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Rank and organization:
Sergeant, U.S. Army, 36th
Infantry Division.
Place and date:
Near Salerno, Italy, 9 September 1943.
Entered service at:
Luling, Tex.
Birth:
McNeil, Tex.
G.O. No.:
54, 5 July 1944.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of
duty in action involving actual conflict on 9 September 1943 in the vicinity of Salerno,
Italy. As a rifleman of an infantry company, Sgt. Logan landed with the first wave of the
assault echelon on the beaches of the Gulf of Salerno, and after his company had advanced
800 yards inland and taken positions along the forward bank of an irrigation canal, the
enemy began a serious counterattack from positions along a rock wall which ran parallel
with the canal about 200 yards further inland. Voluntarily exposing himself to the fire of
a machinegun located along the rock wall, which sprayed the ground so close to him that he
was splattered with dirt and rock splinters from the impact of the bullets, Sgt. Logan
killed the first 3 Germans as they came through a gap in the wall. He then attacked the
machinegun. As he dashed across the 200 yards of exposed terrain a withering stream of
fire followed his advance. Reaching the wall, he crawled along the base, within easy reach
of the enemy crouched along the opposite side, until he reached the gun. Jumping up, he
shot the 2 gunners down, hurdled the wall, and seized the gun. Swinging it around, he
immediately opened fire on the enemy with the remaining ammunition, raking their flight
and inflicting further casualties on them as they fled. After smashing the machinegun over
the rocks, Sgt. Logan captured an enemy officer and private who were attempting to sneak
away. Later in the morning, Sgt. Logan went after a sniper hidden in a house about 150
yards from the company. Again the intrepid Sgt. ran a gauntlet of fire to reach his
objective. Shooting the lock off the door, Sgt. Logan kicked it in and shot the sniper who
had just reached the bottom of the stairs. The conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity which
characterized Sgt. Logan's exploits proved a constant inspiration to all the men of his
company, and aided materially in insuring the success of the beachhead at Salerno.
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