Medal of Honor to 24 Army veterans: WWII hero Staff Sergeant Salvador J. Lara
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| Pfc. Salvador J. Lara |
Pfc. Salvador J. Lara will receive the Medal of Honor
posthumously for his courageous actions while serving as the Squad
Leader of a rifle squad with 2d Platoon, Company L, 180th Infantry, 45th
Infantry Division during combat operations against an armed enemy in
Aprilia, Italy on May 27 and 28, 1944.
He joined the U.S. Army and served during World War II.
Then-Pfc. Salvador Lara is being recognized for his valorous actions
in Aprilia, Italy, May 27-28, 1944. During the fight, May 27, he
aggressively led his rifle squad in neutralizing multiple enemy strong
points and inflicting large numbers of casualties on the enemy. The next
morning, as his company resumed the attack, Lara sustained a severe leg
wound, but did not stop to receive first aid. Lara continued his
exemplary performance until he captured his objective.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Lara received the Distinguished
Service Cross (this award will be upgraded to the Medal of Honor on Mar. 18), Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal,
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service
Stars, World War II Victory Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and
Combat Infantryman Badge and the Honorable Service Lapel Button-World
War II.
Staff Sergeant Salvador J. Lara, Infantry, Company L, 180th Infantry,
for extraordinary heroism in action on May 27-28, 1944, near Aprila,
Italy.
During an attack on strongly fortified enemy positions, Staff Sgt.
Lara (then a Private First Class) led his rifle squad aggressively in
neutralizing one enemy strong-point after another and in killing large
numbers of the enemy. Having taken his initial objective, Lara observed
that the unit on his right was meeting stiff resistance from a large
enemy force, well entrenched in a deep ditch. Taking three men with him,
he attacked a wide section of the enemy position, killing four of the
enemy, forcing 15 others to surrender, and causing two enemy mortar
crews to abandon their weapons.
His fearless and efficient performance enabled his own unit, as well
as the unit on his right to continue their objective. When his company
resumed the attack the following morning, Lara sustained a severe leg
wound, but did not stop to receive first-aid, saying that his men needed
him in the attack. His company suffered heavy casualties as a result of
withering machine-gun fire coming from an enemy strong-point on the
right flank. Requesting permission to take a Browning automatic rifle
and attempt to destroy the enemy machine-guns, Lara crawled alone toward
the nearest machine-gun, manned by three determined Germans.
Despite his painful wounds and the extreme danger of the task, Lara
rose and unhesitatingly charged the nest, killing the three crew
members. Another machine-gun opened fire on him, but he quickly
neutralized this weapon with accurate fire from his BAR and killed three
more enemies. His aggressive attack forced two other machine-gun crews
to flee their weapons. After rejoining his company, Lara continued his
exemplary performance until he captured his objective.
Lara, who was born in Riverside, California, is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, Moselle, France
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