Wallace , Herman C., born on 12-06-1924, in Marlow,
Oklahoma. to his parents, Ernest Wallace and Cleatus, born Shaw, who were married in Duncan, Oklahoma, on 09-06-1920. They apparently had lived in Oklahoma some time.
Herman graduated from Lubbock High School in Lubbock,
Texas, in 1942 and enrolled as an engineering major at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) later that year. Herman joined the U.S Army
from Lubbock in June 1943, and by 27-02-1945, was serving as a private first class in Company B, 301st Engineer Combat Battalion, 76th Infantry Division
under command of shifted from Major General William Richard Schmidt
(who led early training) to Major General Horace Logan McBride “Mac”,
who took over in late 1943 as the division prepared for deployment.
Death and burial ground of Herman C. Wallace.
Herman displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity. He on 27-02-1945 was killed in action near Prumzurley, Germany while helping clear enemy mines from a road.
Wallace stepped on a well-concealed German S-Type anti-personnel mine.
It was called the shrapnel mine or Bouncing Betty because it was thrown into the air, about waist high, and when it exploded it released hundreds of ball bearings, causing many casualties.
Wallace knew falling to the ground in a prone position gave him the best chance to survive, his Medal of Honor
citation said. He also knew that doing that would spray the area with fragments and likely kill two of his comrades directly behind him, his citation said. Wallace deliberately put his other foot on the mine and was killed when it exploded.
“Private Wallace was killed when the charge detonated, but his supreme heroism at the cost of his life confined the blast to the ground and his own body and saved his fellow soldiers from death or injury,” his Medal of Honor citation said.
A large installation in the Bad Cannstatt district of Stuttgart, Germany, originally built by Germany, was occupied by American troops after the War. It was named Wallace Barracks in honor of Wallace.
Another American hero, Joe Eugen Mann,
U.S. 101st Airborne Division
, 502 D Company
private first class, gave his life to save his comrades in September 1944 near the bridge in Best, Netherlands, during Operation Market Garden, Joe threw his body over an incoming grenade to protect his comrades in their foxhole, in the Netherlands, age 22.
Herman Wallace was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later, on 25-10-1945. Herman Wallace, aged 20 at his death, was buried in the City of Lubbock Cemetery, Lubbock, 2011 E 31st St, Lubbock, TX 79404, Texas.









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