World War II Medal of Honor recipient. Served as a Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Americal, 132nd Infantry Division. At Bougainville, Solomon Islands, January 30, 1944. S/Sgt. Drowley, a squad leader in a platoon during the attack, saw 3 members of the assault company fall badly wounded. When intense hostile fire prevented aid from reaching the casualties, he rushed forward to carry the wounded to cover. After rescuing 2 men, S/Sgt. Drowley discovered an enemy pillbox undetected by assaulting tanks that was inflicting casualties upon the attacking force. He ran across open terrain to one of the tanks. Signaling to the crew, he climbed to the turret, exchanged his weapon for a submachine gun and voluntarily rode the deck of the tank directing it toward the pillbox by tracer fire. The tank, under heavy enemy fire, continued to within 20 feet of the pillbox where S/Sgt. Drowley received a severe bullet wound in the chest. He remained on the tank and directed its progress until the enemy box was definitely located by the crew. At this point he again was wounded by small arms fire, losing his left eye and falling to the ground. He remained alongside the tank until the pillbox had been completely demolished and another directly behind the first destroyed. Jesse Ray Drowley was the first Americal soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor and the only Americal soldier to be awarded this great honor during World War II.
World War II Medal of Honor recipient. Served as a Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Americal, 132nd Infantry Division. At Bougainville, Solomon Islands, January 30, 1944. S/Sgt. Drowley, a squad leader in a platoon during the attack, saw 3 members of the assault company fall badly wounded. When intense hostile fire prevented aid from reaching the casualties, he rushed forward to carry the wounded to cover. After rescuing 2 men, S/Sgt. Drowley discovered an enemy pillbox undetected by assaulting tanks that was inflicting casualties upon the attacking force. He ran across open terrain to one of the tanks. Signaling to the crew, he climbed to the turret, exchanged his weapon for a submachine gun and voluntarily rode the deck of the tank directing it toward the pillbox by tracer fire. The tank, under heavy enemy fire, continued to within 20 feet of the pillbox where S/Sgt. Drowley received a severe bullet wound in the chest. He remained on the tank and directed its progress until the enemy box was definitely located by the crew. At this point he again was wounded by small arms fire, losing his left eye and falling to the ground. He remained alongside the tank until the pillbox had been completely demolished and another directly behind the first destroyed. Jesse Ray Drowley was the first Americal soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor and the only Americal soldier to be awarded this great honor during World War II.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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Medal of Honor - World War II
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