116th Infantry Regiment

Medal of Honor Recipients

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SERGEANT EARLE DAVIS GREGORY

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry, 29th Division. Place and date: At Bois-de-Consenvoye, north of Verdun, France, 8 October 1918. Entered service at: Chase City, Va. Birth: 18 October 1897, Clayville, Virginia. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. Citation: With the remark "I will get them," Sgt. Gregory seized a rifle and a trench-mortar shell, which he used as a handgrenade, left his detachment of the trench-mortar platoon, and advancing ahead of the infantry, captured a machinegun and 3 of the enemy. Advancing still farther from the machinegun nest, he captured a 7.5-centimeter mountain howitzer and, entering a dugout in the immediate vicinity, single-handedly captured 19 of the enemy.

He died 6 January 1972 at his home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and is buried at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park in Tuscaloosa.

Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K 116th Infantry,  29th Infantry Division. Place and date: Grandcampe France, 8 June 1944. Entered  service at: Charlottesville, Va. Born. 10 April 1915, Esmont, Va. G.O. No.: 43, 30  May 1945. Citation: On 8 June 1944, the 3d Battalion of the 116th Infantry was advancing on the strongly held German defenses at Grandcampe, France, when the leading elements were suddenly halted by decimating machinegun fire from a firmly entrenched enemy force on the high ground overlooking the town. After numerous attempts to neutralize the enemy position by supporting artillery and tank fire had proved ineffective, T/Sgt. Peregory, on his own initiative, advanced up the hill under withering  fire, and worked his way to the crest where he discovered an entrenchment leading to the main enemy fortifications 200 yards away. Without hesitating, he leaped into the  trench and moved toward the emplacement. Encountering a squad of enemy riflemen, he fearlessly attacked them with handgrenades and bayonet, killed 8 and forced 3 to surrender. Continuing along the trench, he single-handedly forced the surrender of 32 more riflemen, captured the machine gunners, and opened the way for the leading elements of the battalion to advance and secure its objective. The extraordinary gallantry and aggressiveness displayed by T/Sgt. Peregory are exemplary of the highest tradition of the armed forces.

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