20th INFANTRY REGIMENT
CAPTAIN LOUIS J. SACRISTI - Awarded 31 July 1889 for having saved from capture a gun of the 5th Maine Battery at Chancellorsville, Virginia, 3 May 1863. For having voluntarily carried orders which, resulted in saving from destruction or capture the picket line of the First Division, Second Corps at Auburn, Virginia, 14 October 1863, while a First Lieutenant.
CAPTAIN JAMES MORRISON CUTTS Awarded 2 May 1891, for his service with gallantry in action at Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Petersburg, Virginia, in 1963.
MAJOR GENERAL LOYD WHEATON Awarded 16 January 1894 for distinguished gallantry in the assault on Fort Blakely, Alabama. On April 9th 1863, leading the right wing of his regiment, sprinting through an embrasure against a strong fire of artillery and musketry, the first to enter the enemys work, while serving as Lieutenant Colonel.
BRIGADIER GENERAL MARION PERRY MAUS Awarded 27 November 1894 for most distinguished gallantry in action against hostile Apache Indians by Geronimo and Natchez in the Sierra Madre Mountains, Mexico, January 11, 1866, while First Lieutenant and commanding the expedition.
BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN H. PATTERSON Awarded for gallantry in action at Chapel House, Virginia on 1 October 1864, while serving as First Lieutenant.
FIRST LIEUTENANT DONALD E. RUDOLPH (then Technical Sergeant, Company E, 20th Infantry) was acting as platoon leader at Munoz, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 5 February 1945. While administering first aid on the battlefield, he observed enemy fire issuing from a nearby culvert. Crawling to the culvert with rifle and grenades, he killed three of the enemy concealed there. He then worked his way across open terrain towards a line of enemy pillboxes, which had immobilized his company. Nearing the first pillbox, he hurled a grenade through its embrasure and charged the position. With his bare hands he tore away the wood and tin covering and then dropped a grenade through the opening, killing the enemy gunners and destroying their machinegun. Ordering several riflemen to cover his further advance, Sergeant Rudolph seized a pick-mattock and made his way to the second pillbox. Piercing its top with the mattock he dropped a grenade through the hole, fired several rounds from his rifle into it, and smothered any surviving enemy by sealing the hole and the embrasure with earth. In quick succession he attacked and neutralized six more pillboxes. Later, when his platoon was attacked by an enemy tank, he advanced under covering fire, climbed to the top of the tank, and dropped a while phosphorus grenade through the turret, destroying the crew. Through his outstanding heroism, superb courage and leadership, and complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Rudolph cleared a path for an advance, which culminated in one of the most decisive victories of the Philippine Campaign.
CORPORAL MELVIN MAYFIELD Company D, 20th Infantry, on 29 July 1945, displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while fighting in the Cordilleras Mountains, Luzon, and Philippine Islands. When two Filipino companies were pinned down under a torrent of enemy fire, which converged on them from a circular, ridge commanding their position. Corporal Mayfield, in a gallant single-handed effort to aid them, rushed from shell hole to shell hole until he reached four enemy caves atop the barren fire swept hill. With grenades and his carbine, he assaulted each of the caves while enemy fire pounded about him. However, before he had annihilated the last hostile position, a machine gun bullet destroyed his weapon and slashed his left hand. Disregarding his wound, he fire to help destroy a hostile observation post. By his gallant determination and heroic leadership, Corporal Mayfield inspired the men to eliminate all remaining pockets of resistance in the area and to press the advance against the enemy.
SERGEANT LESTER R. STONE JR. 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion 20th Infantry 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, West of Landing Zone Liz, Republic of Vietnam 3 March 1969: Entered service at Syracuse, NY Born 4 June 1947, Binghamton, NY.
Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Stone distinguished himself while serving as squad leader of the 1st Platoon. The 1st Platoon was on a combat patrol mission just west of Landing Zone Liz when it came under intense automatic weapons and grenade fire from a well-concealed company-size force of North Vietnamese regulars. Observing the platoon machine gunner fall critically wounded; Sgt. Stone remained in the exposed area to provide cover fire for the wounded soldier who was being pulled to safety by another member of the platoon. With enemy fire impacting all around him, Sgt. Stone had a malfunction in the machinegun, preventing him from firing the weapon automatically. Displaying extraordinary courage under the most adverse conditions, Sgt. Stone repaired the weapon automatically and continued to place on the enemy position effective suppression fire which enabled the rescue to be completed. In a desperate attempt to overrun his position, an enemy fore left its cover and charged Sgt. Stone. Disregarding the danger involved, Sgt. Stone rose to his knees and began placing intense fire on the enemy at pointblank range, and killing 6 of the enemy before falling mortally wounded. His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to this entire unit, and he was responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great credit on him, his unit and the U.S. Army.
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