Memorial

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Maj Thomas H. Wells was awarded the Silver Star Medal posthumously. The citation cited: In the assault on the highly fortified Metz sector, Maj Wells' battalion had the difficult and dangerous mission of capturing the town of Sillegny. In addition to numerical superiority, the enemy had a precise knowledge of every detail of the surrounding terrain, having used it for four years as a proving and training ground for a nearby officer candidate school. The first attack upon the town was thrown back by concentrated artillery fire. During the second attack in the early hours of the morning, both the battalion commander and the executive officer were mortally wounded as they attempted to charge a line of enemy pillboxes. Though faced by withering frontal fire from automatic weapons, Major Wells with complete disregard for his own safety, reconnoitered the enemy positions and formulated a plan for a renewed assault on the enemy fortifications. Relentlessly, he pressed forward under heavy enemy artillery and succeeded in reaching the heart of the town. While attempting to remove a road block, Major Wells met his death. The epic gallantry of Major Wells in leading his troops agains almost impregnable enemy positions will be remembered by the remnants of the battalion who survived the assault of Sillegny.