Archer T. Gammon
Archer T. Gammon | |
|---|---|
Archer T. Gammon, Medal of Honor recipient | |
| Born | September 11, 1918 Chatham, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | January 11, 1945 (aged 26) near Bastogne, Belgium |
| Place of burial | Mountain View Cemetery, Danville, Virginia |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942 - 1945 |
| Rank | Staff Sergeant |
| Unit | 9th Armored Infantry Battalion, 6th Armored Division |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Archer T. Gammon (September 11, 1918 – January 11, 1945) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.
Gammon joined the Army from Roanoke, Virginia, in March 1942, and by January 11, 1945, was serving as a staff sergeant in Company A, 9th Armored Infantry Battalion, 6th Armored Division. On that day, near Bastogne, Belgium, he destroyed a German machine gun position before beginning a one-man assault on a Tiger Royal tank. He silenced a supporting machine gun emplacement and killed two infantrymen before he was killed by a shot from the tank. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on February 13, 1946.
Gammon, aged 26 at his death, was buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Danville, Virginia.