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Rank and organization:
Second Lieutenant, U.S.
Army, 143d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division.
Place and date:
Near Montelimar, France, 27 August 1944.
Entered service at:
Bayonne, N.J,
Birth:
New York, N.Y.
G.O. No.:
31, 17 April 1945.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of
duty on 27 August 1944, in the vicinity of Montelimar, France. As his platoon advanced
upon the enemy positions , , the leading scout was fired upon and 2d Lt. Gregg (then a
Tech. Sgt.) immediately put his machineguns into action to cover the advance of the
riflemen. The Germans, who were at close range, threw handgrenades at the riflemen,
killing some and wounding 7. Each time a medical aid man attempted to reach the wounded,
the Germans fired at him. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, 2d Lt. Gregg took I
of the light .30 caliber machineguns, and firing from the hip, started bo Idly up the hill
with the medical aid man following him. Although the enemy was throwing handgrenades at
him, 2d Lt. Gregg remained and fired into the enemy positions while the medical aid man
removed the 7 wounded men to safety. When 2d Lt. Gregg had expended all his ammunition, he
was covered by 4 Germans who ordered him to surrender. Since the attention of most of the
Germans had been diverted by watching this action, friendly riflemen were able to maneuver
into firing positions. One, seeing 2d Lt. Gregg's situation, opened fire on his captors.
The 4 Germans hit the ground and thereupon 2d Lt. Gregg recovered a machine pistol from
one of the Germans and managed to escape to his other machinegun positions. He manned a
gun, firing at his captors, killed I of them and wounded the other. This action so
discouraged the Germans that the platoon was able to continue its advance up the hill to
achieve its objective. The following morning, just prior to daybreak, the Germans launched
a strong attack, supported by tanks, in an attempt to drive Company L from the hill. As
these tanks moved along the valley and their foot troops advanced up the hill, 2d Lt.
Gregg immediately ordered his mortars into action. During the day, by careful observation,
he was able to direct effective fire on the enemy, inflicting heavy casualties. By late
afternoon he had directed 600 rounds when his communication to the mortars was knocked
out. Without hesitation he started checking his wires, although the area was under heavy
enemy small-arms and artillery fire. When he was within 100 yards of his mortar position,
I of his men informed him that the section had been captured and the Germans were using
the mortars to fire on the company. 2d Lt. Gregg with this man and another nearby rifleman
started for the gun position where he could see 5 Germans firing his mortars. He ordered
the 2 men to cover him, crawled up, threw a handgrenade into the position, and then
charged it. The handgrenade killed 1, injured 2; 2d Lt. Gregg took the other 2 prisoners,
and put his mortars back into action.
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