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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. During an attack near Buna, New Guinea, on 24 December 1942, 1st Sgt. Burr saw an enemy grenade strike near his company commander. Instantly and with heroic self-sacrifice he threw himself upon it, smothering the
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with his body, sacrificing himself to protect those around him. He suffered severe wounds to his abdomen and died in a field hospital the next day. For this action, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor ten months later, on
October 11, 1943.
191:. After the 32nd Division was federalized in 1940, he participated in training exercises with his unit until late 1941, when he was discharged for being over the 28-year age limit. However, the
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explosion with his body. 1st Sgt. Burr thus gave his life in saving that of his commander.
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soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the
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Kent, Alan E. (Winter 1952–1953). "Wisconsin and the Medal of Honor".
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First
Sergeant Burr's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
222:. On that day, he smothered the blast of an enemy-thrown
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United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (1908–1942)
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United States Army personnel killed in World War II
195:on December 7, 1941, led to Burr re-enlisting from
267:List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
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338:"Medal of Honor recipients - World War II (A–F)"
159:(May 11, 1908 – December 25, 1942) was a
412:World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor
346:United States Army Center of Military History
289:United States Army Center of Military History
392:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
210:. By December 24, 1942, he was serving as a
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422:Wisconsin National Guard personnel
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202:After a few months of training in
187:in about 1928 and served with the
179:Burr was born on May 11, 1908, in
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407:Military personnel from Wisconsin
313:The Wisconsin Magazine of History
348:. August 3, 2009. Archived from
283: This article incorporates
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402:People from Neenah, Wisconsin
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216:127th Infantry Regiment
108:127th Infantry Regiment
417:Deaths by hand grenade
285:public domain material
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193:attack on Pearl Harbor
189:32nd Infantry Division
112:32nd Infantry Division
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86:Years of service
214:in Company I of the
167:—for his actions in
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129:Battle of Buna-Gona
218:at the village of
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161:United States Army
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354:. Retrieved
350:the original
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224:hand grenade
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54:(1942-12-25)
39:May 11, 1908
382:1942 deaths
377:1908 births
89:1928 - 1942
371:Categories
356:2009-08-10
273:References
208:New Guinea
66:Allegiance
35:1908-05-11
319:(2): 107.
204:Australia
175:Biography
245:See also
74:Service/
135:†
145:Awards
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220:Buna
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94:Rank
59:Buna
49:Died
44:, US
29:Born
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