George Vernon Wallace

Private 1st Class, U. S. Army

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
Headquarters, 82d Airborne Division, General Orders No. 116 (August 25, 1945)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class George V. Wallace (ASN: 38134034), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 6 June 1944, near ****, France.
Private First Class Wallace, assistant machine gunner, was in position at the east end of the Waal River Bridge when the enemy launched an assault supported by intense artillery and mortar fire which caused heavy casualties. He and one other man remained with their guns and fired on the three German tanks leading the attack, killing the tank commander. The accuracy of his fire forced the tank to "button up" and run blindly into bazooka fire which destroyed it. The remaining tanks fired their machine guns and cannon directly at Private First Class Wallace's position, but he stuck to his gun and helped force them to the same fate. Eight attempts in all were made by the enemy to cross the river but Private First Class Wallace and his comrade stood by their guns all night and broke up every assault, killing an estimated 150 Germans.
The gallant determination and high courage of Private First Class Wallace in a critical moment of the Airborne assault in Normandy reflects great credit on the man and his organization.

George V. Wallace, a single white male living in Santa Anna, Coleman County, Texas working as a carpenter with two years of high school education enlisted in the Army on 7 July 1942 at Abilene, Texas, given service number 38134034.