Jack L. Treadwell

Jack LeMaster Treadwell (March 31, 1919 – December 12, 1977) was a United States Army colonel and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration for valor—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. At the time of his retirement, Treadwell was believed to be the most decorated man in the United States Armed Forces.

Early life Treadwell was born on March 30, 1919, in Ashland, Alabama. He graduated from Snyder High School in 1937 and attended Southwestern State College in Weatherford, Oklahoma in 1937 and 1938. Treadwell enlisted in the U.S. Army from Snyder, Oklahoma on January 29, 1941, and was trained as an infantryman.

Military career

President Harry S. Truman presents Treadwell with the Medal of Honor (August 23, 1945)

World War II He served with the 180th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Infantry Division throughout World War II. He deployed with the unit to North Africa in June 1943, participating in the amphibious assault on Sicily in July 1943, Salerno in September 1943, Southern France in August 1944 and also served in Alsace and Rhineland Campaigns. He received a battlefield commission on March 23, 1944.

Medal of Honor action By March 18, 1945 was serving as a first lieutenant in command of Company F, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. During a battle on that day, near Nieder-Wurzbach in Germany, Treadwell single-handedly captured six German bunkers. He was subsequently promoted to captain and, on September 14, 1945, awarded the Medal of Honor. Treadwell was wounded in March 1945, and after hospitalization, he returned to duty with the Infantry School at Fort Benning in March 1946.

Post war Treadwell's next assignment was with the 7th Infantry Regiment at Fort Devens, from April 1948 to September 1949, followed by attending the Armored School at Fort Knox, from September 1949 to August 1950. Treadwell served as a company commander and executive officer with the 350th Infantry Regiment in Austria from August 1950 to December 1952, and then as Aide-de-Camp to the commander of First United States Army at Fort Jay from December 1952 to July 1954.

After Vietnam, Treadwell served with Headquarters Fourth United States Army (redesignated Fifth United States Army in June 1971) at Fort Sam Houston from October 1969 to June 1972, followed by service as Senior Army Advisor to the U.S. Army Reserve at Columbia, South Carolina, from July 1972.

Later life Treadwell was married to Maxine Johnson of Mooresville, Indiana, an Army nurse whom he met while he was recuperating in France from his most serious wound (a ricochet through his neck and chest).

Capt. Treadwell (then 1st Lt.), commanding officer of Company F, near Nieder-Wurzbach, Germany, in the Siegfried line, single-handedly captured 6 pillboxes and 18 prisoners. Murderous enemy automatic and rifle fire with intermittent artillery bombardments had pinned down his company for hours at the base of a hill defended by concrete fortifications and interlocking trenches. Eight men sent to attack a single point had all become casualties on the bare slope when Capt. Treadwell, armed with a submachinegun and handgrenades, went forward alone to clear the way for his stalled company. Over the terrain devoid of cover and swept by bullets, he fearlessly advanced, firing at the aperture of the nearest pillbox and, when within range, hurling grenades at it. He reached the pillbox, thrust the muzzle of his gun through the port, and drove 4 Germans out with their hands in the air. A fifth was found dead inside. Waving these prisoners back to the American line, he continued under terrible, concentrated fire to the next pillbox and took it in the same manner. In this fort he captured the commander of the hill defenses, whom he sent to the rear with the other prisoners. Never slackening his attack, he then ran across the crest of the hill to a third pillbox, traversing this distance in full view of hostile machine gunners and snipers. He was again successful in taking the enemy position. The Germans quickly fell prey to his further rushes on 3 more pillboxes in the confusion and havoc caused by his whirlwind assaults and capture of their commander. Inspired by the electrifying performance of their leader, the men of Company F stormed after him and overwhelmed resistance on the entire hill, driving a wedge into the Siegfried line and making it possible for their battalion to take its objective. By his courageous willingness to face nearly impossible odds and by his overwhelming one-man offensive, Capt. Treadwell reduced a heavily fortified, seemingly impregnable enemy sector.

Distinguished Service Cross citation

Treadwell's official Distinguished Service Cross citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Jack LeMaster Treadwell, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company F, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 24 May 1944, near Carano, Italy. When an attack by a superior enemy force threatened the security of his company position, Lieutenant Treadwell, weapons platoon leader of a rifle company, promptly brought the fire of his weapons platoon to bear on the enemy. Small groups of enemy under cover of artillery and mortar fire had advanced to within fifty yards of the company position and were beginning to infiltrate through the lines. Lieutenant Treadwell, knowing that two of the rifle platoons were without officers, quickly reorganized them to meet each new thrust of the enemy. Working under heavy fire, Lieutenant Treadwell excellent leadership as he moved from squad to squad over a 400 yard front, controlling the defense of the positions. While directing friendly artillery and mortar fire during this engagement, Lieutenant Treadwell adjusted fire on the enemy positions extremely close to his observation post. Closing with the enemy in fierce hand-to-hand combat, Lieutenant Treadwell inspired his men to a vicious and successful defense of their positions.