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.