Wilbur E. Colyer

Wilbur E. Colyer (March 5, 1898 – October 10, 1918) was an American soldier serving in the U.S. Army during World War I who received the Medal of Honor for bravery.

Biography Colyer was born March 5, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York and after enlisting in the Army in 1917 was sent to France to fight in World War I. He died October 10, 1918, and is buried in Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 1st Engineers, 1st Division. Place and date: Near Verdun, France, 9 October 1918. Entered service at: South Ozone Park, Long Island, N.Y. Birth: Brooklyn, N.Y. General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 20 (January 30, 1919).

Citation: Volunteering with 2 other soldiers to locate machinegun nests, Sgt. Colyer advanced on the hostile positions to a point where he was half surrounded by the nests, which were in ambush. He killed the gunner of one gun with a captured German grenade and then turned this gun on the other nests silencing all of them before he returned to his platoon. He was later killed in action.

Remembrance On October 9, 2013, the 1st Engineer Battalion hosted a "mud run," modeled after the popular Tough Mudder, that included ruck marching, an obstacle course, and a crawl through a muddy pit. The course was named the "SGT Wilbur E. Colyer Diehard Challenge" in memory of SGT Colyer.

Military awards Colyer's military decorations and awards include:

1st rowMedal of HonorWorld War I Victory Medal w/one silver service star to denote credit for the Montdidier-Noyon, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector battle clasps.Unit AwardFrench Fourragère - Authorized permanent wear based on two French Croix de Guerre with Palm unit citations awarded the 1st Engineer Battalion for Lorraine-Picardy and Aisne-Marne/Meuse-Argonne