James Marshall

JAMES MARSHALL, Private, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment, United States Army, for gallantry in action near Baraquements, France, on 30 August 1944. While proceeding on a mounted reconnaissance patrol, the vehicle in front of the one in which Private Marshall was riding, was ambushed by the enemy and all occupants wounded. Although the ambushed vehicle was continuously under heavy machine gun fire, Private Marshall and another soldier, disregarding their own safety, left their vehicle which was in a protected position, and crawled along the road to the ambushed vehicle. Of the five wounded soldiers, two were able to crawl to a point of safety from whence they were later taken to an aid station.  The other three soldiers wore badly wounded and could not move without some assistance. The enemy evidently believed that all occupants of the vehicle had been killed for they ceased firing. Moving as fast as circumstances would permit, Private Marshall, assisted by the other soldier succeeded in evacuating two of the wounded, the third wounded soldier was still in the vehicle making it necessary for the rescue party to stand up in plain view of the enemy to lift the wounded man out.  The wounded soldier had just been raised when the enemy again opened fire upon the vehicle, causing the men to take cover. The machine gun fire continued intermittently for thirty minutes, sweeping the area and preventing the men from moving.  The enemy then laid a concentration of mortar fire in their vicinity and two of the rounds hit the vehicle forcing Private Marshall and the other soldier to dash eighty yards from their exposed position to the rear of a stone wall.  Realizing that their comrade was then beyond the need of medical air, the men withdrew to their unit and reported the enemy location and type of weapons.  Private Marshall’s splendid example or courage, devotion to duty and utter disregard for his own safety when going to the aid of his wounded comrades, was a great inspiration to the members of his unit.  His courage and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.  Entered the military service from Chicago, Illinois.