U.S. Army Sergeant Joseph John Sadowski of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on September 14, 1944, near Valhey, France.
Sadowski joined the Army in May 1941, and by September 14, 1944, was serving as a sergeant in Company A, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division.
On September 14, 1944, Sadowski’s tank was disabled by enemy fire. He and his crew leapt off the vehicle, except for one man who was trapped inside the burning tank. Despite heavy enemy fire, Sadowski returned to the tank in an attempt to rescue the trapped crewman but was killed before being able to do so.
He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 14, 1944. Sadowski is buried in Saint Stephens Cemetery, Keasbey, New Jersey. The Sadowski Field House at Fort Knox and Sadowski Field at Fort Hood, Texas, are named in his honor.
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Painting depicting U.S. soldiers assaulting a German trench in the Frière forest during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, September 12, 1918.
Today 105 years ago, on September 12, 1918, the Battle of Saint-Mihiel was fought - the first major U.S. offensive in the First World War.
In October 1914, during the Battle of Flirey, the Germans had captured the town of Saint-Mihiel near the Meuse river, forming the St. Mihiel Salient, disrupting transportation between the French cities of Verdun and Nancy, as well as Paris.
As part of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive, U.S. Commander-in-Chief Pershing planned an offensive to eliminate the St. Mihiel Salient and capture the railway city of Metz. French forces would also join the attack.
The French supplied the U.S. with 3,000 artillery guns and 419 tanks. 144 of the tanks would be under the command of Lt. Colonel George Patton, who would later play an important role in WW2. The Allies had also assembled 1,481 aircrafts - the highest concentration of planes ever seen in battle so far.
The German defenses were strong at Saint-Mihiel, and heavy rain for 5 days had turned the battlefield muddy and thus difficult to attack in. But they lacked sufficient manpower and decided to begin withdrawing from the salient to the Argonne Forest already on September 10.
On September 12, 1918, following a massive 4-hour long artillery bombardment including phosgene gas shells, 216,000 U.S. and 110,000 French troops attacked at Saint-Mihiel.
Due to rain, mud, and heavy driven wind, the U.S. infantry and tanks had trouble advancing, and some began developing trench foot. Though due to the German withdrawal the defenders only numbered 75,000 soldiers, who offered little resistance.
By the evening of September 13, the U.S. and French forces had advanced 5 miles, eliminating the St. Mihiel Salient. Pershing halted further advances, as food and artillery couldn't be moved up the muddy roads.
In the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, the U.S. and French suffered a combined 7,000 casualties - 4,500 deaths and 2,500 wounded. The Germans suffered some 22,500 casualties - 2,000 deaths, 5,500 wounded and 16,000 prisoners.
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