Congressional Medal
of Honor for Sgt. Logan

For conspicuous gallantry and intrapidity at risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, Sergeant James T. Logan of Luling, Texas is to receive the nation's highest award.

As a riflemen of Company I, Sergeant (then Private) Logan landed with the first wave of the assault echelon on the beaches of the Gulf of Salerno last September. Despite fierce resistance Company I advanced 800 yards inland and took positions along a canal which ran parallel with the beach. Shortly before dawn the enemy counterattacked with tanks and infantry in effort to drive the as yet unsecure beachhead back into the sea. After a fierce close-in struggle which necessitated the use of individual defences, the tanks were driven back but the infantry continue the attack.

An enemy machine-gun squad behind a stone wall directly in front of Company I maintained a withering fire, which swept across the forward bank of the canal. The enemy attempted an advance toward Company I positions. Realizing the enemy's intentions, Sgt. Logon immediately scrambled up the bank of the canal exposing himself to furious fire of the machine gun. Taking careful aim, he covered the enemy soildiers with his rifle as they broke out of their positions and took cover, with three shots, killed the first three. The enemy then ceased its attempts to advance, but the machine gun continued.

Sergeant Logan voluntarily left the cover offered by the canal and advanced across open terrain with machine gun bullets trained on his advance. He rushed on in face of almost certain death until he reached the protection of the wall. The enemy so close on the opposite side they could have reached over and touched Sgt. Logan, as he crouched along the base of the wall, were unaware of his movements till he advanced to a point opposite the machine gun. Jumping up he shot the two gunners, then hurdled the wall and seized the gun turning it on the enemy who fled. Sgt Logan then smashed the gun over the wall, and turned in time to see 2 Germans attempting to sneak away from behind him. Covering them with his rifle he forced their surrender.

Returning to the scene of fighting, Logan was told that enemy snipers had been inflicting casualties on the men, one in particular, located in a house about 150 yards away. Immediately Sergeant Logan crossed the open terrain, running a gauntlet of fire, and again his luck held out as he reached the house. Finding the door locked, Sgt. Logan fired a shot through the lock and kicked the door open. As it swung open the sniper had reached the bottom of the stairs. Seizing the split-second it required for the sniper to grasp the situation, Logan shot the man down.

Several days later Sgt. Logan distinguished himself by voluntarily leading three reconnaissance patrols through mines fields and deep into enemy territory, each time bringing back invaluable information concerning the enemy.

Sgt. Logan's heroic actions, executed voluntarily and often in the face of almost certain death, resulted in the death of at least six of the enemy, plus additional casualties, the capture of an enemy officer and enlisted man, the destruction of a machine-gun nest, the break up of a strong enemy counter-attack, and aided materially in securing the beachhead.