Gerald L. Endl

He carried wounded comrades to safety under heavy enemy fire

Gerald Leon Endl was born at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, on 20 August 1915, the son of Ferdinand and Ellen Endl. He graduated from high school in 1933 and worked as a Western Union messenger and later as a machinist making poultry equipment. He also spent a short period in the Wisconsin National Guard. He married Anna Marie on 1 January 1941.

Drafted into the Army in April 1941, Endl trained in Louisiana with the 128th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. The division deployed to the southwest Pacific in April 1942, training in Australia before entering combat in New Guinea. In December he was wounded in the shoulder and knee. After treatment in Australia he returned to his unit in May 1943 and advanced through sergeant to staff sergeant.

On 11 July 1944 his platoon was advancing along a trail near Anamo, New Guinea, when Japanese fire wounded its commander and threatened to surround the unit. Endl assumed control. With casualties increasing and several men cut off, he moved forward alone and engaged the enemy for approximately ten minutes, giving other soldiers time to withdraw.

Seven of the wounded had been cut off. After holding the enemy back while other soldiers helped evacuate casualties, Endl personally carried four men towards safety under continuing fire. While moving the last of these casualties, he was killed. His actions prevented the platoon's threatened destruction and enabled others to recover men who would otherwise have been left behind.

Endl received the Medal of Honor posthumously in March 1945. He died aged twenty-eight, after fighting in the Papua and New Guinea campaigns. His remains were eventually returned to Wisconsin for burial. His wife and family survived him, and his name became associated locally with the sacrifices of the 32nd Division in the Pacific.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 32d Infantry Division near Anamo, New Guinea, on 11 July 1944. S/Sgt. Endl was at the head of the leading platoon of his company advancing along a jungle trail when enemy troops were encountered and a firefight developed. The enemy attacked in force under heavy rifle, machinegun, and grenade fire. His platoon leader wounded, S/Sgt. Endl immediately assumed command and deployed his platoon on a firing line at the fork in the trail toward which the enemy attack was directed. The dense jungle terrain greatly restricted vision and movement, and he endeavored to penetrate down the trail toward an open clearing of Kunai grass. As he advanced, he detected the enemy, supported by at least 6 light and 2 heavy machineguns, attempting an enveloping movement around both flanks. His commanding officer sent a second platoon to move up on the left flank of the position, but the enemy closed in rapidly, placing our force in imminent danger of being isolated and annihilated. Twelve members of his platoon were wounded, 7 being cut off by the enemy. Realizing that if his platoon were forced farther back, these 7 men would be hopelessly trapped and at the mercy of a vicious enemy, he resolved to advance at all costs, knowing it meant almost certain death, in an effort to rescue his comrades. In the face of extremely heavy fire he went forward alone and for a period of approximately 10 minutes engaged the enemy in a heroic close-range fight, holding them off while his men crawled forward under cover to evacuate the wounded and to withdraw. Courageously refusing to abandon 4 more wounded men who were lying along the trail, 1 by 1 he brought them back to safety. As he was carrying the last man in his arms he was struck by a heavy burst of automatic fire and was killed. By his persistent and daring self-sacrifice and on behalf of his comrades, S/Sgt. Endl made possible the successful evacuation of all but 1 man, and enabled the 2 platoons to withdraw with their wounded and to reorganize with the rest of the company.