US 3rd Inf. Residence: Illinois. Born in Nysund, Sweden. Second World War: Technician Fifth Grade. Awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 28 Jan 1944 near Isola Bella, Italy, Gibson, who was a company cook, led a squad of replacements through their initial baptism of fire, destroying four enemy positions, killing five and capturing two German soldiers. He secured the left flank of his company during an attack on a strongpoint. Placing himself 50 yards in front of his new men, Gibson advanced down the wide stream ditch known as the Fossa Femminamorta, keeping pace with the advance of his company. An enemy soldier allowed T5 Gibson to come within 20 yards of his concealed position and then opened fire on Gibson with a machine pistol. Despite the stream of automatic fire which barely missed him, Gibson charged the position, firing his machine gun every few steps. Reaching the position, Gibson fired point blank at his opponent, killing him. An artillery concentration fell in and around the ditch; the concussion from one shell knocked him flat. As he got to his feet, Gibson was fired upon by two soldiers armed with a machine pistol and a rifle from a position only 75 yards distant. Gibson immediately raced toward the foe. Halfway to the position a machine gun opened fire on him. Bullets came within inches of his body, yet Gibson never paused in his forward movement. He killed one and captured the other soldier. Shortly after, when he was fired upon by a heavy machine gun 200 yards down the ditch, Gibson crawled back to his squad and ordered it to lay down a base of fire while he flanked the emplacement. Despite all warning, Gibson crawled 125 yards through an artillery concentration and the cross fire of two machine guns which showered dirt over his body. He threw two hand grenades into the emplacement and charged it with his submachine gun, killing two of the enemy and capturing a third. Before leading his men around a bend in the stream ditch, Gibson went forward alone to reconnoiter. Hearing an exchange of machine pistol and submachine gun fire, Gibson’s squad went forward to find that its leader had run 35 yards toward an outpost, killed the machine pistol man, and had himself been killed while firing at the Germans. Sources: (“America’s Medal of Honor Recipients”. Publ. 1977, pp 560, 1014)
