John W. Minick

He led his men through minefields under heavy enemy gunfire.

John W. Minick was born on 14 June 1908 in Wall, Pennsylvania. During the Second World War, he served as a staff sergeant with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division of the United States Army.

On 21 November 1944 near Hurtgen, Germany, minefields halted his battalion under artillery and mortar fire. Minick volunteered to lead four men forward. He crossed the first minefield, disabled machine-gun positions and engaged an enemy company, enabling his platoon to advance. While moving alone into another minefield, he detonated a mine and was killed.

Minick received the Medal of Honor posthumously. General Omar Bradley presented it to his widow on 11 December 1948. He is buried in Westminster Cemetery in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. His medal is held by the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Pittsburgh.

Medal of Honor citation

He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual conflict with the enemy on 21 November 1944, near Hurtgen, Germany. S/Sgt. Minick's battalion was halted in its advance by extensive minefields, exposing troops to heavy concentrations of enemy artillery and mortar fire. Further delay in the advance would result in numerous casualties, and a movement through the minefield was essential. Voluntarily, S/Sgt.

Minick led four men through hazardous barbed wire and debris, finally making his way through the minefield for a distance of 300 yards. When an enemy machine gun opened fire, he signaled his men to take covered positions, edged his way alone toward the flank of the weapon, and opened fire, killing two members of the guncrew and capturing three others.

Moving forward again, he encountered and engaged singlehandedly an entire company killing 20 Germans and capturing 20, and enabling his platoon to capture the remainder of the hostile group. Again moving ahead and spearheading his battalion's advance, he again encountered machine-gun fire. Crawling forward toward the weapon, he reached a point from which he knocked the weapon out of action. Still another minefield had to be crossed. Undeterred, S/Sgt.

Minick advanced forward alone through constant enemy fire and while thus moving, detonated a mine and was instantly killed.