Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Purple Heart named to Medal of Honor winner Staff Sergeant Robert E. Laws, 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division

Purple Heart, reverse privately engraved, ‘Sgt. R. Laws 169th Inf.’, slot brooch, nearly extremely fine £100-140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Named and Attributable American Medal Groups.

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Note: this medal is privately engraved.

Robert E. Laws was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania on 18 January 1921. As a Staff Sergeant with Company ‘G’, 169th Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division, he earned the Congressional Medal of Honor on 12 January 1945 when serving in Pangasinan Province, Luzon, Philippines. He died on 1 January 1990.

Citation: ‘He led the assault squad when Company G attacked enemy hill positions. The enemy force, estimated to be a reinforced infantry company, was well supplied with machine guns, ammunition, grenades, and blocks of TNT and could be attacked only across a narrow ridge 70 yards long. At the end of this ridge an enemy pillbox and rifle positions were set in rising ground. Covered by his squad, S/Sgt Laws traversed the hogback through vicious enemy fire until close to the pillbox, where he hurled grenades at the fortification. Enemy grenades wounded him, but he persisted in his assault until one of his missiles found its mark and knocked out the pillbox. With more grenades, passed to him by members of his squad who had joined him, he led the attack on the entrenched riflemen. ln the advance up the hill, he suffered additional wounds in both arms and legs, about the body and in the head, as grenades and TNT charges exploded near him. Three Japs rushed him with fixed bayonets, and he emptied the magazine of his machine pistol at them, killing 2. He closed in hand-to-hand combat with the third, seizing the Jap's rifle as he met the onslaught. The 2 fell to the ground and rolled some 50 or 60 feet down a bank. When the dust cleared the Jap lay dead and the valiant American was climbing up the hill with a large gash across the head. He was given first aid and evacuated from the area while his squad completed the destruction of the enemy position. S/Sgt. Laws' heroic actions provided great inspiration to his comrades, and his courageous determination, in the face of formidable odds and while suffering from multiple wounds, enabled them to secure an important objective with minimum casualties.’

With some copied research and photographs; also with Combat Infantryman’s Badge and riband bar for display purposes.

This lot is sold as seen and is not subject to return. Please see saleroom notice on lot 280 for fuller details.