George W. G. Boyce Jr.

He covered a grenade with his body to shield the men nearby.

George W. G. Boyce Jr. was an Army officer serving with Troop A, 112th Cavalry Regimental Combat Team, in the south-west Pacific during the Second World War. He came from New York and entered military service before his fatal action in New Guinea.

On 23 July 1944, near Afua, his troop was ordered to relieve another unit surrounded by a larger Japanese force. As the leading platoons established a firing line, Boyce moved his own platoon to the right to strike the enemy flank. Heavy machine-gun, mortar and rifle fire stopped the advance.

Boyce continued forward to reconnoitre from a shallow depression. A volley of grenades fell around him, including one between him and the soldiers following close behind. With no time to throw it clear, he deliberately covered it with his body. The explosion killed him, but his action protected the men beside him. His example helped the platoon renew its attack and contributed to the successful relief of the isolated unit.

The Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously in February 1945. Boyce is buried at Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. An Army transport, later operated by the Navy as the cargo ship Lt. George W. G. Boyce, carried his name after the war, extending the commemoration of his sacrifice beyond the battlefield.