Forrest E. Everhart’s Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
TECHNICAL SERGEANT
FORREST EUGENE EVERHART, SR.
UNITED STATES ARMY
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Technical Sergeant Forrest Eugene Everhart, Sr., United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company H, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division. Technical Sergeant Everhart commanded a platoon that bore the brunt of a desperate enemy counterattack near Kerling, France, before dawn on 12 November 1944. When German tanks and self-propelled guns penetrated his left flank and overwhelming infantry forces threatened to overrun the one remaining machinegun in that section, he ran 400 yards through woods churned by artillery and mortar concentrations to strengthen the defense. With the one remaining gunner, he directed furious fire into the advancing hordes until they swarmed close to the position. He left the gun, boldly charged the attackers and, after a 15-minute exchange of hand grenades, forced them to withdraw leaving 30 dead behind. He re-crossed the fire-swept terrain to his then threatened right flank, exhorted his men and directed murderous fire from the single machinegun at that position. There, in the light of bursting mortar shells, he again closed with the enemy in a hand grenade duel and, after a fierce 30-minute battle, forced the Germans to withdraw leaving another 20 dead. The gallantry and intrepidity of Technical Sergeant Everhart in rallying his men and refusing to fall back in the face of terrible odds were highly instrumental in repelling the fanatical enemy counterattack directed at the American bridgehead across the Moselle River.
Born: 28 August 1921 in Bainbridge, Ohio… Dropped out of high school after two years and joined the National Guard in 1940… Wounded by shrapnel twice in 1944… Hospitalized for trench foot after above actions, requiring evacuation to the United States… Discharged on 20 July 1945 and awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman at the White House on 23 August 1945… Spent 37 years with the Veteran’s Administration and passed on 30 August 1986… Interred: Arlington National Cemetery