Chris Carr
Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Recipient
World War II

Sergeant First Class Chris Carr (6 April 1914 - 16 September 1970) was a U.S. Army soldier and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War II.

Chris Carr was born Christos H. Karaberis on 6 April 1914 in Manchester, NH. He joined the Army from his hometown. On 1-2 October 1944, he was serving as a Sergeant in Company L, 337th Infantry Regiment, 85th Infantry Division. On those days near Guignola, Italy, he single-handedly attacked and captured five German machine gun emplacements. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company L, 337th Infantry, 85th Infantry Division.

Place and date: Near Guignola, Italy, 1-2 October 1944.

Citation: Leading a squad of Company L, he gallantly cleared the way for his company's approach along a ridge toward its objective, the Casoni di Remagna. When his platoon was pinned down by heavy fire from enemy mortars, machineguns, machine pistols, and rifles, he climbed in advance of his squad on a maneuver around the left flank to locate and eliminate the enemy gun positions. Undeterred by deadly fire that ricocheted off the barren rocky hillside, he crept to the rear of the first machinegun and charged, firing his submachinegun. In this surprise attack he captured 8 prisoners and turned them over to his squad before striking out alone for a second machinegun. Discovered in his advance and subjected to direct fire from the hostile weapon, he leaped to his feet and ran forward, weaving and crouching, pouring automatic fire into the emplacement that killed 4 of its defenders and forced the surrender of a lone survivor. He again moved forward through heavy fire to attack a third machinegun. When close to the emplacement, he closed with a nerve-shattering shout and burst of fire. Paralyzed by his whirlwind attack, all 4 gunners immediately surrendered. Once more advancing aggressively in the face of a thoroughly alerted enemy, he approached a point of high ground occupied by 2 machineguns which were firing on his company on the slope below. Charging the first of these weapons, he killed 4 of the crew and captured 3 more. The 6 defenders of the adjacent position, cowed by the savagery of his assault, immediately gave up. By his 1-man attack, heroically and voluntarily undertaken in the face of tremendous risks, Sgt. Karaberis captured 5 enemy machinegun positions, killed 8 Germans, took 22 prisoners, cleared the ridge leading to his company's objective, and drove a deep wedge into the enemy line, making it possible for his battalion to occupy important, commanding ground.

After the war, he legally changed his name from "Christos Karaberis" to "Chris Carr." He reached the rank of Sergeant First Class and served in the Korean War before leaving the Army.

Death and Burial

Chris Carr died on 16 September 1970 at age 56. He is buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA, in Section 275, Row G, Grave 15.