b. 15/09/1921 Baltimore, Maryland. d. 08/09/1944 near Les Coates, Brittany, France.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 08/09/1944 near Les Coates, Brittany, France.
Ernest W Prussman MOH
He was born in 1921 in Baltimore, Maryland to Herbert Werner Prussman. Prussman joined the Army from Brighton, Massachusetts in October 1942 and by September 8, 1944, was serving as a private first class in the 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division. On that day, near Loscoat (now an industrial district of Brest) in Brittany, France, Prussman advanced ahead of his unit and single-handedly captured several enemy soldiers and destroyed a machine gun nest before being killed. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor seven months later, on April 19, 1945. The Medal was presented to his mother by Major General Sherman A. Miles at Massachusetts’ Patriots Day on Boston Common.
Prussman was buried at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-James, Normandy, France.
MOH CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 September 1944, near Les Coates, Brittany, France. When the advance of flank companies of two battalions was halted by intense enemy mortar, machine-gun, and sniper fire from a fortified position on his left, Pfc. Prussman maneuvered his squad to assault the enemy fortifications. Hurdling a hedgerow, he came upon two enemy riflemen whom he disarmed. After leading his squad across an open field to the next hedgerow, he advanced to a machine-gun position, destroyed the gun, captured its crew and two riflemen. Again advancing ahead of his squad in the assault, he was mortally wounded by an enemy rifleman, but as he fell to the ground he threw a hand grenade, killing his opponent. His superb leadership and heroic action at the cost of his life so demoralized the enemy that resistance at this point collapsed, permitting the two battalions to continue their advance.
BURIAL LOCATION: ABMC BRITTANY CEMETERY, ST JAMES, FRANCE.
PLOT A, ROW 12, GRAVE 14.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: FAMILY.
