Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

1st Lieutenant

Unit:

Company B, 1st Battalion, 399th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division "Century", U.S. Army

Awarded on:

October 6th, 1945

First Lt. William E. Sullivan, 01325944, Infantry, 399th Infantry
Regiment, for extraordinary heroism in action on March 16, 1945 in
the vicinity of Bitche, France. After helping to reduce enemy resistance emanating from two concrete pillboxes, Lieutenant Sullivan, a platoon leader, advanced alone toward the fortifications. Observing two Germans attempting an escape, he fired, killing one and wounding the other. Then, holding a grenade in readiness, he continued toward the encasement, and directed the enemy to surrender. When a German noncommissioned officer emerged, Lieutenant Sullivan used him as a hostage and advanced close to the entrance, repeating his directive. Eighty enemy, including a battalion commander and his 5-officer staff surrendered. Lieutenant Sullivan's heroic and inspiring single-handed action accounted for one machine-gun nest, two enemy casualties, and eighty prisoners. Entered military service from San Francisco, California.

Headquarters, Seventh U.S. Army, General Orders No. 585 (6 October 1945).

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

1st Lieutenant

Awarded on:

1945

Second Silver Star Medal received in the form of a bronze oak leaf cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first Silver Star Medal.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)