Memorial

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Maj Hugh H. Johnston attended high school for four years and was a sales clerk before he joined the Regular Army in Boston, Massachusetts on 15 October 1940.

The 6th December was to be a grim day for the 50th Armored Infantry Battalion. It started when C Company with attached units moved to attack Welferding against strong enemy resistance. The enemy's usually heavy artillery fire was light, but his use of 20 mm fire was especially heavy. This brought about several hours of vicious fighting, but before noon the town was cleared of its Nazi fanatics. This victory, another milestone to the plodding course of the march toward German soil, lost brilliance because it cost the Battalion the life of one of its most capable Officers, Major Hugh H. Johnston, who was fatally wounded at the outset of the engagement. In great pain and gasping for breath, this gallant officer's last words were an order to call for artillery fire to be brought upon the enemy's positions. His order, promptly carried out, unquestionably prevented the column which he was leading from becoming disorganized and probably routed. And, without a doubt, his last words were instrumental in the succesful completion of that particular mission.

He was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery in Limey, France.