Word Celebrity Blog

Wilburn Kirby Ross


Wilburn Kirby Ross was born on May 12, 1922, in McCreary County, Kentucky, about 30 miles north of Pall Mall, Tennessee, the home of Sgt. Alvin York. Just four years before Ross was born, Sgt. York won the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine-gun nest in France. Commanding seven other men, York captured 32 machine guns, killed 28 German soldiers, and forced the surrender of 132 other Germans.

Wilburn Ross, “Wib”, as he is affectionately known by family and friends, would have grown up hearing about Sergeant York’s accomplishments again and again; it was an area with few opportunities for distinguishing yourself. Most people made their living cutting timber, coal mining, and subsistence farming. At best, life was hard and most people were poor. Opportunities for education and good jobs were almost non-existent. Faith, family, and freedom were, and are, important to these people whose background was forged by generations of hardy pioneers. Wilburn Ross joined the Army in his home town of Strunk, Kentucky,

























On October 30, 1944, Wilburn Ross, serving as a private with the 350th Infantry, manned a machine gun to drive back six attacks by German troops. He still held his position after the riflemen supporting him ran out of ammunition. He continued firing even as enemy soldiers were lobbing grenades at him from just 4 yards away. He refused to withdraw when he ran out of ammunition. Instead, he held his position as the German prepared for another attack. The ammunition arrived at the last minute, enabling him to repulse the German assault. All tolled, Ross held his position under intense fire for 36 hours.



























When he was asked about his heroism, “Wib” said, “I had been in this so long, I knew what they (the Germans) were doing. When they would charge, I would mow them down.”





















On April 22, 1945, Lieutenant General A. M. Patch, Seventh Army Commander, conferred the Medal of Honor on five 3rd Division officers and men. Left to right: Lt. Col. Keith L. Ware, Lt. John J. Tominac, T/Sgt. Russell E. Dunham, S/Sgt. Lucien Adams, and Pfc. Wilburn K. Ross.


While serving on the Italian front, Ross was captured at the Anzio beachhead, but he miraculously escaped. Dusk was coming and, for some reason, the enemy guard did not appear to be paying much attention to him, instead fixing their attention on his buddies and talking to them. Ross moved out of sight and commenced to walk away. It was night now, and those moving about him were not able to see that he was an American.

He eluded further capture and survived on his own for three days and four nights. He says, “I didn’t get hungry. I didn’t get thirsty. I was worried about getting out of there.” Traveling at night, he hid under leaves during the day. Once the Germans got so close to him, he said “I could have reached out my hand and touched the man on his coat.”



















Later, after seeing groups of American planes in the sky, he followed the direction of their flight and was happy to reunite with American forces, where he gratefully dug into a can of meat and beans.

When Wilburn Ross returned to Strunk, Kentucky, he was greeted by a crowd of 3,000 citizens, Governor Simeon Willis, and a neighbor who could best appreciate Ross’s bravery and dedication: Sergeant Alvin C. York.



















The heroes from Kentucky: MSG. Wilburn Ross, was 23 when this 1945 picture was taken, with World War I veteran Alvin C. York who lived a half-hour away. 

Wilburn Ross had reached the rank of Master Sergeant before retiring from the Army.


























U.S. President John F. Kennedy congratulates Medal of Honor winner Wilburn K. Ross in
May 1963.





















Strunk, Kentucky, the home of Wilburn Ross, is a small town of 1,400 people and is off of "the beaten path", in McCreary County. There are no incorporated cities in the county.


























Wilburn Ross  is one of the  last few Medal Of Honor recipients of  WWII.


























Eagle Scout Alexander Kruse, right, whispers into the ear of Medal of Honor award recipient Wilburn Ross before a Veteran's Day ceremony at the University of Washington Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, in Seattle. The school dedicated a new memorial to recognize all Medal of Honor recipients and specifically the eight Washington school's alumni who hold the award.
Washington has more Medal of Honor recipients among its alumni than any other public school in the country except service academies.








The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to

WILBURN K. ROSS

Rank and organization:
Private,
U.S. Army,
Company G,
350th Infantry,
3d Infantry Division.

Place and date:
Near St. Jacques, France,
30 October 1944.

Entered service at:
Strunk, Ky.

Birth:
Strunk, Ky.

G.O. No.:
30, 14 April 1945.
















Medal of Honor Citation.
Private Ross' official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty near St. Jacques, France. At 11:30 a.m. on 30 October 1944, after his company had lost 55 out of 88 men in an attack on an entrenched, full-strength German company of elite mountain troops, Pvt. Ross placed his light machinegun 10 yards in advance of the foremost supporting riflemen in order to absorb the initial impact of an enemy counterattack. With machinegun and small-arms fire striking the earth near him, he fired with deadly effect on the assaulting force and repelled it. Despite the hail of automatic fire and the explosion of rifle grenades within a stone's throw of his position, he continued to man his machinegun alone, holding off 6 more German attacks.

When the eighth assault was launched, most of his supporting riflemen were out of ammunition. They took positions in echelon behind Pvt. Ross and crawled up, during the attack, to extract a few rounds of ammunition from his machinegun ammunition belt. Pvt. Ross fought on virtually without assistance and, despite the fact that enemy grenadiers crawled to within 4 yards of his position in an effort to kill him with handgrenades, he again directed accurate and deadly fire on the hostile force and hurled it back.

After expending his last rounds, Pvt. Ross was advised to withdraw to the company command post, together with 8 surviving riflemen, but, as more ammunition was expected, he declined to do so. The Germans launched their last all-out attack, converging their fire on Pvt. Ross in a desperate attempt to destroy the machinegun which stood between them and a decisive breakthrough. As his supporting riflemen fixed bayonets for a last-ditch stand, fresh ammunition arrived and was brought to Pvt. Ross just as the advance assault elements were about to swarm over his position. He opened murderous fire on the oncoming enemy; killed 40 and wounded 10 of the attacking force; broke the assault single-handedly, and forced the Germans to withdraw. Having killed or wounded at least 58 Germans in more than 5 hours of continuous combat and saved the remnants of his company from destruction,

Pvt. Ross remained at his post that night and the following day for a total of 36 hours. His actions throughout this engagement were an inspiration to his comrades and maintained the high traditions of the military service.