Eric G. Gibson

Leading new soldiers and clearing positions near Isola Bella

Eric Gunnar Gibson earned a posthumous Medal of Honor near Isola Bella, Italy, on 28 January 1944. A company cook and technician fifth grade with Company I, 30th Infantry, he led replacement soldiers into their first battle. Advancing ahead of them along a stream ditch, Gibson attacked successive enemy positions with his submachine gun and grenades. He secured his company’s left flank and overcame four positions despite artillery and cross-fire. Gibson was killed while reconnoitering and attacking another outpost ahead of his squad.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 28 January 1944, near Isola Bella, Italy, Tech. 5th Grade Gibson, company cook, led a squad of replacements through their initial baptism of fire, destroyed four enemy positions, killed five, and captured two German soldiers, and secured the left flank of his company during an attack on a strongpoint. Placing himself 50 yards in front of his new men, Gibson advanced down the wide stream ditch known as the Fossa Femminamorta, keeping pace with the advance of his company. An enemy soldier allowed Tech. 5th Grade Gibson to come within 20 yards of his concealed position and then opened fire on him with a machine pistol. Despite the stream of automatic fire which barely missed him, Gibson charged the position, firing his submachine gun every few steps. Reaching the position, Gibson fired point-blank at his opponent, killing him. An artillery concentration fell in and around the ditch; the concussion from one shell knocked him flat. As he got to his feet Gibson was fired on by two soldiers armed with a machine pistol and a rifle from a position only 75 yards distant. Gibson immediately raced toward the foe. Halfway to the position a machine gun opened fire on him. Bullets came within inches of his body, yet Gibson never paused in his forward movement. He killed one and captured the other soldier. Shortly after, when he was fired upon by a heavy machine gun 200 yards down the ditch, Gibson crawled back to his squad and ordered it to lay down a base of fire while he flanked the emplacement. Despite all warnings, Gibson crawled 125 yards through an artillery concentration and the crossfire of two machine guns which showered dirt over his body, threw two hand grenades into the emplacement, and charged it with his submachine gun, killing two of the enemy and capturing a third. Before leading his men around a bend in the stream ditch, Gibson went forward alone to reconnoiter. Hearing an exchange of machine pistol and submachine-gun fire, Gibson's squad went forward to find that its leader had run 35 yards toward an outpost, killed the machine pistol man, and had himself been killed while firing at the Germans.