Home



About the Medal
About the Ceremony
Class of 2000
Class of 2001
Class of 2002
Class of 2003
Class of 2004
Class of 2005
Class of 2006
Class of 2007
Class of 2008
Class of 2009
Class of 2010
Class of 2011
Class of 2012
Class of 2013
Class of 2014
Class of 2015
Class of 2016

Ohio Military Hall of Fame
Inductees    Nominations    Sponsors/Donations    News/Info    About OMHOF    Contact Us
Previous inductee Next inductee
Private Robert M. McIlyar
Class of 2004

Navy Commendation Medal




United States Army

SILVER STAR

Citation

Private Robert M. McIlyar. 35241509, Armd., who distinguished himself by gallantry in action against the enemy on 17 April 1945 in the vicinity of Barenrode, Germany. Advancing against strongly fortified enemy positions, the attacking platoon supported by tanks, was met by withering enemy small arms, mortar, and rocket fire, both frontal and flanking. So intense was the fire that the Infantry was forced to draw back to reorganize the attack. Pvt. McIlyar, crewman on one of the supporting tanks, saw that several wounded Infantrymen were about to be stranded without aid. With utter disregard for personal safety, Pvt. McIlyar left his tank and ran forward in the face of the hail of fire to assist in carrying the wounded back to his tank, on which they could be evacuated. While single-handedly loading them onto the tank, Pvt. McIlyar was himself wounded. Nevertheless, he pulled himself onto the tank and directed that it should back out to a position of comparative safety. Due to his courageous actions, several lives were saved. Pvt. McIlyar’s aggressiveness and courage under fire were, at all times, a credit to himself and to the armed forces of the United States. Entered military service from Ohio.

Website proudly donated by Ologie