Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
HENLEY, Robert McRue - Date of
birth
1924 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Arkansas -
Hometown
Conway County, Arkansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37068787 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Platoon Commander -
Unit
46th Armored Infantry Battalion,
5th Armored Division
-
Awards
Distinguished Service Cross,
Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Died of Wounds - Date of
death
21 December 1944 - Place of
death
Hürtgen Forest, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| E | 2 | 60 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Robert Henley (father)
Minnie (Kirtley) Henley (mother)
Virginia Henley (sister)
William C. Henley (brother)
More information
Staff Sergeant Robert M. Henley was in action against enemy forces on 30 November 1944, in Germany. In an advance against the enemy in the Hurtgen Forest, Staff Sergeant Henley's platoon was suddenly fired upon by a well-concealed machine gun. Limited observation due to the dense woods made it extremely difficult to locate the hostile emplacement. Voluntarily and with great personal courage, he crossed a fire break and climbed a tree to a point twenty-five feet from the ground. From his hazardous post atop the tree, he located the position of the gun, descended and inched his way through the forest toward the emplacement. Across the open fire break less than twenty-five yards away was the hostile weapon. Heroically, he exposed himself, fired his submachine gun directly into the emplacement and killed three members of the crew and wounded two others.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, WWIIMemorial.com, 5ad.org, www.ancestry.com - Arkansas Family Tree
Photo source: Jac Engels, Arkansas Family Tree