie Morris, Vernon McGarity,
Charles McGaha. Morris is the only Medal of Honor Recipient not from Tennessee.
WORLD WAR II VETERANS LEAVE LEGACY OF FREEDOM
(Senate - October 17, 1995)
Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, there are defining moments in history, as there are in all our lives. World War II was one of those times. History stood still while men and women from nations around the world struggled mightily to determine which direction the future would take.
Fifty years ago, when that war ended, America embarked on a journey toward freedom--not suppression; toward peace--not war; and toward progress for all peoples--not ignorance, fear and darkness.
While we still are far from reaching the end of that journey, we know now, as we did then, that our path would have been quite different had not so many American men and women offered their country years of personal sacrifice. More than 400,000 Americans gave their lives, and their simple, dignified graves here and around the world mark their heritage far better than words.
Among that number more than 6,000 Tennesseans died on foreign battlefields during that great conflict. Yet today 150,000 Tennessee men and women who served their country so well 50 years ago still are living.
On October 11, 1995, the United States Congress held a rare joint Senate-House meeting in the chamber of the House of Representatives to honor our World War II veterans, and those who served on the home front. I was pleased to be able to invite a Tennessee war veteran to attend this ceremony, and was honored to welcome Brig. Gen. Enoch Stephenson of Columbia, TN.
A combat pilot during the war, Stephenson flew 66 combat missions in a P-51 Mustang for the 8th Air Force, including missions over Berlin, Poland, and Czechoslovakia.
Stephenson, then a lieutenant based in Great Britain, normally `flew escort for heavy bombers--B-24s and B-17s--on their daylight raids,' as he recounted. `* * * As the Army started working its way across Europe, we continued to escort the bombers. But after they had completed their bomb run and were headed back to England, we'd leave them and go look for targets of opportunity.'
After the war Stephenson returned to Tennessee and took a position with the Third National Bank in Nashville. He also served in the Tennessee National Guard until he retired 24 years later. He is currently chairman of the World War II Memorial Trust--an organization focused on creating a World War II memorial on the Tennessee Bicentennial walk planned for Nashville.
During his career Stephenson received the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters and the European Battlefield Ribbon with four Battle Stars.
But Stephenson represented more than one man when he traveled to Washington for the special ceremony and recognition. Sitting with him in that congressional Chamber were all of Tennessee's World War II veterans, living and dead.
With him was Sgt. Charles H. Coolidge of Signal Mountain who served in the 36th Infantry Division in France. On October 24, 1944, Coolidge's company was under heavy enemy tank and machine gun fire delivered at close range. Coolidge picked up a bazooka and moved to within 25 yards of the tanks. When the bazooka failed to function he threw it aside, crawled even closer and armed only with hand grenades inflicted heavy casualties on the advancing enemy.
With him was Sgt. Vernon McGarity of Memphis who served in the 99th Infantry Division. On December 16, 1944, near Krinkelt, Belgium, McGarity was wounded in an artillery barrage. After being treated at an aid station, he refused evacuation and returned to the men of his squad. Then, in the thick of battle and under heavy fire, he separately rescued two wounded American soldiers, immobilized the lead tank of the enemy with a rocket launcher, and ran through concerted enemy fire to recover ammunition critical to his unit's ability to continue the fight. When his squad was pinned down by a German machine gun, McGarity left cover, charged the machine gun, and single-handedly killed or wounded all the enemy gunners.
Also with Stephenson in that stately congressional Chamber was 1st Lt. Hugh B. Mott of Nashville who served in the 9th Armored Engineer Battalion in Germany. On March 7, 1945, Mott arrived with his unit at Remagen Bridge which crossed the Rhine River. Although the bridge was protected by enemy demolition charges and intense sniper, machine gun and 20 mm fire, Mott ran along the entire length of the bridge cutting the wires leading to the demolitions. By doing this he prevented the immediate destruction of the bridge and enabled U.S. forces to establish a bridge head on the east bank of the Rhine River.
Following the war Mott joined the Tennessee National Guard, from which he retired as a major general. He served in the State Legislature, and for several years was the chief of police in Nashville.
Mott was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, among other honors. Both Coolidge and McGarity were recipients of the Nation's highest battlefield award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
It is sometimes hard to believe that a half-century has passed since heroes like Enoch Stephenson, Charles Coolidge, Vernon McGarity, Hugh Mott--and so many others--left their homes and families to travel into hell.
Time, however, will never diminish their sacrifices and service to our Nation. For, quite simply, their legacy is nothing less than the freedom we enjoy today. And that is the most important legacy anyone can leave.
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