Raymond Zussman

Guiding a tank attack on foot under enemy fire

Raymond Zussman earned the Medal of Honor at Noroy-le-Bourg, France, on September 12, 1944. A second lieutenant in Company A, 756th Tank Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, he commanded two tanks supporting an infantry attack.

When his command tank became stuck, Zussman went forward alone with a carbine, identifying enemy positions for the remaining tank. He repeatedly returned to direct its fire and transfer prisoners to the infantry. Moving through streets under machine-gun fire and grenades, he led the tank against roadblocks and occupied houses. The action resulted in 92 enemy soldiers captured.

Born in Hamtramck, Michigan, on July 23, 1917, Zussman died in France on September 21, 1944, nine days after the action. His Medal of Honor was presented to his father during a graduation ceremony at the U.S. Army Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on May 24, 1945. He is buried at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale, Michigan.

Medal of Honor citation

On 12 September 1944, 2d Lt. Zussman was in command of two tanks operating with an infantry company in the attack on enemy forces occupying the town of Noroy-le-bourg, France. At 7:00 P.M., his command tank bogged down. Throughout the ensuing action, armed only with a carbine, he reconnoitered alone on foot far in advance of his remaining tank and the infantry. Returning only from time to time to designate targets, he directed the action of the tank and turned over to the infantry the numerous German soldiers he had caused to surrender. He located a road block and directed his tanks to destroy it. Fully exposed to fire from enemy positions only 50 yards distant, he stood by his tank directing its fire. Three Germans were killed and eight surrendered. Again he walked before his tank, leading it against an enemy-held group of houses, machine-gun and small-arms fire kicking up dust at his feet. The tank fire broke the resistance and 20 enemy surrendered. Going forward again alone he passed an enemy-occupied house from which Germans fired on him and threw grenades in his path. After a brief firefight, he signaled his tank to come up and fire on the house. Eleven German soldiers were killed and 15 surrendered. Going on alone, he disappeared around a street corner. The fire of his carbine could be heard and in a few minutes he reappeared driving 30 prisoners before him. Under 2d Lt. Zussman's heroic and inspiring leadership, 18 enemy soldiers were killed and 92 captured.