MSgt Charles L. McGaha
U.S. Army, 25th Infantry Division, 35th Infantry Regiment, Company G

Background
Charles L. McGaha

Wartime History
McGaha enlisted in the U.S. Army. Assigned to 25th Infantry Division (25th ID) "Tropic Lightning", 35th Infantry Regiment (35th IR) "Cacti", Company G.

On February 7, 1945 at Lupao, Company G was pinned down by heavy fire from five tanks plus ten machine guns and riflemen. Coming to the aid of a wounded soldier, MSgt Charles L. McGaha crossed a road under heavy fire and moved him to safety and was wounded in his arm. When he returned to his post, he found his platoon commander was seriously wounded and assumed command and rallied his men and went to aid another wounded man and was again wounded by a shell in the shoulder and killed two stretcher bearers but picked up the survivor and carried him to safety then moved to deliberately draw fire while the others withdrew to safety then rejoined his men and collapsed from blood loss and exhaustion. For his actions, he earned the Medal of Honor. After dark, the the remaining Japanese attempted a breakout with ten or eleven surviving tanks. Five of the tanks manage to flee to the east towards the foothills until abandoned by their crews. On February 8, 1945 by noon the 35th Infantry Regiment secured Lupao against negligible opposition.

References
U.S. Army in World War II Triumph in the Philippines Chapter XI Protecting XIV Corps' Rear and Flanks pages 187-190, 191 (map), 192 (Lupao garrison), 193, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, footnote 28

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?