Thomas Vernon McGarity II (December 1, 1921 – May 21, 2013) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States Military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Biography Born in Hardin County, Tennessee on December 1, 1921, McGarity joined the army in November 1942.WWII Army Enlistment Records
By December 16, 1944, the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, he was serving near Krinkelt, Belgium as a technical sergeant in Company L of the 393rd Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. Wounded early in the battle, McGarity returned to his unit, and as squad leader, directed and encouraged his soldiers throughout the intense fight that ensued. He repeatedly braved heavy fire to rescue wounded men, attacked the advancing Germans, and retrieved supplies. Medics attempted to have McGarity evacuated after he was severely wounded on his face and legs, but he refused. After completely running out of ammunition, his squad and he were captured. For his actions during the battle, he was presented with the Medal of Honor a year later, on January 11, 1946, by President Harry S Truman. He left active service in 1947 to join the Tennessee Army National Guard, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1974.DOD Medal of Honor Monday article
McGarity died at the age of 91 in 2013.
Medal of Honor citation His official citation reads:
Awards and decorations
BadgeCombat Infantryman Badge1st rowMedal of Honor2nd rowBronze Star MedalPurple HeartPrisoner of War Medal3rd rowArmy Good Conduct MedalAmerican Campaign MedalEuropean–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal4th rowWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Reserve Medal
See also
List of Medal of Honor recipients
References