CHARLES A. MACGILLIVARY
SERGEANT, US ARMY

"I always remember the men who fought along side of me, the men we had to leave behind. They are the real heroes. They died for their country, our country and freedom. There were so many so much younger that never saw beyond their youth" -Charles A. MacGillivary, Medal of Honor recipient, I Company, 71st Infantry Regiment, 44th Infantry Division.

On January 1, 1945 at the age of 27, Charles Andrew MacGillivary, went beyond what is expected of an infantry soldier. By the end of the day Sgt. MacGillivary had, armed with a machinegun and hand grenades, single-handedly knocked out 4 German machinegun nests and had killed 36 German SS soldiers. This act of bravery cost him his left arm, but ultimately saved many American lives. For his bravery Sgt. MacGillivary was awarded the Medal of Honor. Charles MacGillivary died on June 24, 2000. He is buried among heroes at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 48, Grave 568.

Sgt. MacGillivary being awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman.

MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION

Rank and organization: Sergeant, US Army, Company I, 71st Infantry Regiment, 44th Infantry Division.

Place and Date: Near Woelfling, France, 1 January 1945.

Entered service at: Boston, Massachusetts.

Birth: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

General Orders Number: 77, 10 September 1945.

He led a squad when his unit moved forward in darkness to meet the threat of a breakthrough by elements of the 17th German Panzer Grenadier Division. Assigned to protect the left flank, he discovered hostile troops digging in. As he reported this information, several German machineguns opened fire, stopping the American advance.

Knowing the position of the enemy, Sergeant MacGillivary volunteered to knock out one of the guns while another company closed in from the right to assault the remaining strong points. He circled from the left through woods and snow, carefully worked his way to the emplacement and shot the two camouflaged gunners at a range of three feet as other enemy forces withdrew.

Early in the afternoon of the same day, Sergeant MacGillivary was dispatched on reconnaissance and found that Company I was being opposed by about 6 machineguns reinforcing a company of fanatically fighting Germans. His unit began an attack but was pinned down by furious automatic and small arms fire. With a clear idea of where the enemy guns were placed, he voluntarily embarked on a lone combat patrol.

Skillfully taking advantage of all available cover, he stalked the enemy, reached a hostile machinegun and blasted it's crew with a grenade. He picked up a submachinegun from the battlefield and pressed on to within ten yards of another machinegun, where the enemy crew discovered him and feverishly tried to swing their weapon into line to cut him down. He charged ahead, jumped into the midst of the Germans and killed them with several bursts. Without hesitation, he moved on to still another machinegun, creeping, crawling, and rushing from tree to tree, until close enough to toss a grenade into the emplacement and close with it's defenders. He dispatched this crew also, but was himself seriously wounded.

Through his indomitable fighting spirit, great initiative, and utter disregard for personal safety in the face of powerful enemy resistance, Sergeant MacGillivary destroyed four hostile machineguns and immeasurably helped his company to continue on it's mission with minimum casualties.

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Copyright 2002 by Timothy E Blaise