Private First Class Melvin Earl Biddle earns a Medal of Honour

This Division was deployed to counter the German offensive in the Ardennes area of Belgium in December 1944. Biddle was in Company B, 1st Battalion, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment, US 82nd Airborne Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honour for action close to this spot.

Biddle‘s medal citation states:

‘He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy near Soy, Belgium, on 23 and 24 December 1944. Serving as lead scout during an attack to relieve the enemy encircled town of Hotton, he aggressively penetrated a densely wooded area, advanced 400 yards until he came within range of intense enemy rifle fire, and within 20 yards of enemy positions killed three snipers with unerring marksmanship.

Courageously continuing his advance an additional 200 yards, he discovered a hostile machine gun position and dispatched its two occupants. He then located approximate positions of a well concealed enemy machine gun nest, and crawling forward three hand grenades which killed two Germans and fatally wounded a third.

After signalling his company to advance, he entered a determined line of enemy defence, cooly and deliberately shifted his position, and shot three more enemy soldiers. Undaunted by enemy fire, he crawled within 20 yards of a machine gun nest, tossed his last hand grenade into the positions, and after the explosion charged the emplacement firing his rifle.

When night fell, he scouted enemy positions alone for several hours and returned with valuable information which enabled our attacking infantry and armour to knock out two enemy tans. At daybreak he again led the advance and, when flanking elements were pinned down by enemy fire, without hesitation made his way toward a hostile machine gun position and from a distance of 50 yards killed the crew and two supporting riflemen. The remainder of the enemy, finding themselves without automatic weapon support, fled panic stricken.

PFC Biddle’s intrepid courage and superb daring during his 20 hour action enabled his battalion to break the enemy grasp on Hotton with a minimum of casualties.’