Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Soldier’s Medal

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Corporal

    Action Date:

    December 31, 1944

    Headquarters, 35th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 5 (January 14, 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 Corporal Robert T. O’Neal (ASN: 35414905), United States Army, for heroism at ****, Luxembourg, on 31 December 1944, while serving with the 35th Infantry Division. On 31 December, a quadruple mount machine gun became severed from a truck moving through ****, and began to roll across a road in the direction of a two-year old girl who was leaning against a wall. Knowing that the weight and momentum of the gun would crush the child to death if she remained at the wall, Corporal O’Neal made his way across slippery ice and snow to overtake the gun which was gaining in velocity, and succeeded in pushing the little girl from the danger spot just before the heavy weapon crashed into the wall. Corporal O’Neal’s unselfish act caused his arm to be caught between the gun and the wall so that it was painfully broken. The presence of mind and prompt and courageous action of Corporal O’Neal reflect credit upon his character as a soldier and upon the military service.