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The American Legion

Department of Arkansas

P.O. Box 3280

Little Rock, AR 72203

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"Still Serving America"

The Department of Arkansas Honors our Heroes

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the

Medal of Honor To

HENDRIX, JAMES R.

RANK AND ORGANIZATION: Private, U.S. Army, Company C, 53d Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division.

PLACE AND DATE: Near Assenois, Belgium, 26 December 1944.

ENTERED SERVICE AT: Lepanto, Ark.

BIRTH: Lepanto, Ark.

G.O. NO.: 74, 1 September 1945.

CITATION: On the night of 26 December 1944, near Assenois, Belgium, he was with the leading element engaged in the final thrust to break through to the besieged garrison at Bastogne when halted by a fierce combination of artillery and small arms fire. He dismounted from his half-track and advanced against two 88mm. guns, and, by the ferocity of his rifle fire, compelled the gun crews to take cover and then to surrender. Later in the attack he again left his vehicle, voluntarily, to aid 2 wounded soldiers, helpless and exposed to intense machinegun fire. Effectively silencing 2 hostile machineguns, he held off the enemy by his own fire until the wounded men were evacuated. Pvt. Hendrix again distinguished himself when he hastened to the aid of still another soldier who was trapped in a burning half-track. Braving enemy sniper fire and exploding mines and ammunition in the vehicle, he extricated the wounded man and extinguished his flaming clothing, thereby saving the life of his fellow soldier. Pvt. Hendrix, by his superb courage and heroism, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service.

The following write-up, based on the citation above, was taken from the web-site Arkie Heroes:

   On the day after Christmas back in 1944, ol' Jimmy Hendrix was a busy man.  He was a lowly private in the 53rd Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division, the lead element of forces driving through Assenois in Belgium trying to relieve the American forces besieged at Bastogne. His column is confronted by two German 88mm guns. He hops out of his halftrack with his trusty rifle, shoots the officer commanding the two guns and captures the eight men serving the weapons.

   Not enough fun for Jimmy. Later in the day he spots two wounded GI's pinned down by German machine gun fire. Once again he hops out of his halftrack with his trusty rifle, "suppresses" the machine gun in a way not specified in the citation and delivers the two wounded GI's to safety.

   Still later in the day he spots a GI trapped in a burning halftrack under direct enemy fire in a mined area. (I'll bet you think I'm making this up.) Live ammunition cooks off like deadly popcorn as the raging flames flame and rage through the rage flame thing? Jimmy, braving all the very loud and very obvious dangers, drags the guy from the halftrack, extinguishes his burning clothing, and takes him to safety.

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