Misplaced Pages

Matt Urban

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 75.79.31.20 (talk) at 02:37, 4 January 2014 (Citations have complete names. You should act a lot better towards me and be more sensible.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 02:37, 4 January 2014 by 75.79.31.20 (talk) (Citations have complete names. You should act a lot better towards me and be more sensible.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Matt Urban" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Matt Louis Urban
Nickname(s)"The Ghost"
Born(1919-08-25)August 25, 1919
Buffalo, New York
DiedMarch 4, 1995(1995-03-04) (aged 75)
Holland, Michigan
Place of burialArlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branch United States Army
Years of service1941-1946
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit
Battles / warsWorld War II
Awards

Matt Louis Urban (August 25, 1919 – March 4, 1995) was a highly decorated American combat soldier who served with distinction as an infantry officer in the Mediterranean and European Theater of Operations during World War II. He scouted, led charges upfront, and performed heroically in combat on several occasions despite being wounded. He received over a dozen individual combat decorations from the US Army including seven Purple Hearts.

In 1980, he received the Medal of Honor and four other individual combat decorations belatedly for his actions in France and Belgium in 1944. In Section 7a of the "Prominent Military Figures" portion of Arlington National Cemetery's webpage there is the statement " Lt. Col. Matt Urban - World War II infantry officer who earned the distinction as the most decorated soldier in WW II".

Early years

Matt Urban was born Matthew Louis Urbanowicz in Buffalo, New York. His parents Stanley and Helen Urbanowicz (Urban) were Polish immigrants. Urban was baptized at Corpus Christi Church and attended Buffalo East High School. He had two surviving brothers, Dr. Stanley (Urbanowicz) Urban and Arthur (Urbanowicz) Urban. A younger brother Eugene died in 1927 from appendicitis. His father was a plumbing contractor. The family home was at 1153 Broadway.

In the 1940 Census, he was listed as living at the family home and completed 3 years of college under the name of Matthew Urbanowicz. However, Urban attended and graduated from Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) under the name Matty L. Urbanowitz. He graduated on June 14, 1941 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Government with a minor in Community Recreation. While at Cornell University he was a member of the track and boxing teams and the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).

Military service

U.S. Army

The names Matt Urban and Matty Louis (L.) Urbanowitz are used as his name in his US Army service records, and these two names only, are used in his book.The name "Matt Louis Urban" appears on his Arlington National Cemetery headstone along with a listing of his major military citations including Medal of Honor, Silver Star with Oak Cluster, Purple Heart with 6 Oak Clusters etc.

Urban was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the United States Army on May 22, 1941 and entered active duty on July 2, 1941 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He served as a first lieutenant and a captain in six campaigns during World War II and was severely wounded in September 1944 in Belgium. He was promoted a major and lieutenant colonel on October 2, 1944 and October 2, 1945 respectively. He was medically retired from the U.S. Army on February 26, 1946.

World War II

Beginning at Fort Bragg, Urban served as a platoon leader; morale and special services officer; a company executive officer and company commander; a battalion executive officer, and battalion commander of the 60th Infantry Regiment of General Manton Eddy's 9th Infantry Division ("Old Reliables") which was awarded twenty-four Distinguished Unit Citations for World War II. Urban first became a combat soldier when he made a beach landing under fire with another soldier on a raft during Operation Torch of the North Africa Campaign during the invasion of North Africa on November 8, 1942. Besides a Purple Heart, one of the first medals he received was a Silver Star.

Medal of Honor

In early 1979, a Michigan Disabled American Veterans (DAV) regional service representative who had come to know Urban personally over a long period of time, sent an official Medal of Honor recommendation inquiry to U.S. Army Headquarters. The misplaced recommendation was found and revealed that Urban's battalion commander had initiated a Medal of Honor recommendation for Urban just prior to Urban's commander being killed in action in July 1944. The U.S. Army completed the necessary recommendation process and officially awarded Matt Urban the Medal of Honor in 1980. On July 18, 1980, he was presented four individual combat decorations including a decoration from France during a special ceremony at the Pentagon. On July 19, President Jimmy Carter presented Urban the Medal of Honor in front of hundreds of people which included fellow 9th division veterans, and witnesses of Urban's actions in combat during World War II.

Medal of Honor citation

Lieutenant Colonel (then Captain) Matt Urban, 112-22-2414, United States Army, who distinguished himself by a series of bold, heroic actions, exemplified by singularly outstanding combat leadership, personal bravery, and tenacious devotion to duty, during the period 14 June to 3 September 1944 while assigned to the 2d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. On 14 June, Captain Urban's company, attacking at Renouf, France, encountered heavy enemy small arms and tank fire. The enemy tanks were unmercifully raking his unit's positions and inflicting heavy casualties. Captain Urban, realizing that his company was in imminent danger of being decimated, armed himself with a bazooka. He worked his way with an ammo carrier through hedgerows, under a continuing barrage of fire, to a point near the tanks. He brazenly exposed himself to the enemy fire and, firing the bazooka, destroyed both tanks. Responding to Captain Urban's action, his company moved forward and routed the enemy. Later that same day, still in the attack near Orglandes, Captain Urban was wounded in the leg by direct fire from a 37mm tank-gun. He refused evacuation and continued to lead his company until they moved into defensive positions for the night. At 0500 hours the next day, still in the attack near Orglandes, Captain Urban, though badly wounded, directed his company in another attack. One hour later he was again wounded. Suffering from two wounds, one serious, he was evacuated to England.

In mid-July, while recovering from his wounds, he learned of his unit's severe losses in the hedgerows of Normandy. Realizing his unit's need for battle-tested leaders, he voluntarily left the hospital and hitchhiked his way back to his unit hear St. Lo, France. Arriving at the 2d Battalion Command Post at 1130 hours, 25 July, he found that his unit had jumped-off at 1100 hours in the first attack of Operation Cobra." Still limping from his leg wound, Captain Urban made his way forward to retake command of his company. He found his company held up by strong enemy opposition. Two supporting tanks had been destroyed and another, intact but with no tank commander or gunner, was not moving. He located a lieutenant in charge of the support tanks and directed a plan of attack to eliminate the enemy strong-point. The lieutenant and a sergeant were immediately killed by the heavy enemy fire when they tried to mount the tank. Captain Urban, though physically hampered by his leg wound and knowing quick action had to be taken, dashed through the scathing fire and mounted the tank. With enemy bullets ricocheting from the tank, Captain Urban ordered the tank forward and, completely exposed to the enemy fire, manned the machine gun and placed devastating fire on the enemy. His action, in the face of enemy fire, galvanized the battalion into action and they attacked and destroyed the enemy position. On 2 August, Captain Urban was wounded in the chest by shell fragments and, disregarding the recommendation of the Battalion Surgeon, again refused evacuation. On 6 August, Captain Urban became the commander of the 2d Battalion. On 15 August, he was again wounded but remained with his unit.

On 3 September, the 2d Battalion was given the mission of establishing a crossing-point on the Meuse River near Heer, Belgium. The enemy planned to stop the advance of the allied Army by concentrating heavy forces at the Meuse. The 2d Battalion, attacking toward the crossing-point, encountered fierce enemy artillery, small arms and mortar fire which stopped the attack. Captain Urban quickly moved from his command post to the lead position of the battalion. Reorganizing the attacking elements, he personally led a charge toward the enemy's strong-point. As the charge moved across the open terrain, Captain Urban was seriously wounded in the neck. Although unable to talk above a whisper from the paralyzing neck wound, and in danger of losing his life, he refused to be evacuated until the enemy was routed and his battalion had secured the crossing-point on the Meuse River. Captain Urban's personal leadership, limitless bravery, and repeated extraordinary exposure to enemy fire served as an inspiration to his entire battalion. His valorous and intrepid actions reflect the utmost credit on him and uphold the noble traditions of the United States Army.

Military decorations and awards

Matt Urban's military awards include fourteen individual combat decorations he received from the U.S. Army: the Medal of Honor, two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars, Legion of Merit, and seven Purple Hearts. This would be the most individual combat decorations awarded to an infantryman by the U.S. Army for World War II. Five of the individual combat decorations from the US Army are for valor.

He received the following military awards:

  Combat Infantryman Badge
Medal of Honor
Bronze oak leaf cluster Silver Star with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Legion of Merit
VBronze oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Bronze Star with Two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters and "V" Device
Silver oak leaf clusterBronze oak leaf cluster Purple Heart with One Silver and One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster Presidential Unit Citation with One Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
ArrowheadSilver starBronze star European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver and One Bronze Campaign Star and Arrowhead Device
World War II Victory Medal
French Croix de Guerre with One Silver Gilt Star and Palm
French Liberation Medal
Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm (Unit Award)
Belgian Fourragère

Foreign military awards are below U.S. military awards in order of precedence. Foreign combat decorations may be awarded for the same action a U.S. military decoration was awarded for.

Post World War II

Urban was a staff writer and editor for Liberty Magazine (Veterans' View Bulletin) for two years since October 1945. In the meantime, he changed his name to Matt Urban. He was the Recreation Director in Port Huron, Michigan from 1949 to 1956, the Director of the Monroe, Michigan, Community Center from 1956 to 1972, and the Director of the Recreation Department of Holland, Michigan from 1972 to 1989. He started and became a Camp Director for under-privileged children, Boys Club director, a Cub Scout Master and was involved in other activities and organizations like the Red Cross and Boy Scouts, as chairman, board member, committee member, and coach. In 1989, Urban retired to complete his World War II biography, The Matt Urban Story, Life And World War II Experiences.

Death

Urban died on March 4, 1995 in Holland, Michigan. He is buried in Plot: Section 7a, Grave 40 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Personal awards and honors

Some of Urban's personal awards and honors:

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Matt Urban Story", by Matt Urban and Charles Conrad, 1989, ISBN 0-9624621-0-1.
  2. Cornell Alumni News issues, 1939-1941, "Matty L. Urbanowitz, 41"; December 15, 1943, Vol. 46, #12, p. 233, "Captain Matty L. Urbanowitz", two Silver Stars.
  3. US Army Silver Star index, 1943, WWII; two Silver Stars, Urbanowitz, Matty L.
  4. (GO# 10, Medal of Honor is presented to Matt Urban (complete name or middle initial is required on award citation). National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO.
  5. 9th Infantry Division History
  6. MilitaryTimes, Hall of Valor, Matty Urbanowitz, Silver Star and by searching Matt Urban at the same site you will find two Silver Star awards which are not linked to Matty Urbanowitz. This potentially creates the false impression that Matt Urban received three Silver Stars which is not accurate. The Military Times ought to resolve this potential source of confusion..
  7. The American Presidency Project. Jimmy Carter- Congressional Medal of Honor Remarks on Presenting the Medal to Lt. Col. Matt Urban, US Army Retired.
  8. "Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (T–Z)". Medal of Honor Citations. United States Army Center of Military History. December 3, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  9. Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, 11 Dec. 2006: U.S. Army Individual Decorations, p. 36-37, Chapter 3, 3-2 / Section II, Individual DOD Decorations (Purple Heart), p. 20, 2-8
  10. Boven, Robert W. (2000). Most decorated soldier in World War II: Matt Urban. Canada: Trafford Publishing. p. 230. ISBN 1-55212-528-9. Retrieved 3 March 2012. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. Veterans Service Agency. Lt. Col. Matt "The Ghost" Urban
  12. PLAV Post 164
  • Urban, Matt; Conrad, Charles. The Matt Urban Story, Life And World War II Expericnces, 1989. ISBN 978-0-9624621-0-8.
  • Urban, Matt. The Hero - We Nearly Forgot, 1990. ASIN B002GJ1CA0.

External links

Template:Persondata

Categories: