Vernon McGarity


Vernon McGarity was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Born in Right, Tennessee on December 1, 1921, McGarity joined the army in November 1942. By December 16, 1944, the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, he was serving near Krinkelt, Belgium as a technical sergeant in Company L of the 393rd Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division. Wounded early in the battle, McGarity returned to his unit, and as squad leader, directed and encouraged his soldiers throughout the intense fight that ensued. He repeatedly braved heavy fire to rescue wounded men, attacked the advancing Germans, and retrieved supplies. After completely running out of ammunition, his squad and he were captured. For his actions during the battle, he was awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on January 11, 1946. He died at the age of 91 in 2013.

Medal of Honor citation

His official citation reads: