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| PERSONALIA |
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| Name: |
Darby, William Orlando |
| Date of birth: | February 9th, 1911 (Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S.A.)
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| Date of death: |
April 30th, 1945 (Po river valley, Italy)
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| Nationality: |
American |
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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS (DSC)
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Rank:
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Lieutenant-colonel
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Unit:
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1st Ranger Battalion
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Action:
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Citation:
“Lt. Col. Darby struck with his force with complete surprise at dawn in the rear of a strongly fortified enemy position. Always conspicuously at the head of his troops, he personally led assaults against the enemy line in the face of heavy machine gun and artillery fire, establishing the fury of the Ranger attack by his skillful employment of hand grenades in close quarter fighting. On March 22, Lt. Col. Darby directed his battalion in advance on Bon Hamean, capturing prisoners and destroying a battery of self propelled artillery.”
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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS (DSC)
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Rank:
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Lieutenant-colonel
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Unit:
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1st Ranger Battalion
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Action:
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Citation:
“Lt. Col. Darby, with the use of one 37mm gun, which he personally manned, managed not only to repulse an enemy attack, but succeeded with this weapon in destroying one tank, while two others were accounted for by well directed hand grenade fire.”
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Details:
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Received this second DSC as his first Oak Leaf Cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first.
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