First Lieutenant Edward L. Silk

First Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Colonel) Edward L. Silk is being inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame Valorous Combat Leadership and for gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. He was awarded the Medal of Honor on 12 October 1945 by President Harry S. Truman. Silk was born on 8 June 1916, in Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. He died on 19 November 1955, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.

After his commissioning as an Infantry officer from the Army OCS at Fort Benning, Georgia, in February 1943, First Lieutenant Edward A. Silk would be assigned to Company E, 398TH Infantry regiment, 100TH Infantry Division in the European campaign after D-Day.

First Lieutenant Silk commanded the weapons platoon of Company E on 23 November 1944, when the end battalion of his regiment was assigned the mission of seizing high ground overlooking Moyenmoutier, France, prior to an attack on the city itself. After elements of his company were pinned down. He skillfully deployed his light machine-gun section, LT Silk answered the enemy fire, but when 15 minutes had elapsed with no slackening of resistance, he decided to eliminate the stronghold by a one-man attack. He assaulted the enemy position killing two machine gunners and capturing 12 Germans soldiers. By his gallant willingness to assume the full burden of the attack and the intrepidity with which he carried out his extremely hazardous mission, Silk enabled his battalion to continue its advance and seize its objective.

LT Silk remained in the Army and reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

His awards and decorations include the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, World War II Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-Africa-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/2 bronze stars.