b. 01/05/1921 Isney, Alabama. d. 18/07/1988 Waynesboro, Mississippi.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 16/11/1944 near Hamich, Germany.
Jake W Lindsey MOH
Lindsey joined the Army from Huntington, West Virginia in February 1940 after working as a plasterer as a civilian, and by November 16, 1944 was serving as a technical sergeant in the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. On that day, near Hamich, Germany, he held a position in front of his platoon during an enemy counterattack and, although wounded, engaged a group of Germans in hand to hand combat. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor six months later.
Lindsey is unique among Medal of Honor recipients in that he personally received his medal before a joint session of Congress. President Harry Truman and General of the Army George C. Marshall presented Lindsey with his award on May 21, 1945. Lindsey later served in the Korean War and left the Army while a second lieutenant. He died at age 67 and was buried in Whitehouse Cemetery, Clara, Mississippi.
MOH CITATION:
For gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Technical Sergeant Jake W. Lindsey led a platoon, reduced to six of its original strength of forty, in the attack on an enemy position near Hamich, Germany, 16 November 1944. His men had captured their objective and were digging in when counterattacked by a German infantry company and five tanks. Armed with a rifle and grenades, TSgt. Lindsey took position on the left and in advance of the remnant of his platoon, and though exposed to heavy rifle, machine-gun and tank fire, beat off repeated enemy attacks. Tanks moved to within 50 yards of him but were forced to withdraw because of his accurate rifle and grenade fire. After driving off the tanks, he knocked out two machine guns to his front. Though painfully wounded, TSgt. Lindsey continued firing and throwing grenades until his ammunition was expended. An enemy squad attempted to set up a machine gun 50 yards from him. Unmindful of his wounds and enemy fire, he rushed these eight German soldiers, singlehandedly closed with them, killed three with his bayonet, and captured three, the two others escaping. In his fearlessness, inspiring courage and superb leadership, TSgt. Lindsey carried on a brilliant defense of his platoon’s hard-won ground, securing the position and inflicting heavy casualties on the numerically superior enemy.
BURIAL LOCATION: WHITE HOUSE CEMETERY, WAYNESBORO, MISSISSIPPI.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: BELIEVED TO BE FAMILY.
