Rank Corporal | ||
Born April 18, 1895New York City, New York ( 1895-04-18 ) Units 107th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division Similar Alan Louis Eggers, John Cridland Latham, William Sawelson, William B Turner, Benjamin Kaufman | ||
Thomas E. O'Shea (April 18, 1895 – September 29, 1918) was a United States Army corporal during World War I. He was killed by Germans while trying to rescue others near Le Catelet, France on September 29, 1918. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions. O'Shea was a resident of Summit, New Jersey.
O'Shea is buried in the Somme American Cemetery and Memorial in Picardy, northern France.
Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage, Cpl. O'Shea, with 2 other soldiers, took cover in a shell hole well within the enemy's lines. Upon hearing a call for help from an American tank, which had become disabled 30 yards from them, the 3 soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank under heavy fire from German machineguns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Cpl. O'Shea was mortally wounded and died of his wounds shortly afterwards.
Medal of Honor citation
Citation:
Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage, Cpl. O'Shea, with 2 other soldiers, took cover in a shell hole well within the enemy's lines. Upon hearing a call for help from an American tank, which had become disabled 30 yards from them, the 3 soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank under heavy fire from German machineguns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Cpl. O'Shea was mortally wounded and died of his wounds shortly afterwards.