Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Soldier’s Medal

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Technician Fourth Grade

    Batallion:

    131st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion

    Division:

    XVI Corps

    Action Date:

    March 24, 1945

    Headquarters, XVI Corps, General Orders No. 38 (June 1, 1945)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Technician Fourth Grade Luther W. Doss (ASN: 34212849), United States Army, for heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy of the United States while serving with the 131st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, in action on 24 March 1945, in Germany. After a flak damaged B-24 airplane crashed into an ammunition dump and burst into flames endangering 600 tons of TNT, Technician Fourth Grade Doss courageously tried to remove some of the stacked explosives in an attempt to localize the danger. Completely disregarding the planes exploding ammunition and the fires it had started in the piles of TNT, Technician Fourth Grade Doss worked at a rapid pace until 75 tons of the TNT exploded seriously injuring him. Although many others were killed and injured, the valiant act of this soldier prevented a much greater explosion thus saving the lives of many of his comrades and greatly reducing the loss of important army equipment. The intrepidity and courageous devotion to duty exhibited by Technician Fourth Grade Doss reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Military Service of the United States.