United States. A Silver Star for Italy to Private I Class Truax, 180th Infantry Regiment, United States Army

Silver Star (two-piece construction, silver star placed upon a bronze gilt star-shaped base, engraved "PFC T.E. TRUAX 180 REGT. 45 DIV." on the reverse, measuring 36 mm (w) x 34.7 mm (h), original ribbon with brooch pinback, accompanied by its 35.5 mm (w) x 10.5 mm (h) ribbon bar); Army Good Conduct Medal (in bronze, measuring 32.2 mm in diameter, original ribbon with brooch pinback); and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (in bronze, measuring 32.2 mm in diameter, original ribbon with brooch pinback). Extremely fine. Accompanied by a 45th Infantry Division Patch (red and yellow embroidery, 85 mm (w) x 85 mm (h)), along with a copy of his Citation for the Silver Star and an excerpt from page 56 of the 180th Infantry Regiment Unit History.

 

Footnote: 38010415 Private First Class Thomas E. Truax, Company C, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division was born on May 5, 1921. The executive officer of his company, Second Lieutenant Ernest "Chief" Childers, had suffered broken bones to his foot when he fell through a hole in a bridge on the morning of September 22, 1943. Childers was in the First Battalion aid station being prepared for evacuation to hospital, when he learned of the hazards confronting his comrades at Oliveto, Italy. His foot no longer became a concern, as he immediately gathered together eight men and set out towards German machine guns which were pouring deadly fire into the First Battalion, which were attempting to come up in support. Childers and his eight men advanced up the hill, where the guns were located, to a rock wall overlooking a corn field. It was here that the Germans had their machine guns dug in. At this point, he was joined by Private First Class Thomas E. Truax, who had excelled in both rifle marksmanship and in courage. During the course of the advance, Second Lieutenant Childers made good use of Truax's faculties, facing multiple situations against the Germans. Later on, Truax saw a nearby squad being pinned down by fire from another machine gun nest. Due to the rolling terrain, it was impossible to place effective fire on the German position. He volunteered to destroy the machine gun crew, moving out to accomplish the mission. He soon encountered a German sniper, who had been firing from behind a stone wall. About twenty yards from where he had been firing, there was a break in the wall where it had been hit by a shell. When the sniper had ceased firing, Truax rightly suspected that the sniper was crawling towards this break in an attempt to escape, and that he would have to pass the broken place in order to get away. In spite of the shell fire which was coming in, he calmly waited the German out and aimed his rifle directly at the hole in the wall. The German appeared, crawling on the ground, with Truax speedily ending the German's escape with rifle fire. Truax then moved forward, circled the machine gun nest and killed all three Germans which were manning its weapons. He subsequently returned to his unit, to assist in the evacuating of the wounded. Private First Class Thomas E. Truax was awarded the Silver Star, for actions taken on September 22, 1943, by General Orders No. 37 (1943), from Headquarters, 45th Infantry Division, his citation stating: "Under the provisions of Army Regulations 600-45, as amended, a Silver Star Medal is awarded to the following enlisted man: THOMAS E. TRUAX 38010415, Private First Class, Company C, 180th Infantry Regiment, for gallantry in action on 22 September 1943, near Mad di Loreto, Italy. A rifle squad became pinned down by intense fire from an enemy machine gun nest and because of the intervening terrain features, it was impossible to place effective fire on the hostile position. Private First Class Truax volunteered to destroy the gun and arming himself with a rifle, he advanced toward the enemy position covered by rifle fire from the other members of the squad. After killing a German sniper who had been firing at him, he succeeded in circling the machine gun nest and killed all three of its occupants. He then returned to his comrades and assisted in evacuating wounded men. Private First Class Truax's superb courage and devotion to duty reflect great credit to him and to men of the Armed Forces. Entered military service from Carrizozo, New Mexico. / W.W. EAGLES Brigadier General, US Army Commanding". His executive officer, Second Lieutenant Ernest "Chief" Childers, was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions taken during the same conflict, his citation stating: "The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Second Lieutenant Ernest "Chief" Childers, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action on 22 September 1943, at Oliveto, Italy, while serving with Company C, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. Although Second Lieutenant Childers previously had just suffered a fractured instep he, with eight enlisted men, advanced up a hill toward enemy machine gun nests. The group advanced to a rock wall overlooking a cornfield and Second Lieutenant Childers ordered a base of fire laid across the field so that he could advance. When he was fired upon by two enemy snipers from a nearby house he killed both of them. He moved behind the machine gun nests and killed all occupants of the nearer one. He continued toward the second one and threw rocks into it. When the two occupants of the nest raised up, he shot one. The other was killed by one of the eight enlisted men. Second Lieutenant Childers continued his advance toward a house farther up the hill, and single-handed, captured an enemy mortar observer. The exceptional leadership, initiative, calmness under fire, and conspicuous gallantry displayed by Second Lieutenant Childers were an inspiration to his men." Thomas E. Truax died on February 22, 1998, at the age of 76 and is buried in Fort Bayard National Cemetery, Fort Bayard, Grant County, New Mexico, Plot: Section G, Row O, Site 444.