Thomas W. Wigle Second Lieutenant, United States Army |
![]() |
| Born
at Indianapolis, Indiana,May 18, 1908, he earned the Medal of Honor in
World War II while serving with Company K, 135th Infantry, 34th Infantry
Division at Monte Frassino, Italy, September 14, 1944. He was killed in
the action which earned the Medal.
He is buried in Section 34 of Arlington National
Cemetery.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 135th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. Place and date: Monte Frassino, Italy, 14 September 1944. Entered service at: Detroit, Michigan. Birth: Indianapolis, Indiana. G.O. No.: 8, 7 February 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in the vicinity of Monte
Frassino, Italy. The 3d Platoon, in attempting to seize a strongly fortified
hill position protected by 3 parallel high terraced stone walls, was twice
thrown back by the withering crossfire. 2d Lt. Wigle, acting company executive,
observing that the platoon was without an officer, volunteered to command
it on the next attack. Leading his men up the bare, rocky slopes through
intense and concentrated fire, he succeeded in reaching the first of the
stone walls. Having himself boosted to the top and perching there in full
view of the enemy, he drew and returned their fire while his men helped
each other up and over. Following the same method, he successfully negotiated
the second. Upon reaching the top of the third wall, he faced 3 houses
which were the key point of the enemy defense. Ordering his men to cover
him, he made a dash through a hail of machine-pistol fire to reach the
nearest house. Firing his carbine as he entered, he drove the enemy before
him out of the back door and into the second house. Following closely on
the heels of the foe, he drove them from this house into the third where
they took refuge in the cellar. When his men rejoined him, they found him
mortally wounded on the cellar stairs which he had started to descend to
force the surrender of the enemy. His heroic action resulted in the capture
of 36 German soldiers and the seizure of the strongpoint.
Photo courtesy of Raymond L. Collins |
|