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Richard E. Cowan was a heavy machine gunner attached to Company I in the vicinity of Krinkelter Wald, Belgium. On Dec. 17, 1944 his company was attacked by a numerically superior force of German infantry and tanks.
The first 6 waves of hostile infantrymen were repulsed with heavy casualties, but a 7th drive with tanks killed or wounded all but 3 in his section, leaving Pvt. Cowan to man his gun, supported by only 12 to 15 riflemen of Company I. He maintained his position, holding off the Germans until the rest of the shattered force had set up a new line along a firebreak. Then, unaided, he moved his machine gun and ammunition to the second position.
At the approach of a Royal Tiger tank, he held his fire until about 80 enemy infantrymen supporting the tank appeared at a distance of 150 yards. His first burst killed or wounded about half of these infantrymen. His position was rocked by an 88.mm shell when the tank opened fire, but he continued to man his gun, pouring deadly fire into the Germans when they advanced again. He was barely missed by another shell. Fire from 3 machine guns and innumerable small arms struck all around him, an enemy rocket shook him badly, but it didn't drive him away from his gun.
Infiltration by the enemy had made this position untenable, and the order was given to withdraw. Pvt. Cowan was the last man to leave, voluntarily covering the withdrawal of his fellow men. His heroic actions were entirely responsible for allowing the remaining men to retire successfully from the scene on their last ditch stand.
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